Netflix will soon test charging primary account holders extra fees for password-sharing with people outside their household.
After years of ignoring the issue, Netflix ran a test last year in which it blocked password-sharing for anyone who didn’t live with the account owner.
Now, Netflix will let members share their accounts outside immediate households, but for a price.
The rollout will be tested first in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru. It will cost between $2-3 to share a password.
“We’ve always made it easy for people who live together to share their Netflix account, with features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans,” Netflix director of product innovation Chengyi Long wrote in a blog post about the test.
“While these have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are being shared between households — impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members,” Long added.
According to the Netflix Terms of Use, a customer’s account “may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.”
With the “add an extra member feature,” Netflix users with Standard and Premium plans can add up to two accounts for people they do not live with.
These accounts will have their own profile, personalized recommendations, login and password — all less than the cost of a Basic Netflix plan.
