Netflix might have Tweeted "love is sharing a password" back in 2017, but five years on it has changed its tune. The company has announced that it will crack down on password sharing and is even trialing it in some parts of the world already.
Whether you've been using your best friend's password for years or you're the one who's shared your password with others, you might be thinking of trying another provider.
According to Netflix, roughly 100 million households are using shared passwords. The password crackdown aims to address this issue, earning the company more revenue.
Rather than freezing accounts using a shared password, the crackdown will give account holders the option of paying an additional fee for additional password users. As you can imagine, this won't go down well with most account holders.
Anyone who has either shared their password with others outside their home or who is using the password of someone they don't live with will be affected. It's unclear when the password crackdown will come into force worldwide, but it could take up to a year for it to roll out everywhere.
It's not yet known how much the fee for additional users will be, but it will be significantly less than the cost of a full subscription. Netflix is currently testing the extra subscription fee for password sharers in Peru, Costa Rica and Chile, where it costs the equivalent of roughly $2-$3 per month.
No other major streaming service has announced plans to stop password sharing as yet, so you might prefer to switch to another service. For some people, it's the principle of the thing, while others still want to be able to share their password or split subscription costs with friends. All these options are available on smart TVs and streaming devices.
A big name in streaming, Hulu has been around since 2007 and is still going strong. It offers both ad-free subscriptions and cheaper subscriptions that show ads. You'll find a wide range of original programming and movies, as well as popular shows and movies that Hulu has bought the rights to. Popular shows on Hulu include "Atlanta," "The Dropout," and "Pose."
Disney's streaming platform has only been around since 2019, but it's already a huge success. You'll find classic Disney films, such as "The Little Mermaid" and "Alice in Wonderland" and Pixar movies, including "Toy Story" and "Monsters Inc," plus some titles you might not expect.
The Walt Disney Company owns the rights to the Marvel Universe and the "Star Wars" franchise, so you'll find films and TV shows relating to these. Since Disney also acquired most of 21st Century Fox's assets, you'll find an even greater range of shows and movies than you'd imagine, such as Brit Marling's indie classic, "Another Earth."
If you subscribe to Amazon Prime for the free shipping, you'll also get access to Prime Video with its wide range of movies and shows, including some original programming. Top offerings on this platform include "Mr. Robot," "Good Omens," "The Americans" and "The Fall."
Although these are three of the most popular streaming services, they aren't the only ones on offer.
If you're thinking of switching to Prime Video, a Fire Stick is the obvious choice of streaming device. However, you can also use it to access most other streaming services.
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Watch streaming services of your choosing in ultra HD with this 4K streaming device. You'll be able to access all the big players, such as Hulu and Prime Video, as well as more obscure services.
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Apple's streaming device might be significantly pricier than its competitors, but it runs incredibly smoothly and is compatible with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
