HBO Max is a subscription-based video service offered by WarnerMedia, owned by AT&T. The service was first announced on October 18, 2018, and started service on May 27, 2020. HBO Max was built on the basis of the HBO premium TV service and includes the TV series and movie library content owned by WarnerMedia.

HBO Max has two subscription tiers, with the option to pay on a rolling monthly contract, or prepay for a whole year and save up to 20% depending on which plan you go for. ‘With Ads’ plan - $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year (opens in new tab) 'Ads-Free' plan - $15.99 a month or $149.99 a year (opens in new tab)

Come May 23, though, these plans will look slightly different with the introduction of a third tier alongside the launch of new streaming service Max, the conclusion of the May 2021 acquisition by Discovery Inc. Max prices and plans will then look like this: 'Ad-Lite' plan - $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year 'Ad-Free' plan - $15.99 a month or $149.99 a year 'Ultimate Ad-Free' plan - $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year

All three will offer the HBO Max content you know and love including TV shows and movies from Warner Bros, DC, Cartoon Network, and more, as well as current and future Max Originals. On top of that, you'll be able to watch the likes of Fixer Upper, 90-Day Finance, and other hit reality TV shows from Discovery Plus.

The only downside and loss for current HBO Max subscribers is the new, pricier tier will be the only plan that offers 4K streams, meaning current subscribers of the $15.99 a month rate will have to upgrade and pay more. Devices compatible with HBO Max include Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, HBO Max on Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, and iPad, Android, and iPhones.

HBO Max delivers both affordability and quality content with its With-Ads plan. And now that Netflix has raised the cost of its subscription plans – the Basic option has gone up to $9.99 – as far as pricing goes, the two streamers are evenly matched

Netflix still sits at the helm of online streaming. It’s got nearly three times as much content as HBO Max – 17,000 titles globally to its 2,500+ – and is regularly flooded with original content, including Stranger Things. It’s got three tiers to pick from: $9.99 Basic, $15.49 Standard, and $19.99 for its Premium plan.

But now that subscribers can get HBO quality at an affordable price, Netflix’s Basic plan is looking just that…basic. For the same price, HBO Max provides three streams where Netflix offers only one, HD quality content where Netflix offers SD, and most importantly of all…unforgettable TV shows like Euphoria, Succession, and The Wire.

Only Netflix’s Premium plan lets you stream to more devices (a total of four), and admittedly trounces HBO Max regarding the number of titles available to stream in Ultra HD (over 500 where HBO Max has somewhere around 40 in 4K). Admittedly Netflix delivers an abundance of content with no adverts in sight. But HBO Max might just offer the more discerning viewer of film and TV with better value.