A MAJOR TV streaming platform has begun charging users £60 extra a year to share their accounts.
Disney+ has followed in the footsteps of streaming giant Netflix and begun charging for password sharing.
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If you share your Disney+ account with friends or family who don’t live with you, you’ll now need to pay up to £4.99 a month.
Over a year that adds up to a whopping £60 extra – on top of the fee you already pay for an account.
The platform will be able to check where you’re accessing it from, automatically setting up a “household” for the account based on the devices you use and where your primary residence is.
If you log in while you’re away from home, you’ll need to verify your account using a one-time passcode sent to your email.
If you do want to share the account with someone else you’ll need to buy a separate “extra member” profile.
On top of your base price, it’ll cost £3.99 a month if you have a “standard with ads” plan and £4.99 a month if you’ve got a standard or premium plan.
It’s important to note that you won’t be charged automatically if you’re sharing your account right now.
You’ll need to buy the extra profile proactively, although it’s not yet clear if or how Disney+ will enforce the new policy.
For example, it may start locking you out if you’re not the account holder.
Sun Money has contacted Disney+ and will update this story when we hear back.
What we do know is that you can only buy one extra member add-on per account.
The extra member will only be able to stream on one device at a time, but will otherwise be able to watch the same content as the main account holder.
If you want to buy the add-on you’ll need to head to your account and set it up in the billing section.
It comes after Netflix banned viewers who don’t live under the same roof as the primary account holder from streaming content last year.
Under the new rules, Netflix charges users wanting to share an account £4.99 per month, which costs the same as having your own ad-based subscription.
How to save on your Disney+ subscription
If you’re looking for ways to combat the new charge, you can save on your subscription in other ways.
Lloyds Bank’s Club Lloyds account gives you 12 months’ Disney+ standard with ads streaming for free – it’s normally £4.99 a month, £59.88 for a year.
The account is fee-free as long as you meet the £2,000 a month minimum pay-in – there’s a £3 a month fee if you don’t.
Or, if you have a Tesco Clubcard with enough points, you can use your Clubcard vouchers to get 50% off a three-month Disney+ subscription.
Although, this only works with standard with ads and standard subscriptions.
When you swap your vouchers, you’ll get a code that’s valid until May 1, 2025, so if you’re an existing Disney+ subscriber you can wait till your current plan expires, and then use the code.
How to cancel your Disney+ subscription
If you’re unhappy with the changes to your subscription you can cancel anytime by following these simple steps.
It’s important to note though that if you cancel, you won’t be able to watch TV shows or any other content through the streaming platform.
You can cancel at any time and there is no fee to leave.
Start by logging into your Disney+ account online.
Then click the Manage Account button which can be found in the top corner of the screen.
From the plans and billing section, click on your subscription. Then, click cancel subscription and follow the last few steps to confirm.
Do bear in mind, that if you cancel halfway through your billing cycle, you’ll still be able to use the account until your next payment date.
How to save on subscriptions
MILLIONS of households across the UK are looking for ways to cut back on their spending and easy swaps can make a big difference.
Pay annually rather than monthly
Sometimes it can seem daunting to pay for a whole year’s subscription all at once.
But if you know you’re going to stick with the service, it can save you money to pay in one lump sum.
Rotate monthly subscriptions
If you have multiple TV and film subscriptions, you could save money by rotating what you pay for each month.
If you’re signed up for everything, you could be forking out a fortune
But each service allows users who pay monthly to cancel their subscription at any point with no fee.
So if you can plan what you want to watch, you could alternate which service you’re signed up to and save.
If you currently have all four services and switch to picking just one a month you could save hundreds of pounds.
Do your research and compare prices
With so many streaming options, it’s easy to lose track of which film and series are available on each.
But there’s no point paying for a subscription if it’s not got anything binge-worthy on offer for you.
If there’s a specific programme you want to watch, one tip is to research which platforms have it and choose that one.
If it’s on multiple platforms, check to see which one is cheaper.
Check for bundle deals too – some mobile phone providers offer free extras with contracts.
For example, Vodafone offers up to 24 months of Amazon prime, Spotify or YouTube Premium with certain pay monthly deals.
Calculate if it’s really worth the money
How often do you actually use your subscription?
If it’s only a few times a month, it might not be worth having them.
Make the most of free trials
Streaming services often let you try before you commit, and will give you one month for free.
Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited and YouTube Premium all currently give new users a one-month free trial, according to Which?
It’s worth taking advantage of this free period to work out if you’re actually going to use a service enough to justify paying for it.
Be sure to put the date in your diary that the trial ends so you don’t accidentally end up signing up and paying for a service you don’t want.
Cancel what you don’t use
It’s easy to lose track of ongoing subscriptions, especially if you’re paying out of several different bank accounts.
Apps like Money Dashboard and Snoop give users an overview of all their bank accounts in one place and can help you spot subscriptions you’re not using.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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