Netflix account sharing policy is starting to change in some countries. According to CNET, Netflix has started to charge fees from last Wednesday onward. Apparently, it was just in four countries so far. However, more countries will see these new changes soon. So, the end of free password sharing is coming to an end.
These four countries are Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, and Canada. From now on, for those who would like to share their Netflix password with someone living in a different household, there will be a price for it. This membership cannot be shared for free though, as it used to be. As this is a measure that affects all the countries, fees to the USA are coming soon.
Why has Netflix decided to charge for password sharing?
The significant loss of subscribers they suffered last year seems to be the main reason. Despite the fact that Netflix loved the fact that people shared their passwords, things have changed a lot. Remember that many people could not leave their homes during the pandemic, so leisure indoors was at its peak.
Love is sharing a password.
— Netflix (@netflix) March 10, 2017
Thus, Netflix thought making money with this password sharing would be a good way to increase their earnings. They are aware that inflation and the skyrocketing cost of living are affecting people’s finances. Therefore, they have included new lower-price subscriptions but subscribers will have to watch ads.
What other streaming services are available?
This is another reason why Netflix has lost a lot of subscribers. More and more subscription-based streaming services are on the market. Needless to say that the more companies there are, the more challenging it will be to have the highest number of subscribers. For example, you might have heard of HBO Max, Paramount Plus, Apple TV Plus, or Disney Plus.
Unfortunately, the price of the new Netflix fees in the USA is not available yet. In Spain, those who would like to share their password will have to pay about $6.70. Nevertheless, it might be a little bit more expensive in the USA. Bear in mind that it costs 7,99 dollars in Canada. It could be a similar price in the US.