Netflix Password-Sharing Crackdown Begins in the US: Starting at $7.99 a Month

Netflix's password-sharing crackdown has begun in the US.

And as such, leeching members now have to pay up, starting at $7.99 monthly.

Netflix Password-Sharing Crackdown Rolls Out

In a bold attempt to reclaim the throne from the notorious password-sharing leeches, Netflix has officially unleashed its password-sharing crackdown in the US, reports NBC News.

Gone are the days of relying on generous friends or distant relatives who willingly shared their Netflix login credentials. With this new initiative, Netflix requires these folks to start paying up.

While this may come as a frustrating development to some, it is worth noting that Netflix is a business, after all. And like any business, it must ensure a fair and sustainable revenue stream. With millions of dollars lost each year due to rampant password-sharing, it is no wonder that the giant streamer has decided to take this route.

While writers on strike are now demanding the streaming service to pay them properly, the streamer is sort of doing the same for its customers. In a blog post, the tech and entertainment juggernaut was pretty straightforward. It says, "A Netflix account is for use by one household."

So if you want to share your Netflix password with someone outside your household, it now comes with an additional fee. An extra member costs $7.99 per month, as per Polygon.

Those who are leeching on an account now have two options to take. They may opt to create their own account with the standard pricing or they could continue sharing with a friend to the tune of nearly $8 monthly. Not bad if you are tight on budget.

On the other hand, The Verge reports that opting for a new standard subscription with ads starts at $9.99. This tier does not include an option to add extra members. Instead, the password-sharing option is only exclusive to plans without any ads.

Netflix vs. Password Sharing

The giant streamer, which brought us hits like "Stranger Things" and "Squid Game," used to embrace password sharing. The Verge points out that the Twitter account of Netflix posted last March 2017 that sharing passwords is a love language.

But in April 2022, the tides have changed. Netflix grappled with subscribers lost for the first instance after an astonishing growth of over a decade. And as such, the streaming service began finding ways to crack down on prevalent password sharing.

The crackdown aims to address the long-standing issue of password-sharing that has plagued Netflix's subscriber base for years. The giant streamer is now turning to curb account sharing as it finds ways to boost its revenues.

The giant firm says over 100 million households share their passwords with other folks. Because of this, Netflix now rolled out a password-sharing feature requiring additional members to pay a fee.