Max Review (2025): New Cost, Plans & More

HBO Max has a new name, “Max.” In May 2023, HBO Max was rebranded as ‘Max,’ where the parent media company, Warner Bros. Discovery, combined HBO Max and Discovery. However, the service has seen a few more changes than its name. 

Max offers all your favorite HBO shows, originals, and all the popular and classic movies, anime, and cartoons. But, now it also ropes in the live news and sports from its sister streaming service Discovery+.

I used the Max for over a week to share this review, highlighting all the new updates to the streaming platform and covering how to make the best out of a Max subscription. 

Is it worth subscribing to? How much does it cost? Where is Max available? Let’s find out!

HBO Max At A Glance

Before we take a deep dive into what Max is all about, here is a quick look at some of the most essential aspects of the streaming platform.

Max Features	Details
Starting Price	$9.99/month
Savings	Up to $41 on the annual plan
Free Trial	No
Simultaneous Streams	Up to 4 devices
Offline Viewing	Up to 100 downloads
4K HDR	On the monthly and yearly ‘Ultimate Ad-free’ plans
Bundles	Yes
Parental Controls	Yes
Ratings	3.5

Like every streaming platform, Max has its fair share of benefits and blemishes, areas where it shines and needs improvements. 

Let’s first look at how I reviewed the streaming service. 

How I Reviewed Max Streaming Service?

To review Max, I opted  for the ad-supported version of Max I tested the streaming service across various areas:

• Pros & Cons
• User Experience
• Comparison with other leading streaming service providers
• Value for money and pricing structures
• User reviews across the internet

Let’s first begin with the Pros and Cons of Max in the section below.

HBO Max Pros And Cons

Like every other streaming platform, Max has its pros and cons. Let’s take a look at the ones that stood out the most for me:

Pros

• The app seems much cleaner and snappy than before
• Extensive catalog of popular movies and TV shows for everyone.
• Ability to create up to 5 profiles, including the Kid’s profile
• Offers multiple plans to choose from.
• You can now watch live sports and news.
• The ‘Ultimate Ad-Free’ tier includes more content than HBO Max.

Cons

• Ad-supported tiers do not offer offline downloads
• The library can experience huge changes sometimes
• Slightly more expensive than Peacock or Paramount+

How Much Does Max Cost? Pricing, Plans & Discounts

Max comes with three plans: monthly, yearly, and the bundle. I have covered each one in detail below:

Max Monthly and Yearly Plans:

Plans	Max Monthly Plans Pricing	Max Yearly Plans Pricing	Annual Plan savings
With ads	$9.99/month	$99.99/year	$19.89
Ad Free	$16.99/month	$169.99/year	$33.89
Ultimate Ad-free	$20.99/month	$209.99/year	$41.89

Max Bundle Plans:

Plan Options	Pricing
Disney+ Hulu Max Bundle (with ads)	$16.99/month
Disney+ Hulu Max Bundle (without ads)	$29.99/month

Here is a quick comparison of the Max bundle plan and Hulu and Disney+ bundles:

Hulu Plan Price	Disney+ Plan Price	Max Plan Price
$10.99/month (Hulu Duo Basic)	$10.99/month(Duo Basic bundle)	$16.99/month(With Ads)
$16.99/month(Hulu Trio Basic)+ (Disney Plus, Hulu, Max bundle)	$19.99/month(Duo Premium bundle)	$29.99/month(Without Ads)

With each of the Max plans, you can now get BR sports access valued at $9.99 per month for free.

Max is also working on expanding its live sports network content with BR sports. Currently, it includes:

• Over 300 live games per year
• Live events, including 24 Hours of Le Mans
• 2024 U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team and U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team matches (Select games)
• 2023-2024 NBA regular season (select games) and Playoffs
• 2023-2024 NHL regular season (select games) and Stanley Cup playoffs
• Studio shows like Inside NBA

The Max BR sports add-on is priced at $9.99 is now available as a part of the Max plan for free.

Does Max Offer A Free Trial?

Max does not currently offer a free trial. However, you can follow the methods listed in this HBO Max free trial guide to claim free HBO Max access. 

Tip: Even though Max currently does not offer a free trial, you can sample the first episode of some of the series for absolutely free!

Max Refund Policy

Max does not offer any refund on a purchase of any of its subscription plans. 

However, if you have an unexpected charge or any other billing concerns, you can contact the help center. 

The refund policies also vary by the billing provider; your billing provider is the company you pay for your Max subscription.

How To Save On A Max Subscription?

You can save a sizable amount on your Max subscription if you are eligible for the following discounts:

1. HBO Max 50% Student Discount

You can save flat 50% with the Max student discount plan. Here, you can get the Max with ads plan for just $4.99/month. The subscription renews every month for a year.

This subscription is available to students living in the US whose age is 18+ and whose accredited university or college enrollment status has been verified through UNiDAYS.

You can learn more about the Max student discount from the linked article.

2. Max x DashPass Annual Subscription

DashPass Annual Plan members living in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) can access the Max ‘With Ads’ subscription plan as a part of your Max x DashPass Annual plan at no additional cost.

You can also upgrade to the Max add-free plan at a discounted rate with the annual DashPass subscription. Note that DashPass monthly plans are not eligible for this offer.

3. Max Black Friday Deal

2024 saw a massive Max Black Friday deal where you could save 70% and get a Max ad-supported plan for just $2.99 a month for six straight months instead of the regular $9.99/month. However, the deal ended on December 2nd, 2024.

You can expect a similar discount on the Max subscription plans later in the year during the HBO Max 2025 Black Friday sale. 

4. Annual Plan Discount

If none of the above deals are available to you, you can still opt for the Max annual plan and save up to $41 with the ‘Ultimate Ad Free’ plan at $209.99 per year. 

You can save $33 with the ‘Ad-Free’ yearly plan at $169.99 per year and $19 with the ‘With Ads’ annual plan at $99.99 per year.

Let us now move to how HBO Max and Max are different.

HBO Max vs Max – How Is It Different?

On May 23rd, 2023, ‘HBO,’ from ‘HBO Max,’ was dropped as a rebranding move after HBO and Discovery+ joined hands for the merger to start ‘Max’. 

While the name might have seen some trimming, the developments inside the streaming service say otherwise.

Let’s take a quick look at what is different this time around:

• HBO Max and Discovery+ have merged their libraries under the new name Max, offering a more extensive entertainment dose.
• Library of shows to stream the reality, true crime, lifestyle, and food series.
• Over 1000 films and TV episodes are a part of the catalog, which is almost eight times that of what HBO Max offered.
• You can also stream shows from the TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, Magnolia Network, ID, and more.
•  A new add-on service with Bleacher Report allows you to watch live sports that include the big four leagues (NHL, NBA, MLB) plus NCAA Basketball.

Max has seen a lot of changes since the merger. However, the biggest of them was the extensive list of 4K movies and TV shows, which is also what I liked the most (more on that later).

Who Is HBO Max For?

Max is for people who enjoy HBO originals like The Sopranos, Succession, The Wire, and Game of Thrones. 

The streaming service can be a great addition to the family as it also includes a dedicated collection of kid’s and family movies and TV shows like Tom & Jerry, The Powerpuff Girls, Barney’s World, and more.

All in all, Max can be a great addition to your family’s TV-watching time as it has something for everyone. Max features award-winner movies & series, Max Originals, Warner Bros., and DC universe content.

The platform is great if you are looking for HBO movies and series, Max originals, DC universe content, Warner Bros., and Discovery+ content from channels like HGTV, TLC, and Food Network.

Who Is HBO Max Not For?

Max is great if your kids watch limited cartoons and kid’s TV shows, but if they need more content, Max falls short in that section. 

Plus, the Max subscription is slightly higher than other similar streaming platforms.

If you are inclined towards watching a genre of movies as opposed to watching a little bit of everything, in this case, the Max subscription can be an overkill. 

This is because Max offers diverse content, and those who watch a little bit of everything are better equipped to get the most value out of the platform than those who simply don’t.

Max User Experience

The newer Max has a better thing going on with the primary color scheme consisting of blue and black with a subtle white accent, as opposed to the older purple. 

Let’s take a detailed look at Max’s user experience below:

Max Website

The newer Max website now flaunts a blue and black color scheme instead of the older purple and black. Plus, the homepage is more dynamic than before!

Max’s new algorithm puts the movies and series that suit your taste at the front and center instead of the older website where the featured movies were listed at the top. 

At the same time, the popular titles aren’t entirely swept under the rug, as you can still see some of them despite your taste to keep a loop open for the days when you feel adventurous to try a new genre.

You can also effortlessly search for a movie or a TV show using the search icon at the top.  If you don’t remember the movie’s name, you can also use other terms like the name of the director, cast member, or writer. 

If you hover over a movie or a TV show card, you can add it to the list or view its details. You can also click on any card to go to the details page. There, you can see the parental ratings, audio & video streaming specifications, the release year, run-time, etc. 

Most of the screen is occupied by the video player, and below it, you can see a list of the directors, cast, and crew members. The only extra thing you see on the TV show details page is the option to browse through different seasons and individual episodes.

Max App

This is one of the most notable transitions of the entire HBO Max to Max situation. Right off the bat, I could tell the app was much faster than its predecessor! 

The app keeps it minimal as it provides just three icons (home, my lists, search) at the bottom menu for navigation. 

After watching a few shows over the course of a week, the app automatically recommended similar movies and TV shows on the home screen, which I really liked! 

The app also conveniently places the profile section at the top right corner of the screen. Here, I could access all the settings related to billing details and managing your account, download preferences, device management, opting out of notifications, and setting streaming.

UI-wise, the Max app is really snappy, and the powerful recommendation algorithm that runs behind the scenes on the website has also been used here.

Ads

Max says that the total playtime of ads per hour of watching won’t exceed 4 minutes. Plus, the ad breaks are marked on the playbar. You can see them when you pause the movie or the show. 

Plus, you won’t see any ads while watching the Max originals. Is it true? I decided to take matters into my own hands and noted my experience in the table below:

Content-Type	Number of Commercial Break
Dune (2.35 hours)	7
Drama Series (Last of Us Ep-5)	2
Sitcom episode (Friends)	3

Note: Live sports have the same number of commercials that air during the event’s TV broadcast.

Max Technical Specifications

Let’s take a quick look at Max’s technical specifications so you can use the platform to its fullest potential.

Picture Quality

Most of the content on Max is in the standard 1080p quality. However, if your media streaming device supports 4K and HDR, you can stream it (only select media) in the highest quality. 

Things you must ensure to stream in 4K UHD, HDR10, and Dolby Vision:

• Have the ‘Ultimate Ad-Free’ plan
• 4K Ultra HD TV that supports Dolby Vision or HDR10. 
• Support 4K streaming devices like (Android TV, Apple TV 4K, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, or Xfinity)
• All devices must support HDCP 2.2 & HDMI 2.0 (your TV, media player, audio/video receiver, adapters, cables, and any other connected devices).
• High-speed WiFi connection that offers 25 Mbps or higher speeds. (50 Mbps recommended)

Note:. Max adjusts the video quality based on your network bandwidth and connection speed. You don’t get an option to select it manually.

Simultaneous Streaming Devices

Max plans offer different simultaneous perks under different plans. You can learn more about it below:

Max Plans where you can stream on 2 devices at once:

• Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle (With Ads)
• Disney+, Hulu, Max Bundle (Without Ads)
• ‘With-Ads’ Monthly Plan
• ‘Ads-Free’ Monthly Plan
• ‘With Ads’ Annual Plan
• ‘Ads-Free’ Annual Plan

Max Plans where you can stream on 4 devices at once:

• ‘Ultimate Ad-Free’ Monthly Plan
• ‘Ultimate Ad-Free’ Annual Plan

Max Accessibility And Parental Controls

Just like other streaming platforms, Max also offers some industry-standard accessibility features like:

• Closed Captioning
• Audio Descriptions
• Sign Language
• Keyboard navigation
• Screen readers
• Alexa Voice commands
• Photosensitivity warnings

You can learn more about accessibility features on the Max accessibility page.

Max Device Compatibility

To find out if your device supports the My Max app, you can go to the Play Store or the AppStore and search for the app there. 

Alternatively, you can find a list of all the supported devices below:

TV	Amazon Fire TV & Tablet, Apple TVAndroid TV, Chromecast, Contour & Contour Stream Player, LG Smart TV, Roku, Samsung TV, VIZIO SmartCast TV, Xumo TV, Xfinity X1 & Flex
Mobile & Tablet	Android Phone & Tablet, Amazon Fire Tablet, iPhone & iPad
Gaming Console	PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

For more details, you can visit the official list of supported devices for Max.

Max Movies & TV Shows

Max offers a large pool of movies, TV shows, and sports to choose from. Have a look at some of the popular selections across categories: 

Movies

• “007” James Bond collection
• “Harry Potter” collection
• “Batman” collection
• Wonder Woman
• Men in Black

Popular Classics

• Friends
• South Park
• Rick and Morty
• The Big Bang Theory
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Award Winners

• Dune
• Casablanca
• Parasite
• The Wizard of Oz
• Barbie

TV Shows

• The Last of Us
• Game of Thrones
• Euphoria
• The Sopranos
• House of The Dragon

Sports

• NBA
• NHL
• NCAA March Madness
• MLB
• Cycling
• College Football
• U.S. Soccer

News

• CNN Max (24/7 live news)

Max Customer Support 

If you face any problems with your Max app, billing, managing Max subscriptions, HBO Max down, signing in, and account issues, you can contact the official Max help center.

You can also find the ‘Featured articles’ section on the website, which discusses the same topics, and an ‘How do I…?’ section that shows you common ways to manage subscriptions, sign in, and more. 

Max User Reviews 

Max has garnered both the good and the bad reviews. Let’s take a look at the review below.

Reddit reviews:

Youtube comment reviews:

You can find the original reviews under this Max review YouTube video.

Max Alternatives 

You can look at the table below that compares Max with other streaming platforms. This will give you a better idea of how the streaming service fares against its competitors.

Features	Max	Amazon Prime Video	Netflix	Paramount
Start at	$9.99/month	$14.99/month	$6.99/month	$7.99/month	$10.99/month	$7.99/month
Free Trial	❌	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌
Simultaneous Streams	2-4	2	2-4	3	4	3
4K Streams	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Offline Viewing	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Ad-free Option	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

Conclusion: Max Is A Great Choice For Select Content

I like what Max is offering so far. Although the pricing might be a little higher than some competitor platforms, it balances it out with an extensive library that offers HBO originals, popular classics, live sports, and, most of all, an expanded 4K content library. 

What stood out the most for me was how snappy and clean the Max app felt. Plus, content like Criterion Collection and Studio Ghibli have been added to the Max library now. Max is totally worth it if you can stream its 4K content and a large collection of movies and TV shows. 

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