Katarzyna Petru
Viewers of HBO Max must prepare for higher bills. Warner Bros. Discovery, the owner of the platform, has announced another price increase for all available plans. This is the third time in the last three years that the company has opted for such a move, looking for ways to increase the profitability of the service. New prices apply to new subscribers effective immediately (from 21 October).
New HBO Max Pricing
Price increases apply to all three subscription tiers. Below is a detailed breakdown of the new monthly and annual prices.
Plan | Payment Method | New Price | Increase |
HBO Max Basic (with ads) | Monthly | $10.99 | +$1.00 |
HBO Max Basic (with ads) | Annually | $109.99 | +$10.00 |
HBO Max Standard (ad-free) | Monthly | $18.49 | +$1.50 |
HBO Max Standard (ad-free) | Annually | $184.99 | +$15.00 |
HBO Max Premium (4K, ad-free) | Monthly | $22.99 | +$2.00 |
HBO Max Premium (4K, ad-free) | Annually | $229.99 | +$20.00 |
Who and when will the price increase affect?
As mentioned, the new prices apply to all new subscribers from 21st October. Existing subscribers will be notified of the changes 30 days before their plan renews. The increase will take effect from the next billing cycle, which falls on or after 20th November 2025. Those paying for an annual subscription will not notice any change until their plan is renewed.
For now, the change concerns America, but the trend is worrying.
The streaming market is getting more expensive
HBO Max is not the only platform raising its prices. This is part of a broader trend in the industry, where companies are striving to improve the financial performance of their VOD services. At the same time (on 21 October), price increases for Disney+ and Hulu also came into effect. Earlier this year, Peacock, Apple TV (which dropped the "Plus" from its name), and Netflix also updated their pricing. The prices for bundled packages have also risen. The HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu (with ads) package has increased by $3 and now costs $19.99 per month.
What does HBO Max offer in return?
Price increases follow recent rebranding changes – in July this year, WBD reinstated the name "HBO Max", abandoning the previous rebranding to "Max". The platform still offers access to a rich library of series and films from HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, Turner Classic Movies, A24, and Studio Ghibli. The catalogue includes hits such as "Game of Thrones", "The Sopranos", "Succession", "The Last of Us", "Penguin" and "Hacks", as well as popular series like "Friends" and "Rick and Morty". The company is also promoting upcoming premieres, including "IT: Welcome to Derry", "The Chair Company" (later this year) and the prequel to "Game of Thrones" – "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms", along with new seasons of "The Pitt" and "Industry", which will debut in January 2026.
