HBO Max Enforces Password Sharing Limitations Imminently
HBO Max, the streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, is set to crack down on password sharing with a more proactive and aggressive strategy, aiming to convert shared users into paying subscribers. This approach mirrors the successful model implemented by Netflix.
Starting later this year and extending into 2025, HBO Max will intensify its efforts to identify legitimate users from those sharing passwords improperly. By the end of 2025, the company plans to push unauthorized users onto their own paid accounts.
Unlike Netflix, which offers up to two extra profiles on its highest-tier plan, HBO Max offers an "Extra Member Add-On" for $7.99 per month, allowing only one additional user per account irrespective of plan. This add-on, however, is not available for bundled subscribers of HBO Max.
The implications for subscriber growth are twofold. On one hand, the measures could lead to a short-term annoyance among users who are forced to purchase new accounts. On the other hand, these steps could improve financial returns and subscription numbers by reducing unpaid access.
HBO Max's handling of the password sharing crackdown seems to be a strategic effort to optimize revenue without causing significant subscriber churn. The company is testing methods to differentiate legitimate users from those sharing passwords, followed by plans to intensify enforcement and messaging in late 2025 and into 2026.
Netflix, on the other hand, has been enforcing password sharing rules for a longer period and more strictly, sometimes causing legitimate user frustration due to false positives generated by account validation systems. Disney, meanwhile, remains less strict with softer reminders and travel modes but may ramp up enforcement in the future.
Here's a comparison of the two streaming giants:
| Aspect | HBO Max | Netflix | |------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | Enforcement timeline | Aggressive crackdown starting late 2025 into 2026 | Has been harsher longer, frequent validations | | Password sharing options | 1 extra user add-on at $7.99/month; limited bundling | Up to 2 extra profiles on Premium plan | | User impact | Likely to push many to paid accounts, possible short-term user annoyance | Some users locked out or repeatedly verified | | Strategy focus | Testing to identify legitimate users, gradual intensification | Strict automatic enforcement, with some collateral issues |
The new approach by HBO Max reflects a more proactive and swiftly implemented stance on password sharing compared to Netflix, aimed at converting shared users into subscribers and thus driving future subscriber growth and revenue.
In other news, a potential design leak suggests that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 may have a redesigned physical appearance compared to its previous versions. However, the accuracy of this report is not confirmed, and the timeline for the release of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 has not been announced.
[1] The Verge [2] Variety [3] Bloomberg [4] Forbes [5] TechRadar
- The technology-driven entertainment sector, such as HBO Max, Netflix, and Disney+, is continuing to address password sharing issues among users, with HBO Max adopting a more proactive and aggressive strategy to convert shared users into paying subscribers, emulating the model already in place by Netflix.
- The upcoming password sharing crackdown by HBO Max, scheduled to roll out from late 2025, is a strategic step that reflects an intensified focus on distinguishing legitimate users from those sharing passwords, aiming to optimize revenue and enhance subscriber numbers, thus setting a clear contrast from the stricter, sometimes user-frustrating enforcement of Netflix.
