Max Price US 2026
Three plans from $9.99 to $20.99 per month. HBO Originals, Warner Bros. movies, Discovery+ and TNT Sports — but only the Premium tier unlocks 4K and Dolby Atmos.
Max Prices 2026 at a glance
Three tiers, two annual options. The rebrand from HBO Max kept the same content — with new Discovery and Sports additions.
$9.99 / month
Full HD · 2 streams · Ads · No downloads
$16.99 / month
Full HD · 2 streams · 30 downloads
$20.99 / month
4K UHD · 4 streams · 100 downloads
Annual plans: Standard $169.99/yr, Premium $209.99/yr — save up to $42 per year.
Same HBO shows, more content, new name
Warner Bros. Discovery renamed HBO Max to "Max" in May 2023 and merged Discovery+ programming into the same app. HBO content remains the anchor — but the catalog grew significantly.
- HBO Originals: House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession, White Lotus
- Warner Bros. movies: Blockbusters often arrive shortly after theatrical runs
- Discovery+ content: HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC reality shows
- TNT Sports: NBA on TNT, NHL, MLB, NCAA March Madness (select games)
- CNN Max: Live news streaming included on all tiers
Which Max plan fits you?
$11 per month between entry and Premium. Here is what the extra money buys you.
Basic with Ads makes sense if…
…you want the cheapest access to HBO Originals, tolerate ads and don't need downloads for travel. $9.99 entry point.
Standard makes sense if…
…you want ad-free HBO and Warner movies, Full HD is fine, and you download a handful of shows for flights. Sweet spot for most households.
Premium makes sense if…
…you have a 4K TV, stream across the family with 4 screens, and want Dolby Atmos for House of the Dragon. The only plan that fully uses Max's production quality.
What does one hour of Max really cost you?
For the Standard plan at $16.99/month:
≈ $3.40 / hour
5 hours per month
≈ $0.85 / hour
20 hours per month
≈ $0.34 / hour
50 hours per month
Rule of thumb: Under 5 hours per month, Basic with Ads is cheaper. Above 15 hours, Standard ad-free wins on cost-per-hour — and on your nerves.
Frequently asked questions about Max 2026
How much does Max cost in the US in 2026?
Max offers three plans in the US: Basic with Ads for $9.99/month, Standard (ad-free) for $16.99/month, and Premium (4K UHD, Dolby Atmos) for $20.99/month. Annual plans are $169.99 (Standard) and $209.99 (Premium).
What is the difference between HBO Max and Max?
Max is the rebranded successor to HBO Max. Launched in May 2023, it merged HBO content with Warner Bros., Discovery+ reality programming, CNN Max news and TNT Sports. The HBO brand still marks premium prestige content within the app.
Which Max plan includes 4K?
4K UHD with HDR and Dolby Atmos is available only on the Premium plan ($20.99/month). Standard and Basic with Ads stream in Full HD.
What content does Max include?
Max bundles HBO Originals (House of the Dragon, Last of Us, Succession), Warner Bros. movies (often day-and-date with theaters), Discovery+ reality content, CNN Max live news, and TNT Sports (MLB, NHL, NBA on TNT).
Does Basic with Ads include offline downloads?
No. The Basic with Ads plan does not support offline downloads. Only Standard (30 downloads) and Premium (100 downloads) allow downloading.
Does Max offer live sports?
Yes. TNT Sports on Max includes select NBA, NHL and MLB games plus NCAA March Madness. Some live sports coverage is included only on specific tiers and may require additional fees.
Is the annual plan worth it?
The annual Standard plan at $169.99/year saves about $34 vs. paying monthly ($203.88). Premium annual at $209.99/year saves about $42 vs. monthly ($251.88). Worth it if you stream year-round.
Max plus three other subscriptions — what do you really pay?
StreamWert calculates all your streaming costs and shows you which subscriptions you can rotate — Max included.
Get StreamWert for $1.99Pricing as of: April 2026 · Prices may change. Please verify current terms directly with Max before subscribing.