--- title: "What Is a Device Limit? Definition and Examples | RentAnOTT" description: "A device limit caps how many devices can be registered to one streaming account. See how it differs from a stream limit and how to set it fairly." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/device-limit" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/device-limit.md" category: "Security" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is a device limit? A device limit is the maximum number of devices that can be signed in or registered to a single streaming account. When the limit is reached, the viewer must remove a device before adding another. ## How a device limit works Each device that signs in is recorded against the account with an identifier, a name and the date it was last used. When a new device tries to sign in past the limit, the service refuses and shows the list, so the account holder can remove one. Many services also limit how often devices can be swapped, to stop the list being rotated among many people. ## Device limit vs concurrent stream limit They work together. A household plan might allow five registered devices and two simultaneous streams. A stream limit alone lets a login be passed around indefinitely as long as people watch at different times; a device limit closes that gap. - Device limit: how many devices may be attached to the account at all - Concurrent stream limit: how many of them may play at the same moment ## Setting it fairly - Count what a real household has: phones, a tablet, a laptop and one or two televisions - Let viewers manage their own device list without contacting support - Remove devices unused for months automatically - Use a separate, lower limit for devices holding downloads - Make a higher limit a reason to choose a better plan ## Device limit on RentAnOTT Device limits and concurrent-stream caps are part of controlled access on RentAnOTT, and devices and sessions are managed per user in the CMS. [See security features](https://www.rentanott.com/features#security). ## Related terms - [Concurrent stream limit](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/concurrent-stream-limit) — A concurrent stream limit is the maximum number of devices that can play video on one account at the same moment. When the limit is reached, a further device is refused or an existing stream is stopped. - [Password sharing](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/password-sharing) — Password sharing is the use of one streaming account by people who are not part of the subscriber's household, so that several households watch on a single subscription. It ranges from a family member in another city to credentials sold or posted publicly. - [Subscription tier](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/subscription-tier) — A subscription tier is one of the plans a streaming service offers at a given price. Tiers differ in what the subscriber gets, such as video quality, simultaneous streams, downloads, the catalog included or whether ads are shown. - [Offline viewing](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/offline-viewing) — Offline viewing is a feature of a streaming app that lets a viewer download a title to their phone or tablet and watch it later without an internet connection. The download stays encrypted and playable only inside the app. - [Secure video streaming](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/secure-video-streaming) — Secure video streaming is delivering video so that only authorized viewers can watch it and copies are hard to make. It is achieved by combining several layers: encrypted delivery, access tokens, DRM, account controls and watermarking. ## Further reading - [OTT subscription plans and tiers](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/ott-subscription-plans) - [Offline video in streaming apps](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/offline-videos-streaming-app-guide) - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing) ## Frequently asked questions ### How many devices should a plan allow? Enough for an ordinary household, commonly four to six, with fewer on a low-priced individual or mobile-only plan. ### Does a browser count as a device? Usually each browser on each computer counts as one. Clearing browser data can make it look like a new device, so allow for that in the limit. ### Do rights holders require device limits? Many licenses specify a maximum number of registered devices and simultaneous streams per account, particularly for downloads. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt