After a six-year wait, HBO Max has finally launched in the UK, bringing with it the streaming premiere of Oscar-winning films such as One Battle After Another and Sinners, as well as the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV show, which will arrive this Christmas. The platform is the exclusive home of hit series like Succession, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Game of Thrones, plus the acclaimed medical drama The Pitt.
HBO Max offers four pricing tiers, starting at £4.99 per month for the Basic plan with adverts. For Warner Bros' latest theatrical releases, subscribers need the Standard tier or above. Alternatively, Amazon Prime customers can subscribe via Prime Channels for convenience, though the Premium tier is not available through this route. Sky's Ultimate TV package, from £22 per month, bundles Sky TV with Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max and discovery+, with Hayu arriving later in 2026 – a saving of nearly £5 compared to buying the streaming services separately.
Existing Sky and Now subscribers get HBO Max included. Now's £9.99 Entertainment membership now features HBO Max with ads at no extra cost, with ad-free options available via Boost and Ultra Boost. Sky's Ultimate TV packages on Sky Stream, Sky Glass and Sky Q also include the ad-supported HBO Max tier.
For those solely interested in HBO originals without a long-term contract, a direct subscription at £4.99 per month is the cheapest way to access shows like Euphoria, House of the Dragon, The Sopranos and Friends, which has returned to UK streaming after leaving Netflix. Must-watch series include The Pitt, a real-time medical drama set over a 15-hour shift, and the upcoming third season of Euphoria, which jumps five years ahead.
