Disney+ has been cracking down on users sharing their passwords for a little over a year now, and CFO Hugh Johnston has given an update on how it’s going.
The cost of living crisis has been taking its toll on many of us. Not on Disney, though, as the company is currently raking in the cash with Moana 2 in cinemas and Inside Out 2 currently holding the crown for highest grossing film of the year. Disney’s streaming service Disney+ wasn’t bringing in quite enough money, meanwhile, so the company started its long-planned password crackdown in 2023 to make sure users weren’t sharing their passwords outside their household.
It seems to be going well, too. CFO Hugh Johnston told the audience at UBS Media and Communications Conference that the password crackdown is “working out well for us in terms of subscriber growth,” as reported by Deadline.
Disney will also be focusing on advertising on Disney+, another way for the corporation to make additional revenue. “Relative to our streaming competitors, we’ve got an awful lot of experience with ad monetisation,” Johnston said. The CFO also promised the company would be looking for more opportunities to increase their prices. There’s something to look forward to.
If you have a Disney+ account, it seems you can only view it in your main residence. Anyone found using it outside of the address will need to create their own account or they can also be added as an “Extra Member” on the original account, but this obviously costs you extra. £4.99 to be exact if they want an ad-free experience. With ads, you’ll be paying £3.99 extra.
When we last reported on this, the Standard, ad-free version of Disney+ cost £7.99 and the Premium version was £10.99. Now, the prices are £8.99 and £12.99 respectively. Judging by Johnston’s comments, more price rises are coming.
Netflix was the first streaming service to tackle password sharing and Warner Bros is looking to also act on such activities for its own streaming service, Max, which is heading to the UK in 2026.
