Netflix Is Testing Out A Fee For Password Sharing, So You Might Be Charged Soon
You might want to tell anyone you're sharing Netflix with.
In the age of streaming services, sharing passwords has become the norm for so many TV and movie fans. But a new development has Netflix users wondering if the streamer will start charging for password sharing. The streaming company announced Wednesday, March 16 that it would be testing a new fee on subscribers in an effort to prevent sharing of accounts with those outside of your household. The new test is being implemented to reinforce Netflix’s terms of use, which states that services "may not be shared with individuals beyond your household."
In a blog post by Chengyi Long, Netflix's director of product innovation, she explained the test would allow members to add up to two people they don't live with onto their profile as sub accounts with unique logins and passwords. The catch is an extra fee, presented as a cheaper alternative to an individual plan.
Not everyone will be impacted right away, as the new feature is currently only being rolled out for standard and premium plan subscribers in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru. The price to use the new feature in the respective countries is 2,380 Chilean pesos ($2.96) in Chile, $2.99 in Costa Rica, and 7.9 Peruvian sol ($2.11) in Peru. Judging from those prices, if the fee ever makes it to the U.S., American subscribers will likely need to pay $2-$3 more in order to add out-of-household accounts to their Netflix subscription.
It seems like Netflix members can't catch a break with the constant price hikes. This announcement came shortly after January's price increase on plans in the U.S. and Canada — Netflix's largest subscriber bases — where prices rose between $1 to $2 depending on the plan.
A second feature in the test is the ability to transfer profile information onto a new account or sub-account while keeping the viewing history, list, and recommendations. This option will be open to basic, standard, and premium plan subscribers.
Despite the increased prices, Netflix remains the world's largest streaming service, with 221.8 million paid subscribers in over 190 countries. However, growth is waning as the company forecasted a gain of 2.5 million new subscribers in the first quarter of this year, compared to the 8.3 million it added in the last quarter of 2021.
The account-sharing fee may only be in a testing phase now, but keep your eyes peeled, because Netflix could very well implement it widely soon enough.
