In the world of streaming, HBO Max holds a prominent position. It has given us innumerable productions, from series like Chernobyl to House of Dragons, which has gained much popularity lately. But before subscribing to it, many users want to try it without spending money. So, they wonder if there is any HBO Max free trial in 2023.
It is good to know a platform before subscribing to it. In those cases, free trials become a handy tool. However, recent trend has shown some eminent streaming services withdrawing free trials for various reasons. Is HBO Max one of them? Let’s find out.
In this article, we’ll tell you if there’s any HBO Max free trial in 2023. If yes, how to use it?
Key Takeaways
- HBO Max no longer offers a free trial to new users.
- You can still watch HBO Max for free using Hulu or Amazon Prime.
What is HBO Max?
We all have seen HBO since we were kids. But not many of us know HBO Max or just Max. HBO has recently changed its name from HBO Max to just “Max.” However, we’ll be using both terms interchangeably. So, HBO Max was introduced in 2020 by Warner Bros. It gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is because all the Warner Bros production was aired on the platform on the same day of their release in theatres. Together with its sister streaming service, Discovery+, these two platforms have amassed a substantial subscriber base of 96.1 million users and continue to grow.
You can binge-watch popular HBO series like Game of Thrones, Westworld, and Friends or catch up on the latest blockbuster movies. But that’s not all – HBO Max also has some cool stuff for kids, like cartoons and family-friendly flicks. So whether you’re into epic dramas, laugh-out-loud comedies, or animated adventures, there’s something for everyone.
Is There a HBO Max Free Trial?
This can be disheartening for many users, but HBO currently doesn’t provide free trials to new or existing users. HBO Max used to provide a free trial in late 2020. But it has something more than a free trial for its users; we’ll discuss that later in the article.
The initial 7-day free trial for HBO Max disappeared in December 2020, just before the release of Wonder Woman 1984 and Warner Bros.’s decision to simultaneously release all of their movies in theaters and on the streaming platform throughout 2021. HBO Max executives anticipated that fans might take advantage of the free trial to watch a movie and then cancel before the $14.99 monthly subscription fee kicked in.
HBO Max later introduced a more affordable, ad-supported subscription option priced at $9.99 to address this. However, it’s important to note that this lower-cost tier does not grant access to the new theatrical releases. We’ll discuss the plans and package later in the article.
When HBO Max launched in Latin America in May 2021, they did offer a free trial to new subscribers in those regions. However, when the platform expanded into parts of Europe in October 2021, there was no free trial option; instead, they provided new subscribers with the opportunity to purchase a lifetime subscription at a 50% discount.
How To Watch HBO Max For Free?
Since HBO has no free trial, you can’t watch its content on the platform for free. However, there are other ways that you can use. Remember we mentioned other ways; here are some of them discussed.
1. Max Free Trial via Amazon Prime Video Channels:
If you want to try HBO for free, the first way is to get the free trial through Amazon Prime video channels. You’ll have the option to enjoy a seven-day trial of HBO Max when you subscribe to the add-on through Prime Video. However, you need to have a Prime video account for that. If you have, follow the steps below to secure a 7-day free trial at HBO Max.
- The first and foremost requirement is to have a Prime video account. If you don’t have one, you can get its free trial of 30 days.
- Head on to the HBO page of Amazon Prime.
- On the main page, tap on “Start your free trial.”
- On the next page, confirm your payment details. Don’t worry; no amount will be deducted until the free trial ends. At the page’s end, tap “Start your free trial — Pay later.”
- Keep in mind to cancel the subscription to prevent any unnecessary deductions.
You’ll have access to the whole library of HBO Max for seven days. This channel is priced at $14.99 per month and provides access to live HBO broadcasts and a library of on-demand movies and TV shows. But cancel it before the free trial ends to prevent deduction.
2. Max Free Trial via Hulu:
Another way to get a free trial of HBO Max is to get it through Hulu. But again, the free trial is seven days, similar to that of the Amazon Prime channel. And here, you also need a Hulu subscription. If you meet their requirement, follow the below steps to get a free trial of HBO Max through Hulu.
- Go to the official website of HULU and log into your account.
- At the top-right corner, tap on the profile icon.
- From the drop-down list, tap on “ Account.”
- On the accounts page, scroll down to “Your Subscription.” Here, tap on Manage Add-ons.
- In the list of add-ons, select HBO Max. Then tap on “Review Changes.”
- On the next page, confirm the decision and buy the add-on. Cancel the subscription before the free trial ends to prevent any unnecessary deduction.
How Much is HBO Max?
Unlike HBO Max, the rebranded Max has three options to choose from. Earlier, there were only two. It has added a new tier known as Ultimate Ad-Free. It is best for those who want to watch movies or series in 4K. Here are all the plans explained.
- Ad-Lite: This is the basic plan of Max. It will cost you around $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year if you subscribe to a yearly pack. You can watch your favorite movie in high definition (HD) in this pack. You can also watch on two simultaneous screens at a time. However, you’ll be disturbed by ads now and then. No offline downloads feature is available.
- Ad-Free: The second plan is priced at $15.99 a month or $149.99 a year. This plan also lets you watch your favorite content in high definition (HD). Here also, you can watch on two simultaneous screens at a time. The only difference between this pack and the above pack is ads. In this pack, you won’t be troubled by ads. In this plan, you can only download 30 titles simultaneously for offline viewing.
- Ultimate Ad-Free: This is the most expensive subscription of all three. It will cost you around $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year. In this pack, you can watch in 4K HDR on four simultaneous screens simultaneously. In this pack, you can download 100 titles for offline viewing.
Here’s the comparison in tabular form for your convenience.
| Plan | Price | Video quality | # of streams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad-Lite | $9.99 a month/$99.99 a year | HD | 2 |
| Ad-Free | $15.99 a month/$149.99 a year | HD | 2 |
| Ultimate Ad-Free | $19.99 a month/$199.99 a year | 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos | 4 |
Other Ways to Save Money on HBO Max:
Since there’s no free trial, you must look for other ways to save some bucks. If buying HBO Max is pertinent to you, you can buy the annual plan instead of the monthly one. As you can see in the table above, if you buy the ad-lite for a year, you can save around 20 per year. This amounts to savings of 16%.
If you prefer an ad-free experience with the ability to download content for offline viewing, you can achieve even greater savings of 20% with the Ad-Free plan, priced at $149.99 annually. Similarly, by buying the yearly “Ultimate ad-free” pack, you can save $40 per year.
Will There Be an HBO Max Free Trial in the Future?
HBO Max may reintroduce a free trial in the future, either in the United States or other parts of the world. This could happen, for example, when the platform aims to generate buzz for a high-profile premiere or a premium addition to its content library, using a free trial as an enticing offer to attract new users.
There are still a couple of ways to access a free trial of HBO Max. Some AT&T customers may have the offer of receiving HBO Max for free with specific mobile plans. Additionally, you can enjoy a seven-day free trial of HBO Max through Amazon Prime Video Channels or Hulu. Alternatively, if you purchase a Roku product, you may be eligible for a 30-day free trial of HBO Max.
What to Watch on Max? Top Movies & Series:
HBO Max is filled with the best movies ever released. That’s an exaggerated way of saying how rich the library of HBO is. If you have subscribed to HBO Max, you may be doubtful about what to watch. Here’s a short list of our favorites.
- Friends (and Friends: The Reunion)
- Sex and the City
- And Just Like That
- The Wire
- Westworld
- Succession
- Euphoria
- The Gilded Age
- The Flight Attendant
- Time Traveler’s Wife
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can explore the platform to learn more about the content it has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions:
HBO Max doesn’t have any free trial in 2023. It discontinued the service way back in December 2022. So, if you want to enjoy the free trial of HBO Max, you can get it through Amazon Prime or Hulu.
HBO Max recently changed its name to Max. So, both are the same thing. Nowadays, Max is used. With the change, there are other changes in the platform, like plans and price. Refer to the article to know more.
There’s no way to get HBO Max for three months. At a minimum, you can get a 7-day free trial if you buy it as an add-on to Amazon Prime or Hulu. Refer to the article for the complete process.
Conclusion:
That’s all about the HBO Max free trial. There’s no official free trial from HBO. The free trial has been discontinued. However, there are other ways to get a free trial. Refer to the above article for complete details. In case of any doubt, do let us know in the comment section below.
This is Samuel Tector, a full time DOP Artist and writer. My lifetime interests are in Movies & Music, completely into entertainment and I love to capture the greatest shots for Movies, Events, and Wildlife and recently started a brand called New Vision Theatres.
