HBO Max and Netflix are two platforms that have lately been making the most noise in the online streaming space.
While Netflix is the most popular streaming platform in the world, Max (formerly HBO Max) has been on a steep rise over the last two years. So, how tricky can it be to choose between the two?
With this blog, I will help you overcome the “HBO Max vs. Netflix” dilemma by providing a detailed comparative breakdown of the two platforms. So, whether you plan to buy a subscription or want to switch from one to the other, read this to the end.
HBO Max vs. Netflix: At A Glance
HBO Max already clearly performed better when HBO Max vs Hulu were compared side by side.
However, HBO Max is different from Netflix. I compared Max and Netflix based on many parameters, such as pricing, availability, and content.
Here’s an overview to help you get a good idea if you are in a hurry.
| Comparison Parameters | HBO Max | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $9.99/month | $6.99/month |
| Device Compatibility | All major devices | All major devices |
| Bundle packs with Disney+ and Huly | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Downloads | ✔️(With ad-free plans) | ✔️(with all plans) |
| 4K HDR Support | ✔️(Ultimate Ad-free plan) | ✔️ (Premium plan) |
| Top Titles | House of the Dragon, Succession, Euphoria, The Sopranos, Hacks, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, etc. | Bridgerton, Stranger Things, Money Heist, Squid Game, Dark, Breaking Bad, etc. |
While preparing this detailed comparison guide, I’ve tried to make it helpful for as many people as possible. However, not every parameter discussed here may be helpful for everyone.
For example, Kids’ content may not be relevant to you if neither you nor anyone you know watches this kind of content.
Similarly, you don’t have to worry about the platform’s worldwide availability if you live in the US, as both platforms are available there. So, feel free to skip such sections that don’t matter to you.
With that said, let’s jump right into the comparison.
1. Plans And Affordability
| Parameters | HBO Max | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | ❌ | ❌ |
| Cheapest Plan | $9.99/month | $6.99/month |
| Costliest Plan | $20.99/month | $22.99/month |
Neither HBO Max nor Netflix offers free trials. However, both platforms offer a range of streaming plans differing in several important aspects, such as streaming quality, download options, and pricing.
HBO Max Subscription Plans
No matter which plan you choose, HBO Max offers the same content on all supported devices (more on this later).
Here are the plans available on HBO Max:
| Plan | Price | Simultaneous Streaming | Best Streaming Quality | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With Ads | $9.99/month | 2 devices | 1080p | Not available |
| Ad-free | $16.99/month | 2 devices | 1080p | 30 |
| Unlimited Ad-free | $20.99/month | 4 devices | 4K UHD | 100 |
| Bundle Plan with ads | $16.99/month | 2 devices | 1080p | Not available |
| Bundle Plan without ads | $29.99/month | 2 devices | 1080p | 30 |
With Ads
The cheapest plan on HBO Max comes with ads and costs $9.99/month. You can save about 16% if you choose to go with the annual plan, though, which will cost you $99.99/year. The plan lets you stream full HD (1080p) content on up to two devices at once.
Ad-free:
The next plan on the Max subscription ladder is an ad-free plan costing $16.99/month or $169.99/year. You get the same number of devices and streaming quality as in the first plan. But you also get to download and keep up to 30 episodes.
Ultimate Ad-free
The most premium plan is also an ad-free plan. It costs $20.99/month or $209.99/year and allows you to stream 4K videos (depending on availability) on up to 4 devices simultaneously. In addition, you get Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10 on select titles.
Bundle Plans
In addition to the three core plans, HBO also offers special bundle plans. These plans combine the content of Max, Disney+, and Hulu and cost $16.99/month (with ads) or $29.99/month (without ads).
My personal favorite among these plans is the ad-supported bundle plan. It costs the same as the core Ad-free plan ($16.99/month) and also offers the same streaming quality and devices.
But it gives you access to Hulu and Disney+ at the same price! The ads are a big catch, though.
Note: While there’s no HBO Max free trial available currently, you can find 10 ways to use HBO Max for free or at a low cost by following the steps shared in our article linked above.
Netflix Subscription Plans
Like HBO Max, Netflix also offers three core plans. However, the offerings are a bit different. Let’s have a look:
| Plan | Price | Simultaneous Streaming | Best Streaming Quality | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (with ads) | $6.99/month | 2 devices | 1080p | 15/device/month |
| Standard (ad-free) | $15.49/month | 2 devices | 1080p | 100/device |
| Premium | $22.99/month | 4 devices | 4K UHD | 100/device |
Standard (with ads)
This is Netflix’s cheapest plan, costing just $6.99/month. It lets you watch Full HD content on up to 2 devices at a time and offers 15 downloads per device per month. However, the low price comes with a caveat: Some shows and movies are unavailable with this plan.
Standard
This is the cheapest ad-free plan on Netflix, costing $15.49/month. It offers the same number of devices and streaming quality as the first plan. However, the download limit is higher (100/device), and unlike with the first plan, you can watch everything that’s available on Netflix.
Premium
The costliest Netflix plan is $22.99/month. With this plan, you can watch all available content on up to 6 supported devices at 4K HD resolution and download up to 100 files per device. You also get Netflix Spatial Audio for sound enhancement.
Extra Members
Additionally, Netflix offers a unique option to add more members to the ad-free plans at $7.99/month/person.
This means that if you have purchased one of the two ad-free plans, you can invite people outside your household to watch Netflix using your plan. The extra members get the same access to unlimited content and the same streaming quality as the original plan.
Verdict:
Netflix wins in affordability with its entry-level Standard plans. However, Max has a much cheaper premium plan, which can become even cheaper when subscribed during the HBO Max Black Friday offer. Moreover, the bundle plan is also very affordable, whereas Netflix doesn’t have any similar plan to compete.
2. Content Lineup
| Parameters | HBO Max | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Original Content | Hacks, Station Eleven, Peacemaker, The Other Two, Pretty Little Liars, etc. | Over 2000 originals, including Stranger Things, Money Heist, Ozark, Bridgerton, etc. |
| Classic Shows and Movies | Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Joker, Dune, Deadwood, Friends | Breaking Bad, Seinfeld, Star Trek, etc. |
| Kids Content | Scoob!, Happy Feet, School of Rock, Sesame Street, Jessica’s Big Little World, etc. | Carmen Sandiego, Fuller Houses, Maya and the Three, etc., along with content from Nickelodeon and Dreamworks |
It’s time to get to the core of this comparison: Content. And I have to admit that I had a hard time choosing one out of these two, as both have some of my all-time favorite shows and movies.
However, each of these platforms outperforms the other in various different aspects: the variety of content, the availability of original shows and movies, and kids’ content.
HBO Max Content Lineup
HBO Max boasts some of the biggest titles in the world of entertainment. And it’s not just about Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. It’s the entire HBO and Warner libraries that come as part of all Max plans.
You get access to hit shows like Succession, Industry, Euphoria, True Detective, and The Flight Attendant, as well as movies such as The Batman, Dune, Joker, and Parasite. On top of it, Max also has a rich catalog of other hit classic TV shows, including Friends, The Sopranos, Band of Brothers, and Deadwood.
I can go on, but these shows are merely half of the fun Max has to offer. This cable TV alternative has many excellent originals in its lineup, including mass favorites such as Hacks, The Other Two, Peacemaker, and Station Eleven, to name a few.
However, one of my favorite things about Max’s content is that it’s no longer just Max’s content. With the launch of the bundle plans this year, Max offers users access to Disney+ and Hulu content.
This means getting access to all those Marvel shows, Star Wars and its spinoffs, X-Men, and more, along with popular Hulu originals like Shōgun, Tiny Beautiful Things, and Only Murders in the Building.
Netflix Content Lineup
No streaming platform can keep up with Netflix when it comes to the quantity of shows. The platform has an unparalleled catalog of content from every niche or genre you can think of. After all, being the oldest streaming platform comes with its advantages.
Unlike HBO Max, which gets most of its power from HBO and Warner shows, Netflix has its expansive lineup of smash-hit originals as its forte. Talk about Stranger Things, Money Heist, Ozark, Bridgerton, or Wednesday—the list of super-hit Netflix originals is many times longer than that of Max originals.
That’s not to say that Netflix doesn’t have its fair share of classic shows and movies. The platform also hosts many great classic shows, including Breaking Bad, Seinfeld, and Star Trek.
However, the absence of HBO and Warner Bros. shows and movies can’t be filled with other shows.
Netflix also has a lot to offer kids. Its originals, like Fuller Houses, She-Ra and the Princess of Power, and Maya and the Three, can entertain both kids and adults. There are also shows and movies from Nickelodeon and Dreamworks.
Use this Netflix secret codes guide to unlock the entire Netflix library, including some hidden categories, and watch all the content that Netflix has to offer.
Verdict:
I really like Netflix for its variety of genre-spanning original content from across the world that Max doesn’t quite match up with. However, the presence of HBO and Warner Bros somehow compensates for that. Therefore, it’s a tie.
3. Device Compatibility
What fun is buying a streaming plan if you can’t watch your favorite shows on your favorite devices? But there is good news, as both Max and Netflix support all the devices you may have commonly used.
Nevertheless, let me take you through the list of supported devices for each platform so you can be sure.
Supported Devices On HBO Max
HBO Max is available on most prominent devices that can be connected to the internet and have a screen large enough to watch videos.
Mobile Phones and Tablets
- Android phones and tablets with (Android 5.1 or higher)
- Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (iOS 14 or higher)
- Amazon Fire Tablet (4th generation or higher)
Desktop devices
- Any laptop or PC (Windows, Mac, or Chromebook) via max.com
TVs and TV Devices
- Amazon Fire TV
- Android TV
- Apple TV
- Cox Device
- LG Smart TV
- Roku TV
- Samsung TV
- VIZIO Smart TV
- Xumo TV
- Xfinity X1
Video Game Consoles and other devices
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- Apple Vision Pro
You can refer to this help article for more details about the supported versions of each device.
Remember that even if the Max app is not available on your TV, you can stream Max content via AirPlay, Chromecast, or an HDMI cable or use a streaming player for the same.
Supported Devices On Netflix
The list of devices that can stream Netflix is no shorter than that for HBO Max. Let’s examine the device categories.
Mobile Phones and Tablets
- Android phones and tablets
- iPhone and iPad
- Amazon Fire Tablet
- Windows Tablet
Desktop devices
- Netflix app for Windows
- Any laptop or PC (Windows, Mac, or Chromebook) via netflix.com
TV and TV Devices
- Amazon Fire TV/Stick
- Apple TV
- Hisense
- LG
- Panasonic
- Philips
- Roku TV/Stick
- Samsung
- Sharp
- Sony
- TCL
- Vestel
- Vizio
Video Game Consoles and Other Devices
- PlayStation
- Xbox
- Apple Vision Pro
- Meta Quest headsets
Go to this article for more information on your specific device and version and instructions for setting up Netflix on it.
Verdict:
The two platforms have made sure to be streamable on all major devices, so there is a tie. The real winner for you, though, may differ if one of the platforms is not available on your device.
4. Streaming Availability
| Regions Available | HBO Max | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Number | 69 | 190+ |
None of the factors we have considered will matter if one or both of these streaming platforms are unavailable in your country. So, let’s look at the countries where each platform is available.
HBO Max Availability
HBO Max is limitedly available outside the US. In fact, at the time of writing this post, Max was available in just 68 countries and regions outside the US.
Max is unavailable in Canada, the UK, Germany, and many other European countries. It is not available in any Asian country, either, though the platform plans to launch in Southeast Asia in 2024.
Netflix Availability
Netflix is leagues ahead of HBO Max when it comes to global availability. The platform is available in over 190 countries, which is almost every country in the world.
The only countries where Netflix isn’t available are Crimea, China, North Korea, Russia, and Syria.
Verdict:
HBO Max doesn’t come anywhere close to Netflix regarding the number of countries it’s available. Max has a long way (and over 120 countries) to become as prevalent as Netflix.
5. User Reviews
When choosing between two popular platforms, it makes sense to know what their fellow users have to say about them. So, let me take you through the overall user sentiment around “HBO Max vs. Netflix” worldwide.
As you can see below, many users clearly prefer HBO Max over Netflix because of the former’s high-quality shows and movies.
Comment
by from discussion
intelevisionsuggestions
Users also prefer Max mainly for its Warner Bros. and HBO library, and I can’t disagree.
Comment
byu/DiamondGKey_25 from discussion
inHBOMAX
However, some users also point out Netflix’s greater variety of international, non-English content.
Comment
by from discussion
intelevisionsuggestions
For some users, though, Netflix is a great option because of their personal preference for lower-budget, non-mainstream content.
But then, as this user below says, you don’t have to choose one and give up entirely on the other. You can take the middle ground and switch between the two on the go!
Comment
byu/DiamondGKey_25 from discussion
inHBOMAX
However, if you are looking for an answer to which platform you should choose even after reading this blog here, listen to what this Redditor says:
The user is right, after all. Only you can answer the question after weighing the pros and cons of the two platforms according to your personal preferences. But before that, here’s my verdict after carefully weighing the two platforms.
The Verdict: Netflix Offers More Value!
It was a tough choice, as both Netflix and Max offer great shows and streaming quality at affordable pricing across most devices. However, Netflix outshines Max in some critical aspects.
While HBO Max excels because of its HBO and WB content, Netflix has a far more expansive library with originals worldwide. It is also available in almost every country, while Max’s global availability is minimal.
Having said that, you don’t need to follow my verdict. Compare the two platforms on the factors that matter to you. Consider which platform has more content of the kind you love watching.
And if you still can’t decide, you can rotate your subscription plans across the two platforms.
