Disney Plus announces Netflix-style password-sharing crackdown and price hike

Remember when streaming services were simple? No? Us neither. And they’re set to get more complicated as Disney Plus announces a crackdown on password-sharing, and a price hike.

It’s a double whammy of tough news for Disney Plus viewers, with a Netflix-style suppression of sharing those all important password details with others. However, while terms and conditions of the service are going to change, the finer details have yet to be finalised.

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The Verge reported on 9 August 2023 that Disney CEO, Bob Iger, said that they were “actively exploring ways to address account sharing”. Before adding that Disney Plus “will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies”, though no specific dates were given.

Interestingly, when asked just how many subscribers abuse the system and password share, Iger didn’t offer an exact number. Instead, they simply said that the issue was “significant”, with the promise that they’ll “get at this issue” come 2024.

Not wishing to keep it too vague, Iger said “it’s possible that the work will not be completed within the calendar year. But we certainly have established this as a real priority, and we actually think that there’s an opportunity here to help us grow our business.”

Although there’s no specifics when it comes to clamping down on password-sharing, we can provide you with some information about the dreaded price hike. To clarify, these hikes will only affect subscribers who opt for the ad-free versions of Disney Plus (and Hulu).

From 12 October 2023 an ad-free Disney Plus subscription will cost $13.99, while Hulu ad-free will increase to $17.99. For those of you who stream both services, it might be worth opting for the Disney Duo Premium Bundle instead, which comes in at $19.99 per month. That option isn’t available just yet, though it should go live on 6 September 2023.

To help clarify any confusion you might have over pricing, here’s an overview of the changes scheduled for the US:

Disney Plus price hikes overview

Here’s hoping Disney doesn’t suffer a similar fate to Netflix, which lost $18 billion in value during July 2023. The price hikes and password-sharing lockdowns weren’t solely to blame for the dramatic decrease, though their unpopularity can’t be ignored.

If you’re still streaming Disney Plus with ads, the price you pay will remain at $7.99. It’s a small blessing, but one some of us can cling onto until the terms and conditions change.