Max is following suit by introducing a feature that the streaming service’s competitors have already implemented to crack down on password sharing.
On Tuesday, Max announced that new U.S. product updates will include the introduction of an “Extra Member Add-On” feature. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns Max, the feature will allow primary account owners across all tiers to share their account with a friend or family member outside their home for $7.99. The friend or family member will essentially have a separate and standalone account under the same subscription as the primary account owner.
“Extra Member Add-On and Profile Transfer are two key Max advancements, designed to help viewers with a new way to enjoy our best-in-class content at an exceptional value, and offer subscribers greater flexibility in managing their accounts,” JB Perrette, CEO and president of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a news release.
“These updates provide a simple way for subscribers to add-on a new member to their account, or for existing subscribers who have users outside of their household to smoothly, and in an uninterrupted fashion, transition their profile so that extra member can continue to access Max.”
According to Warner Bros. Discovery, extra members will have their own login credentials. The feature is limited to one add-on per account and will only allow the extra members to stream from one profile on one device at a time, the New York City-headquartered company added.
Who is eligible for the ‘Extra Member Add-On’ feature?
The add-on feature is currently available to anyone subscribed directly to Max, excluding bundle subscribers.
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How do you purchase the ‘Extra Member Add-On’ feature?
The new feature can be bought directly from the Max subscription settings, and once purchased, account owners can invite and manage their extra members through the service’s settings on mobile or its website.
What is Profile Transfer?
If the primary Max account user wants to transfer a single adult profile and bring over that individual’s watch history, they can do so when they invite an extra member to create an account, Warner Bros. Discovery said.
Is the ‘Extra Member Add-On’ feature new?
While Max is just now integrating this add-on feature, other streaming services have had it in place for a while now, including Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu. The feature on the other streaming apps is identical in that it allows primary account users to share their subscriptions with people outside of their residence for an additional fee.
Netflix Extra Members: Charges $6.99 for a plan with ads or $8.99 for an ad-free plan.
Disney+ Extra Members: Charges $6.99 per month for Disney+ Basic (Includes Ads) and $9.99 per month for Disney+ Premium (No Ads).
Hulu Extra Member: Charges $6.99 per month for plan with ads and $9.99 per month for plan with no ads.
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Max password sharing crackdown: ‘Extra Member Add-On’ feature unveiled
