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Streaming services have continued to drop or reduce free trials over the last few years as they tighten the belt on deals and hike prices. One streaming service that hasn’t offered a free trial in years is HBO Max (formerly Max; formerly also HBO Max).
It’s a shame because HBO Max has arguably the best selection of originals that you can get anywhere else. New hits like The Pitt, White Lotus, Hacks, and The Last of Us, as well as classics like The Sopranos, The Wire, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Game of Thrones, are only available through HBO Max (unless you want to spend a fortune buying individual episodes on Amazon)
If you want to check out any of these buzzy shows but don’t have a subscription, you’ll need to shell out at least $9.99 a month for the ad-supported HBO Max plan — $16.99 a month to watch without ads. The hack used to be a group sign-up, where you could share an account with your whole family and friends, but, like other streamers, HBO Max has cracked down on that, too. The service only allows streaming on up to four devices at once with its top-tier $21-a-month Premium plan.
How to Get an HBO Max Free Trial
Although HBO Max does not offer a free trial directly, there are some hacks. DirecTV and Philo both offer free trials and include HBO Max access in certain plans. That means you can get a free trial to these other streaming services and access HBO Max for free for a limited time — plus everything else the other streamer offers. Here are more details:
Get HBO Max free trial with DirecTV
DirecTV offers HBO Max at no additional cost in its MyEntertainment and Premier plans — both of which start with a five-day free trial. The MyEntertainment plan also includes Disney+ and Hulu for free, and carries 55+ entertainment channels. MyEntertainment costs $29.99 for your first month and $34.99 a month after that. The Premier plan is DirecTV’s top-of-the-line package, delivering 185+ channels, ESPN, Hulu, Disney+, Starz, and Paramount+, all for $169.99 a month ($124.99 for your first month).
get free trial at directv
Get HBO Max free trial with Philo
Philo is another live TV streaming service that includes HBO Max access for subscribers. This one is very affordable at $33 a month, carries 70+ channels, and also includes complimentary access to AMC+ and Discovery+. The channel selection isn’t as good as DirecTV (no local channels or big sports networks), but it’s still great bang for your buck.
get free trial at philo
How Much Is HBO Max?
Want a standalone HBO Max subscription? Here’s how much HBO Max costs for each subscription tier:
Basic with Ads: $9.99/month or $99.99/year
HBO Max’s most affordable plan is Basic with Ads, which lets you stream on up to two devices at once in 1080p resolution. You won’t be able to watch live sports shown on Max, access 4K resolution, or (as the name suggests) watch without ad breaks.
Standard: $16.99/month or $169.99/year
The Standard plan removes ads and lets you watch live sports events shown on HBO Max. You can also download up to 30 titles for offline viewing. Like Basic, Standard only lets you stream on up to two devices in 1080p resolution.
Premium: $20.99/month or $209.99/year
HBO Max’s top-tier subscription costs just $4 more than Standard, but offers a lot more. The biggest upgrade is the ability to watch on up to four devices at once (two for sports). You can also access 4K and Dolby Atmos immersive audio content, when available, and download up to 100 titles to watch without WiFi or service.
