Max (HBO) — Overview & Pricing

HBO Max is the streaming home of HBO original series, Warner Bros. films, the Max Originals library, and Discovery non-fiction content (Discovery+ catalogue, HGTV, Food Network). The service is operated by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD), headquartered in New York City. Originally launched as HBO Max in May 2020, rebranded to Max in May 2023 after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, then rebranded back to HBO Max in mid-2025. The current US lineup anchors at $10.99/month for With Ads, $17.99/month for Ad-Free Standard, and $22.99/month for Ultimate Ad-Free (4K UHD, four streams, Dolby Atmos).

Quick facts · Operator: Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD) · Headquarters: New York City, New York, United States · Launched: 2020 · Pricing anchor: $10.99/month for With Ads, $17.99/month for Ad-Free Standard, $22.99/month for Ultimate · Up to 4 streams and 4K UHD on Ultimate tier · Rebranded back to HBO Max in mid-2025 · Warner Bros. Discovery formed April 2022 merger.

What is HBO Max?

HBO Max is the WarnerMedia streaming service — the streaming home of HBO original series (Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus), the Warner Bros. and DC Studios film library, Max Originals, the Discovery+ non-fiction catalogue (HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel), and live sports including selected B/R Sports broadcasts. The service launched as HBO Max in May 2020, rebranded to Max in May 2023 following Warner Bros. Discovery's formation, then reversed to HBO Max in mid-2025 after subscriber-research feedback that the HBO brand carried more value than the Max name.

Why choose HBO Max

Privacy and data handling

HBO Max's data-handling practices are published by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. in the privacy policy linked from the Warner Bros. Discovery site. As a video streaming service operated from New York City, New York, United States, Warner Bros. Discovery processes account, billing, and usage data under the data-protection regime applicable to its headquarters jurisdiction. Consult the published policy for the authoritative current statement on collection, retention, and third-party sharing.

Features and product surface

Warner Bros. Discovery bundles a specific feature set into the HBO Max subscription:

• HBO original series — Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, True Detective, Euphoria, Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Warner Bros. and DC Studios films — Barbie, Dune, the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings catalogues, the DCEU and James Gunn DCU films
• Discovery+ non-fiction catalogue — HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, ID, OWN, and TLC catalogues bundled into HBO Max
• Max Originals — The Penguin, Hacks, Tokyo Vice, and other non-HBO branded originals
• 4K UHD with Dolby Atmos — Ultimate Ad-Free streams in 4K with Dolby Vision and Atmos on supported films and series
• Live sports via B/R Sports — selected MLB, NHL, NBA, and MLS broadcasts included with B/R Sports add-on or Ultimate where available
• Studio Ghibli films — HBO Max holds US streaming rights to most of the Studio Ghibli catalogue

Catalogue prestige and library scope

HBO Max's headline draw is the HBO library — arguably the most consistently-acclaimed prestige series catalogue in streaming, with active originals (Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus) plus the deep back catalogue (The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, Sex and the City). Layered on top: the Warner Bros. film library (Dune, Barbie, the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings catalogues, the DC Studios films), the post-2022 Discovery+ non-fiction catalogue (HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, ID, OWN, TLC), and the rolling Max Originals slate. Studio Ghibli's catalogue lives on HBO Max in the US under a long-term licence.

Pricing in 2026

HBO Max sells access across 3 published tiers: With Ads, Ad-Free Standard, Ultimate Ad-Free. The headline anchor is $10.99/month for With Ads, $17.99/month for Ad-Free Standard, $22.99/month for Ultimate. HBO Max is the single path to HBO's prestige series catalogue plus the Warner Bros. and DC Studios film library — Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, Dune, and the Harry Potter and DC films all live on HBO Max in the US. The 2025 reversion from the Max brand back to HBO Max acknowledged that HBO is the brand that drives subscriptions.

HBO Max apps and platform support

HBO Max runs natively on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Xbox, PlayStation, web, and select cable-TV provider apps. Ultimate Ad-Free 4K UHD with Dolby Vision and Atmos requires a compatible streaming device and HDMI 2.0 or higher TV.

Who operates HBO Max

HBO Max is operated by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD), headquartered in New York City. The current corporate parent formed in April 2022 when AT&T spun off WarnerMedia and merged it with Discovery, Inc. Warner Bros. itself dates to 1923 and HBO to 1972. HBO Max launched in May 2020 under AT&T's WarnerMedia, rebranded to Max in May 2023 after the WBD merger to unify with Discovery+, then reverted to HBO Max in mid-2025 after subscriber research showed the HBO brand drove more sign-ups. David Zaslav serves as president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Use cases HBO Max fits

• HBO prestige-series viewers — HBO Max is the only path to current HBO originals like Succession, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, and The White Lotus in the US
• DC Studios fans — current DC Studios films arrive on HBO Max after theatrical, including the James Gunn-era DCU rollout starting 2025
• Studio Ghibli viewers — the Ghibli catalogue (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro) streams on HBO Max in the US
• 4K UHD viewers — Ultimate Ad-Free at $22.99/month is the only HBO Max tier with 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, and Atmos
• Households with multiple viewers — Ultimate supports four simultaneous streams; Standard caps at two
• Cost-conscious viewers tolerant of ads — With Ads at $10.99/month is the cheapest entry point into the HBO catalogue

Frequently asked questions

How much does HBO Max cost in 2026?

With Ads is $10.99/month or $109.99/year. Ad-Free Standard is $17.99/month or $179.99/year. Ultimate Ad-Free (4K UHD, four streams, Dolby Atmos, 100 downloads) is $22.99/month or $229.99/year. Subger tracks live country rates in the pricing table on this page.

Is HBO Max the same as Max?

Yes — HBO Max launched as HBO Max in May 2020, rebranded to Max in May 2023 after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, then reverted to HBO Max in mid-2025. The same content library and tiers carry over across rebrandings.

What is included with HBO Max?

HBO original series, Warner Bros. films, DC Studios films, Max Originals, the Discovery+ non-fiction catalogue (HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, ID, OWN, TLC), Studio Ghibli films, and live sports via the B/R Sports add-on where available. Specifics vary by tier — 4K UHD is Ultimate-only.

How many simultaneous streams does HBO Max support?

With Ads and Ad-Free Standard support two simultaneous streams. Ultimate Ad-Free at $22.99/month raises that to four simultaneous streams plus 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos on supported titles.

Does HBO Max have 4K?

4K UHD with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos is available only on the Ultimate Ad-Free tier at $22.99/month. The Standard and With Ads tiers stream at up to 1080p HD. Live sports streams are generally limited to 1080p regardless of tier.

Can I share HBO Max with people outside my household?

HBO Max's terms restrict account sharing to a single household. Warner Bros. Discovery began testing paid-sharing add-ons in 2024 and is rolling out household-detection through 2025-2026, similar to Netflix's approach. The exact household-sharing rules continue to evolve.

How do I cancel HBO Max?

Cancel from Settings > Subscription at hbomax.com, or via Apple/Google subscription settings if you subscribed through those platforms. The plan stays active through the end of the billing period. See Subger's HBO Max cancellation guide.

Does HBO Max have sports?

Selected MLB, NHL, NBA, and MLS broadcasts stream via the B/R Sports add-on, which is included with Ultimate Ad-Free in some markets and offered as a separate add-on on other tiers. The B/R Sports lineup and pricing have evolved through 2024-2025.

Is HBO Max available outside the US?

Yes — HBO Max is live in most of Europe, Latin America, parts of Asia-Pacific, and additional markets through 2024-2025. Catalogue, pricing, and rebrand timing vary by region. In some markets the service still carries the Max name.

What new shows are coming to HBO Max?

WBD's 2025-2026 HBO Max slate includes new seasons of The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, and Hacks, plus The Penguin spinoffs and the James Gunn-era DCU films post-theatrical. Specifics shift; check HBO Max's coming-soon section for the current schedule.

How to get started with HBO Max

To subscribe to HBO Max, the pricing table above this section shows current Subger-tracked rates for your country. For the vendor's own checkout flow, sign up at the Warner Bros. Discovery site. For renewal-vs-introductory math, see Subger's true-price tracker for HBO Max.

Related Subger guides

• How to cancel HBO Max — step-by-step cancellation walkthrough plus refund-process specifics
• HBO Max deals — current promotional offers and partnership campaigns
• HBO Max promo codes — active discount codes
• HBO Max true-price tracker — intro-vs-renewal math
• Video streaming category hub — Subger's broader video streaming catalogue