Warner Bros. Discovery has hiked prices for Max, the streaming service once called HBO Max, by a tier across all three plans. The new rates will be in effect for new sign-ups, and further introduced to existing customers as they come up for renewal, another twist in the larger streaming price reset.
What Max Costs Now: Updated Monthly and Annual Prices
The ad-supported plan now costs $10.99 a month, or $109.99 a year. If you pay for a full year up front, that brings the monetary equivalent cost per month down a bit and saves you $21.89 each year when compared to paying monthly.
The ad-free Standard plan is up to $18.49 a month, or $184.99 a year. Annual subscribers save $36.89 instead of paying monthly for 12 months.
The premium layer, typically known as Premium or Ultimate Ad-Free, now costs $22.99 a month or $229.99 per year. The yearly plan is $45.89 cheaper than paying month-to-month.
Plan features are still distinct: With Ads has HD streaming on two screens at a time; Standard gets you no ads and offline downloads; Premium gives four simultaneous streams, 4K UHD (where available), more downloads, and higher-fidelity audio such as Dolby Atmos from supported titles and devices.
How the New Rates Compare Across Major Streamers
Max has always lived at the high end of pricing for major services, and that doesn’t change with this increase. The ad-supported tier now sells for more than many basics from competitors, and the ad-free Standard price falls within striking distance of the most expensive ad-free offerings among rivals. The Premium tier, which offers 4K and additional simultaneous streams, beats Netflix’s highest tier by a hair but is still well above budget services.
Context is helpful
In the past two years, nearly every major platform has nudged up prices while trimming lower-cost legacy plans, a trend that market trackers such as Antenna and Omdia have noticed. With an increasing number of services adding sports, live events, and higher-resolution libraries, top-tier options have emerged as one of the leading levers for average revenue per user growth.
What Changes for Subscribers and When They Apply
Current subscribers to Max who are billed directly by Max will see the new rates at their next renewal; current subs through third parties (app stores, cable bundles, wireless carriers) may vary in timing by provider.
Leave the add-on on your account lines to remain eligible for the promo after it ends.
For now, annual billing has emerged as the most meaningful antidote to streaming inflation. For Max, those annual options slice the prospective monthly cost by about 17 percent to 20 percent, depending on the tier. The trade-off is front-end prepaying, so it’s smart to estimate how often you run through things like Max’s originals, Warner Bros. movies, and HBO series.
For homes in pursuit of 4K, double-check your go-to titles do indeed stream in UHD on Max — title availability varies. You also get up to four simultaneous streams with Premium, which can be important for families or shared accounts that span multiple TVs and mobile devices.
Why the Price Hike Is Happening Now for Max
For streamers, there are three levels of outside pressure: the price of premium content; platform technology investment (better recommendations and 4K delivery); and a flight to sustainable profitability in their direct-to-consumer units. In recent earnings calls, Warner Bros. Discovery has stressed a desire to improve ARPU and margins, and Max’s pricing ladder — especially the 4K-centric top tier — stands to support that strategy without sacrificing a lower-priced entry point supported by ads.
Industry data underscores the calculus. According to Nielsen’s The Gauge, streaming represents more than a third of all TV time in the U.S., and yet tentpoles exist on disregarded premium real estate (think HBO dramas and day-and-date Warner Bros. theatrical window films) consistently drive engagement. Outside of bundles, price increases are one of the few levers that really mean anything for revenue per subscriber.
Bottom Line: How to Save and Choose the Right Tier
Max’s new pricing firmly places the service in the premium tier, with its richest features and 4K video locked behind the highest tier.
If you’re watching heavily all year long, the annual plans do provide real savings; if your viewing habits are seasonal, think about moving up and down between tiers or pausing between big releases. Either way, check in on your plan just before your next renewal so you’re only paying for the quality and features you’re actually using.