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HBO Now Review
HBO’s streaming home is now Max — a combined service that offers 35,000+ hours of programming across HBO originals, Warner Bros. movies, and Discovery’s unscripted brands. Within that larger catalog, HBO-branded series continue to drive the biggest spikes in viewership and cultural impact: House of the Dragon opened its second season to 7.8 million day‑one U.S. viewers across platforms, and The Last of Us averaged nearly 30 million viewers per episode. HBO/Max also led platform wins in the most recent Emmys cycle (winners list).
For many households, Max works best as a premium complement anchored by HBO tentpoles. Pricing spans three tiers — With Ads ($9.99/mo), Ad‑Free ($16.99/mo), and Ultimate Ad‑Free ($20.99/mo) — with differences in video quality, streams, and downloads detailed on Max’s plan page (plans and features). Optional value adds include the B/R Sports Add‑On (live sports; add‑on pricing applies) and widely marketed bundles like Verizon’s Netflix (with ads) + Max (with ads) for $10/mo and the new Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle. If you subscribe to HBO through a participating TV provider, you can typically sign in to Max at no extra cost (provider access).
HBO Now vs. Other Streaming Services
| HBO Now (now on Max) | Netflix | Hulu | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Price | $9.99–$20.99/mo (3 tiers) | $9-$16/mo. | $8-$12/mo. | $119/yr. Or $9/mo. |
| Est. number of titles | 35,000+ hours (Max total) | 6,500+ | 9,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Est. number of original content | Fewer, bigger HBO tentpoles; awards leader | 850+ | 50+ | 100+ |
| Free trial | No standard direct trial | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Offline viewing | ✔ (Ad‑Free/Ultimate; mobile) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Parent controls | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
How We Evaluated HBO Now
While reviewing the best movie streaming services and TV streaming services, we compared HBO’s legacy HBO Now/Go era with Max’s current reality. We verified the scale shift from ~10,000 launch hours on HBO Max (pressroom) to 35,000+ hours on Max, and we prioritized impact metrics that HBO dominates — marquee viewership peaks (House of the Dragon; The Last of Us) and recent awards leadership (Emmys) — alongside WBD’s strategy shift toward fewer, bigger HBO tentpoles and selective catalog licensing (licensing moves).
We also tested plan features and device performance: streams per tier (2 for With Ads/Ad‑Free, 4 for Ultimate), video formats (HD vs. 4K HDR/Dolby Atmos on Ultimate), offline downloads (30 on Ad‑Free, 100 on Ultimate; mobile only), and trial/bundle options. Details were cross‑checked against Max’s official resources (plans; 4K/HDR/Atmos; devices; trial policy).
HBO Now Features
Award-winning, buzzworthy content
HBO originals remain Max’s flagship draw. Recent milestones include House of the Dragon S2’s 7.8 million U.S. day‑one viewers across platforms and The Last of Us averaging nearly 30 million viewers per episode. HBO/Max led platform wins in the latest Emmys cycle (results). Strategy‑wise, WBD has trimmed lower‑impact “Max Originals,” refocusing on fewer, bigger HBO tentpoles and selectively licensing older series to widen monetization while keeping them on Max (non‑exclusive licensing).
If you want the shows everyone is talking about, HBO on Max continues to deliver prestige series and limited events while the broader Max catalog adds day‑to‑day breadth (35,000+ hours total).
Box office movies
Many Warner Bros. Pictures theatrical films move to Max in the first pay‑TV/streaming window, keeping the movie shelf current. A recent headliner is Dune: Part Two, alongside a rotating slate of fan favorites and award winners.
Compared with mass‑aggregation rivals, HBO’s curation emphasizes high‑impact titles over filler, with Discovery’s reality/lifestyle library providing additional breadth within Max.
Large catalog of documentaries
HBO continues to premiere conversation‑driving docs on the HBO channel and stream them day‑and‑date on Max. Recent highlights include The Jinx – Part Two, the quirky, character‑driven Ren Faire, and the year‑round Hard Knocks franchise. Expect a steady cadence of limited true‑crime series, auteur projects, and sports docs throughout the year.
Device compatibility
Max runs on major platforms with feature differences by plan and device. With Ads and Ad‑Free stream up to 1080p HD and allow 2 simultaneous streams; Ultimate Ad‑Free unlocks select titles in 4K UHD with HDR10/Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on supported devices and allows 4 streams (plan comparison; 4K/Atmos details). Web browsers are limited to HD; for 4K, use a supported TV/streaming device and a stable 25+ Mbps connection (devices list; speed guidance). Notable tentpoles like House of the Dragon stream in 4K with Dolby Vision and Atmos on eligible setups (format confirmation).
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android devices
- Android TV/Google TV
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, etc.)
- Mac and PC web browsers
- PlayStation 4 (app supported) and PlayStation 5
- Roku
- Samsung Smart TV
- Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
Free trial: no standard direct trial (partner promos vary)
Max doesn’t include a built‑in free trial when you subscribe directly. Some third‑party platforms and bundles occasionally run short promos (often 7 days) that auto‑renew unless canceled — availability changes over time (Max help; partner trial guide; what to know; Roku trials).
4K HDR and children’s content
Max supports 4K UHD with HDR10/Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on select titles for Ultimate Ad‑Free subscribers using supported devices; web playback is HD only (format details). For families, Max’s broader catalog integrates Discovery brands alongside HBO, expanding kid‑friendly options versus the legacy HBO‑only apps.
Title pages display 4K/HDR/Atmos badges; if you don’t see them, your current plan/device/title combo doesn’t deliver those formats (how to verify).
Offline viewing on mobile (Ad‑Free and Ultimate plans)
Offline downloads are available in the Max mobile apps only. Ad‑Free includes up to 30 downloads; Ultimate Ad‑Free includes up to 100. The With Ads plan doesn’t include downloads, and TV apps/browsers don’t support offline viewing (Max subscribe; Android app listing; iOS app listing).
The difference between HBO Now and HBO Go
HBO Now and HBO Go have been sunset. In the U.S., HBO streaming lives inside Max. If you subscribe to HBO through a participating TV provider, you usually get Max access by signing in with your provider credentials (how it works). Cord‑cutters subscribe directly to Max, choosing among With Ads, Ad‑Free, and Ultimate Ad‑Free plans and optional add‑ons like B/R Sports (Max plans). You can read more about the differences here.
The Bottom Line
Max aggregates 35,000+ hours of programming, but HBO’s prestige originals remain the main attraction, with recent peaks like House of the Dragon and The Last of Us and leadership at the Emmys (results). Plans start at $9.99/mo (With Ads) and scale to $20.99/mo (Ultimate Ad‑Free) with upgrades for 4K/Atmos, more streams, and more downloads (plan details). Offline viewing is included on ad‑free tiers (mobile only), many Warner Bros. movies hit Max in the pay‑1 window (e.g., Dune: Part Two), and sports fans can add B/R Sports. There’s no standard direct free trial, but partner promos appear periodically (trial policy). You can compare more streaming options in our full review of the best movie streaming services. And if you still need help deciding, we’ve built a full best movie streaming services.
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