From now on, the platform has begun to implement strict global regulations to stop the sharing of accounts between people who do not live in the same household. And not only that, it has also launched a new account sharing subscription plansimilar to the controversial show Netflix introduced last year.
The announcement was officially made by Disney’s own CEO, Bob Iger, who had already anticipated this measure at the beginning of 2024. The objective is clear: stop economic losses derived from the sharing of accounts and increase the profitability of Disney+, a platform that seeks not only to retain subscribers, but also to achieve a significant increase in its user base.
Disney+ has defined the new rules under which the service will operate. Like Netflix, account use will now be limited to devices within a single home. According to the company, a home is considered “a collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence, used by individuals living in the same location.” This means that sharing your account with friends or family who live at another address is officially outside the terms of use.
However, the company has included an option for those who can’t resist sharing their account with someone outside the home: the new ability to add an “Extra Member” to the subscription. This functionality will allow users add an external person to your home paying an additional cost.
In Spain, the Disney+ prices for the new “Pay to Share” plan are as follows: €5.99 per month for the basic subscription with ads and €8.99 without ads, and €11.99 for the Premium version . This strategy seeks to adapt to the needs of users and limit the exchange of accounts, maintaining competitiveness in the streaming market.
Disney+ aims to recover users
Although this option may seem like the solution, it has several limitations. The “Extra Member” can only be a person over 18 years of age, who lives in the same country, and can only view content from a single device at a time. In addition, Disney+ has established mechanisms to prevent clever users from trying to circumvent the rules, using verification codes to confirm identity when trying to access from different locations.
Disney+ implements global restrictions to curb account sharing, similar to Netflix. Introduces a payment plan for account sharing, allowing you to add an extra member after paying more. Although they must live in the same country and use a single device, travelers can access by verifying their identity.
This strategy seeks to replicate the success of Netflix in 2023, which managed to increase subscribers after implementing similar measures. The expansion will affect millions of users around the world, and is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Personally, I believe that it will achieve the adverse effect they aspire to.
