Many families share streaming service logins to help cut costs. Unfortunately, not all services are meant to be shared. Many streaming service platforms are cracking down on users who share login details with friends and family.
Unless you pay for a family plan meant to be shared, there may be restrictions on how you use and share your account with others. Hulu recently alerted users that it would crack down on account sharing. We’ll explain what you need to know if you stream Hulu content.
Hulu has updated its subscriber agreement
On Jan. 31, Hulu emailed subscribers to let them know that the company had updated its subscriber agreement. The changes impact new subscribers as of Jan. 25, but prior and existing subscribers have until March 14 for the updated terms to take effect.
The new terms state that users can no longer share their subscriptions with people outside of their household. The terms also note that Hulu has permission to analyze account usage to determine whether subscribers comply with the agreement’s terms.
Subscribers will also be responsible for any account usage outside of their household. According to the updated terms, Hulu can, without notice, limit, suspend, or terminate accounts found to be violating the subscription agreement terms.
If you’ve been sharing your login with others or using a friend or family member’s Hulu account to stream video content for free, this news is worth knowing.
Hulu isn’t the first to impose account usage restrictions
Hulu isn’t the first streaming platform to take steps to limit password sharing. In May 2023, Netflix told users that their accounts were not intended to be shared with people outside their households.
The streaming platform noted that anyone who wanted to continue sharing access to their Netflix subscriptions would need to pay an additional per-user fee of $7.99 monthly for anyone outside their direct household.
Policies like this offer an easy way for streaming companies to increase their revenue by requiring more users to pay to access the brand’s streaming content.
Three ways to save on streaming service subscriptions
If you want to avoid the consequences of illegally sharing your account logins, there are other ways to trim your streaming spending. Here are a few tips to help you save money.
1. Rotate your services
Paying for multiple services can get expensive fast. If you want to spend less money on streaming apps, rotate your services instead of paying for them all simultaneously. You can pause the services you’re not using to keep more cash in the bank.
2. Look for discounts
Don’t miss out on valuable discounts, like student subscription pricing or bundle discounts. You may be overpaying for your favorite streaming platform. Check to see if there are any discounts available that could offer savings.
3. Switch to a cheaper plan
Many streaming apps have increased the prices of their ad-free plans. If you’re not against viewing advertisements, you can likely get a better deal by switching your current plan to a cheaper ad-supported one.
Stay in the know about your streaming service accounts
Make sure you’re aware of the account limitations of your streaming subscriptions. If you’re sharing your account logins with others, review the subscriber agreement to ensure you’re not violating the terms. For additional financial tips, check out our personal finance resources.
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