Netflix Password Sharing Rules: Countries, Prices, and Restrictions
Netflix has begun implementing some measures against password sharing in four countries: Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain.
The streaming giant is already testing various other methods in Costa Rica, Chile and Peru. However, there has been a lot of misinformation about when and where Netflix is rolling out new features.
Here’s everything we know so far, including details on what’s going on in the US and UK.
What do Netflix’s new password sharing measures entail?
Netflix says single membership is for people who live together in the same house.
These rules currently only apply in seven countries at the time of writing (not including the US or UK). Netflix refers to an account’s primary household as its “primary location.”
If a user is found to be streaming outside of their primary location, as determined by a combination of IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity, Netflix will prompt the user to either sign up for a new account or contact the account owner. to add them as “additional member”.
This means that if you’re using a family or friend’s Netflix account to watch movies like Stranger Things and The Witcher, you’re likely to run into these rules when they arrive in your country.
Hannah Cawthon / Foundry
Netflix claims you’ll still be able to stream content while traveling using a temporary password. No length was specified at the time of writing, but previous information on the help pages said that the password allows users to stream for a maximum of seven days.
Netflix previously also said that non-main family users will need to log into the account holder’s home Wi-Fi network and watch something at least once a month if they want to continue streaming.
This information has since been removed from parts of the help pages, but is still available on the second home streaming page.
How much do additional Netflix members cost and what are the limits?
Additional members have access to the Netflix library but can only have one profile per device without the possibility of simultaneous streams. They can still download movies and episodes, but they can’t set up a child profile. They must also reside in the same country as the account holder.
Only members with Standard or Premium plans can add additional members, so people with Basic or Basic plans with ads will have to upgrade if they need other accounts.
Additional members have the following prices per month:
- Canada – 7.99 Canadian dollars.
- New Zealand – 5.04 New Zealand dollars.
- Portugal – 3.99 euros
- Spain – 5.99 euros
- Costa Rica – $2.99
- Chile – 2380 CLP
- Peru – 7.9 pennies
Netflix hasn’t confirmed any costs for other countries, but the above listing ranges from $3 for £2 to $6 for £5.
Can you still share the US and UK Netflix password?
Yes you can. While this is technically against Netflix’s terms of service, the company has yet to take any formal action in the US or UK as it does in other countries.
When will Netflix introduce password sharing rules in the US and UK?
Back in January, the co-CEOs of Netflix confirmed that password-sharing measures would be rolled out globally before the end of the first quarter of this year, which means it’s likely until March 31, 2023.
Kate O’Flaherty of Forbes contacted Netflix for more clarification and was told the streaming giant would not try to roll out any new measures quietly. All information must be communicated to members very clearly, most likely via email.
Why is everyone canceling Netflix?
On January 31, Streamable broke the news that Netflix had published a set of new rules regarding password sharing.
The guidelines said that users living outside the account holder’s primary household would need to log into that home Wi-Fi network and watch something every 31 days. If they don’t, their accounts will be blocked.
These rules were only for Costa Rica, Peru, and Chile, where Netflix previously tested measures against password sharing. However, the help page was erroneously included in the section for US members. It has since been removed.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Netflix clarified this the next day, providing The Streamable with the following quote: “Yesterday, briefly, a help center article containing information only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru was published in other countries. We have since updated it. We don’t have any updates to share other than the fact that we’re looking to roll this out more widely in the first quarter.”
Most major news outlets (including Tech Advisor) did include this caveat, either when they broke the news or as an update. However, social networks write that went viral did not specify this. After all, Twitter is no place for nuance.
Many users assumed that this change was happening globally and immediately started canceling their membership. While we don’t know exactly how many users have cancelled, a JohnSlots study found that searches for the term “Cancel Netflix” have skyrocketed to a whopping 733%.
You can learn how to cancel Netflix here and check out the different plans if you’re considering downgrading.
