HBO Max announces $9.99 ad-supported streaming

The current HBO Max streaming service will gain a lower-price edition that comes with adverts, for $9.99 per month. The $5 discount still prices it above most options from rival streaming companies, including Apple TV+.

Following its previous announcement that a lower-cost version of streaming service HBO Max would be coming, HBO has now revealed that the service, starting in early June, will cost $9.99 per month.

According to the Wall Street Journal, HBO Max is claiming that there will be fewer ads than on other services. Head of ad sales for owner WarnerMedia reportedly said that the ad load would be the lightest of any streaming service.

Adverts will not appear in all shows. HBO's own programs — ranging from "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," through original dramas such as "Succession," and theatrical movies — will not have ads.

WarnerMedia has not said how many users HBO Max currently has. Combined with its main HBO service, it has revealed that there are 44.2 million subscribers in the US.

The current ad-free $14.99 per month option will remain. The $9.99 version is still priced higher than the majority of the service's rivals.

Amazon Prime: $8.99 for TV only, $12.99 for the full service
Apple TV+ $4.99
Disney+ $7.99
Netflix: from $8.99, though the standard is $13.99
Peacock: $5 with ads, $10 without

HBO Max's announcement comes shortly after the news that WarnerMedia and Discovery are to create a new streaming media company from their combined services.

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12 Comments

dysamoria 3430 comments · 12 Years

About 3 years ago

Oh so HBO is Hulu now? The utter arrogance of “offering us the option” to pay to watch commercials... NO WAY. Not Hulu, not HBO, not ANYONE. I'm not PAYING to watch advertisements. They should be paying US for that service. Our time isn’t free.

People need to STOP throwing money at things like this just because “well I can get something instead of nothing”. Exactly how far do you want to let this self-entitled corporate greed BS to go?

Japhey 1772 comments · 6 Years

dysamoria said:

Oh so HBO is Hulu now? The utter arrogance of “offering us the option” to pay to watch commercials... NO WAY. Not Hulu, not HBO, not ANYONE. I'm not PAYING to watch advertisements. They should be paying US for that service. Our time isn’t free.

People need to STOP throwing money at things like this just because “well I can get something instead of nothing”. Exactly how far do you want to let this self-entitled corporate greed BS to go?

You do you, and let everyone else decide for themselves. Who the hell are you to tell everyone else what to throw their money at just because it’s something you don’t like? Talk about entitled. The market will decide who wins and loses. You don’t like that? Tough shit.

sdw2001 17459 comments · 23 Years

dysamoria said:

Oh so HBO is Hulu now? The utter arrogance of “offering us the option” to pay to watch commercials... NO WAY. Not Hulu, not HBO, not ANYONE. I'm not PAYING to watch advertisements. They should be paying US for that service. Our time isn’t free.

People need to STOP throwing money at things like this just because “well I can get something instead of nothing”. Exactly how far do you want to let this self-entitled corporate greed BS to go?

I think people need to stop telling other people how to spend their money. If you don't like it, fine. Post that opinion.

I don't what "self-entitled corporate greed BS" means. Warner wants HBOMax to make money. They want more subscribers. So they determined it would be a good business decision to offer a low cost tier. Whether it pays off or not, we'll see. But it's not "entitled greed" for a company to want to make money. That's the primary purpose of all businesses. Why does this make you angry?

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

dysamoria said:

Oh so HBO is Hulu now? The utter arrogance of “offering us the option” to pay to watch commercials... NO WAY. Not Hulu, not HBO, not ANYONE. I'm not PAYING to watch advertisements. They should be paying US for that service. Our time isn’t free.

People need to STOP throwing money at things like this just because “well I can get something instead of nothing”. Exactly how far do you want to let this self-entitled corporate greed BS to go?

While I support your basic rage against paying to watch commercials I still think people are perfectly capable of making that decision on their own, and many have chosen to go the discounted route. In my own case I always sign up for the higher/premium subscription to avoid commercials. Others choose the lower level.

You can rage all you want to about prices but please don’t go down that slippery slope of government regulation of wages and prices. That has NEVER worked, EVER, in the history of economic systems.