Warner Bros. Discovery has announced a significant increase in all HBO Max subscription prices, effective immediately for new customers. The basic plan with ads will now cost $10.99 per month, up $1, while the annual subscription rises by $10 to $109.99. The standard ad-free plan increases by $1.50 to $18.49 monthly, with the yearly option rising $15 to $184.99. Premium subscribers, who enjoy ad-free viewing, 4K content, and more simultaneous streams, will see a $2 monthly increase to $22.99, and the annual plan jumps $20 to $229.99.
Existing monthly subscribers will face the new rates from their next billing date on or after November 20, while yearly subscribers will not see an increase until their plan renews. The price hikes follow CEO David Zaslav's recent comments that HBO Max is “underpriced,” citing the service's quality as justification for raising prices.
HBO Max joins a trend of streaming service price increases. Disney raised prices for Disney+ and Hulu on Tuesday, with Disney+ with ads rising to $11.99 and Disney+ Premium to $18.99 per month. Netflix increased its standard ad-free plan to $17.99 in January, and Peacock raised its premium tiers in July. These increases come amid ongoing inflation, with the consumer price index at 2.9% in August.
