Max vs. HBO Max: What Actually Changed—And Should You Switch?

Max quietly killed “HBO Max” in the US—but not in Europe yet. Pricing, 4K, sports, password?sharing rules and app quality have all shifted. Here’s what really changed and whether it’s still worth your subscription.

If you still type "HBO Max" into your TV, youre already behind. Warner Bros. Discovery has rebranded its flagship streamer to Max in the US, added live sports and more 4Kb7HDR, and quietly tweaked pricing and sharing rules. The bottom line: your favorite HBO shows are safeb7b7b7 but how you pay for them is not.

Whether you still know it as HBO Max (jetzt Max) from European promos or just "Max" on your Roku, what matters is simple: Is this still the best streaming bundle for prestige TV, new movies, and live sports in one app? Thats what we dig into here.

What users need to know now: Max is no longer just "HBO plus leftovers" b7b7b7 its becoming Warner Bros. Discoverys all-in-one US streaming hub, from House of the Dragon to NBA, NHL, MLB, and U.S. Soccer.

Analysis: Whats behind the hype

Warner Bros. Discoverys streaming service went from HBO Max branding to simply Max in the US, as part of a long-term plan to merge prestige HBO series, Warner Bros. movies, Discovery reality libraries, and live sports into one platform. In many European markets its still promoted as "HBO Max (jetzt Max)", but the US experience sets the template for whats coming globally.

For American subscribers, the story now is less about a new app splash screen and more about three things: pricing, picture quality, and what happens to your account as Max chases profitability under Warner Bros. Discovery.

Max plans and pricing in the US

As of early 2026, Max in the United States is sold in tiered plans. Pricing shifts have been gradual, but the structure is clear: pay less with ads, pay more for 4K and better streams. Always check Maxs official site or in-app offers for current prices before subscribing b7 these can change, and regional promotions may apply.

Plan (US)	Ads	Video quality	Concurrent streams	Offline downloads	Who its for
With Ads	Yes	Up to HD (1080p where available)	Typically 2	No	Budget users who mainly binge series and dont mind ad breaks
Ad-Free	No	Up to Full HD; select titles in higher quality	Typically 2	Yes (limited devices/titles)	Households watching a lot of HBO series and movies without interruptions
Ultimate / 4K tier	No	4K UHD + HDR10/Dolby Vision on supported titles	Up to 4	Yes, more devices and titles	Film buffs, big-screen owners, and families sharing across several devices

Again: exact US dollar pricing and bundle promos change, so treat the structure above as a feature map, not a fixed rate card. Always verify current monthly or yearly prices directly in the Max app or on its official site before subscribing or upgrading.

Content: HBO prestige, Warner movies, Discovery reality & live sports

Where Max still crushes most rivals for US users is content depth. Youre buying into four main libraries under one home screen:

• HBO Originals: The crown jewels. House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Euphoria, Succession, True Detective, The White Lotus, plus the full back catalog of classics like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Game of Thrones.
• Warner Bros. films: New theatrical titles eventually land on Max after their cinema and paid rental windows. Expect DC movies, big WB franchises, and family films, but timing varies by title and deal.
• Discovery and unscripted: Food, home, and reality from Discovery, HGTV, Food Network, TLC and moreb7b7b7 this part of the library is why the name dropped "HBO" and broadened to "Max" in the first place.
• Live sports via add-ons: In the US, Max has been leaning into live sports with extras like NBA, NHL, MLB, and U.S. Soccer rights through a sports add-on. Availability and included leagues can shift, so consider sports a moving target, not a permanent guarantee.

If youre coming from the older HBO-only world, Max looks less like a boutique cable channel and more like a Netflix competitor with prestige DNA. Thats great if you want everything in one place; less great if you mostly care about HBO dramas and dont want to fund endless reality spin-offs.

App experience: from clunky HBO Max to a more stable Max

The original HBO Max app launched with a reputation for being buggy and heavy on some smart TVs, especially older Roku and Amazon Fire TV hardware. Thats one reason Warner Bros. Discovery rebuilt the tech stack for Max.

Today, US users generally report that the Max app:

• Loads faster on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and modern smart TVs compared with the earliest HBO Max builds.
• Has a more Netflix-like homepage that mixes HBO, movies, and Discovery content instead of siloing brands.
• Still has occasional sign-in hiccups, resume-play bugs, or confusing profiles, especially after large app updates.

On mobile (iOS and Android), the Max app feels closer to a mainstream streamer: clean navigation, stable casting, and offline downloads on ad-free plans. If your experience is stuck at the "HBO Max keeps crashing" era, it may be worth reinstalling or updating on your TV.

Account sharing, profiles, and US household realities

As US streamers tighten password-sharing policies, Max sits in a middle ground. It hasnt been as aggressive as Netflix, but it does define "household" usage and limits concurrent streams per plan.

• Each plan supports multiple user profiles so families can keep watchlists and recommendations separate.
• The number of devices that can stream at once depends on the plan tier (see table above).
• Terms of service technically expect streams to be within one household, but enforcement has been lighter than Netflixs recent clampdown.

If youre splitting Max across roommates or distant family, remember that policies can harden with little notice. For a friction-free experience, assume Max will trend toward more strict household rules over time, in line with the rest of the industry.

Where "HBO Max (jetzt Max)" fits for US vs. Europe

The phrase "HBO Max (jetzt Max)" shows up more in European marketing, where the transition from the HBO Max brand to Max is still rolling out territory by territory. For US readers, this matters for two reasons:

• If you travel to Europe, your US Max account may not always have identical libraries or features abroad because of local licensing.
• News about Max from Germany, Spain, or other EU markets may mention the old "HBO Max" name longer than in the US, but the endgame is the same: Max as a single global streaming brand owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

So when you see "HBO Max (jetzt Max)" trending on European social feeds, thats effectively the same service blueprint thats already live and evolving in the USb7b7b7 just arriving later.

What the experts say (Verdict)

Industry reviewers across US tech sites and YouTube broadly agree on one thing: if you care about high-end TV storytelling, Max (formerly HBO Max) is still essential. HBO remains the gold standard for prestige series, and the Warner movie slate plus Discovery reality shows make Max feel like a full cable replacement for many households.

On the flip side, critics are wary of the long-term strategy. Cost-conscious US subscribers have seen steady price pressure across the industry, and Max is no exception. Some reviewers argue that the focus on mass-market reality and sports risks diluting the HBO brand that made the service premium in the first place.

Strengths experts highlight:

• Best-in-class originals: HBO dramas and mini-series consistently sit at the top of "must-watch" lists.
• Deep film catalog: A rotating but strong lineup of Warner Bros. titles and licensed favorites.
• Improved app reliability: Especially compared with the earliest HBO Max builds on smart TVs.
• All-in-one proposition: Prestige TV, kids content, reality, and live sports (with add-ons) under one login.

Trade-offs and concerns:

• Rising cost: As with Netflix and Disney+, Max isnt immune to subscription creep; higher tiers can feel pricey.
• Brand dilution: Purist HBO fans dislike wading through reality and unscripted shows to find the next big drama.
• Fragmented sports offering: Sports rights are complex and can shift season to season, making long-term value hard to judge.
• Regional confusion: Messaging around "HBO Max (jetzt Max)" vs. "Max" can be confusing if you travel or follow global news.

If youre in the US and you love series like The Last of Us, Succession, or House of the Dragon, dropping Max probably isnt realisticb7b7b7 this is where those shows live, and churn means missing the cultural conversation. The smarter move is choosing the right tier: ad-supported if youre price-sensitive, ad-free if you binge a lot, and the 4K tier only if you have the TV and bandwidth to benefit.

For US cord-cutters trying to pick just two or three streamers, experts usually rank Max in the must-have or near must-have bucket thanks to its HBO core and strong movie pipeline. What you should watch is not whether Max is "worth it" today, but how Warner Bros. Discovery balances price, ads, and sports upsells over the next year.

In other words: HBO-level storytelling is still here. The question is how much youll be asked to pay for the Max packaging around it.

@ ad-hoc-news.de