Disney has officially launched its password and account-sharing crackdown, rolling out what it is calling its “paid sharing program” to users in the U.S. and in many regions around the world this week.
The company had teased the changes in earnings calls earlier this year, but with the launch, it now has an official policy and plan in place to try and migrate users who are sharing accounts to their own subscriptions.
The paid sharing program has a couple of options for users, per a blog post published Wednesday: People sharing an account with someone outside their household can add that person as an “Extra Member” for $6.99 per month for Disney+ Basic, or $9.99 for Disney+ Premium, both discounts to the normal retail price. Only one Extra Member will be allowed per account, and it is not available as part of the Disney Bundle.
In addition, users sharing an account can also subscribe to Disney+ themselves, and can transfer an eligible profile to the new account to keep their watch history and settings.
According to the Disney+ help center, “Disney+ will automatically detect and establish your Household based on your subscription activity, linked devices, and internet connection among other factors.” If it thinks you are watching outside your household, you may need to enter a one-time password to verify that you are adding a location to your household, or that you are traveling away from home.
The crackdown on account sharing also comes ad Disney+ is set to raise prices on most of its plans next month, and with a number of high-profile premieres, including Agatha All Along and the Disney+ debut on Inside Out 2.
Netflix began its password-sharing crackdown last year, and quickly saw enormous success, with executives saying that account cancelations remained low. Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max has subsequently said that it, too, will began cracking down on account sharers later this year.