Netflix Inc said on Wednesday that it is testing features, including one that will allow accounts to be shared outside of members’ households for a fee.
In Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, the company is testing the features, which allow members on its standard and premium plans to add up to two people.
Another feature under consideration by Netflix is the ability for members on a basic, standard, or premium plan to transfer their profile information to a new account or subaccount while retaining data such as viewing history and personalized recommendations.
Currently, the company allows people who live together to share their Netflix account. The plans, however, have caused some confusion about when and how accounts can be shared, according to the company, which is affecting its ability to invest in new content.
The company stated that it would test the features for utility before implementing them in other parts of the world.
The company announced on its website on Wednesday that it has “been working on ways to enable members who share [their] Netflix accounts outside their household to do so easily and securely, while also paying a bit more.”
The release stated that “features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans” have “created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared,” under the heading “Paying to Share Netflix Outside Your Household.”
“As a result, accounts are being shared among households, limiting our ability to invest in great new television and films for our members.”
Netflix tempered its growth expectations in January, projecting customer additions in the first quarter to be less than half of what Wall Street expected, citing the late arrival of anticipated content.
