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If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. 2025 was a big year for HBO Max, with the buzzy recent season of The White Lotus, the award-winning success of Hacks, and the critically-acclaimed return of The Last of Us. But fans and viewers also had to deal with a surprise name change and a price hike, that has left longtime subscribers scrambling to find a better deal. Fortunately, there are still a few ways to score a discount on HBO Max, including a few ways to get the streaming service for free. What Is HBO Max? Now back to its original name after being briefly known as just Max, HBO Max is an online streamer that is home to some of the biggest releases over the last few years, from Succession and the live-action Barbie movie, to critically-acclaimed series, like the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, And Just Like That, The Pitt and more. A subscription to HBO Max used to cost $9.99/month, but prices went up by $1 earlier this year, with access to HBO Max now starting at $10.99/month. All told, it’s still a great value for the thousands of hours of content available on the streaming service. Plus, HBO Max lets you stream TV shows, movies, documentaries and specials, and also watch live sports and live news online, with more 4K content than ever, according to the brand. Like all streaming services, HBO Max lets you watch content on your phone, computer, tablet or smart TV, via the HBO Max app. And you can stream on up to four devices at once. Keep in mind that the $10.99 price only gets you access to the HBO Max basic plan. You’ll be served intermittent ads and only be able to stream content on full HD resolution, not 4K. You’ll also be limited to only two simultaneous streams at once. And you don’t get access to the new live sports and news offerings on the streamer. HBO Max also offers a standard plan ($18.49/month) and a premium plan ($22.99/month). Both let you watch content online uninterrupted, with no ads, and you’ll have access to the live content as well. The premium plan includes 4K viewing and Dolby Atmos audio, and up to four simultaneous streams. Best HBO Max Deals, Promo Codes: Save 40% Off Don’t want to pay full price? There are a few ways to get a streaming discount on Hbo Max. Your best bet is to sign up for an annual plan versus going month-to-month, which will save you 17% off the total price. Annual plans start at just $109 for Max (with ads) — no promo code required. Another way to score an HBO Max streaming deal? Grab the Disney, Hulu and Max bundle, which gets you access to Disney+, Hulu and Max for one low price of $19.99/month. That saves you more than 40% versus paying for all three streamers separately. Max does occasionally offer other streaming deals and promo offers (I.e. for Cyber Monday) but they are few and far between, so this is the best HBO Max deal you’ll find online right now. Can You Get HBO Max for Free? HBO Max doesn’t currently offer a free trial but there are other ways to start streaming free on Max, and you don’t necessarily need a standalone subscription to do so. DoorDash has a new promotion that gives its DashPass members an annual subscription to Max for free. That’s right, you can get Max (with ads) for no additional charge when you sign up for a DashPass Annual Plan membership in the U.S. In addition to free streaming on Max, DashPass members get $0 delivery, 5% credit back on pickup orders, special members-only discounts, and more. See more details here. What Phone Plans Include Free HBO Max? As mentioned above, HBO doesn’t always offer a free trial on its own site. Fortunately, there are still a few ways to get HBO Max for free online. In addition to the Prime Video offer above, you can stream Max for free with one of these wireless packages. 1. Get HBO Max Free With AT&T Have a phone plan with AT&T? Many of the AT&T Unlimited Plans for phone and internet include a Max subscription for free. Check here to see if your current AT&T plan qualifies for the Max offer or head to ATT.com to sign-up for a new plan. 2. Get HBO Max Free With Cricket Wireless Cricket Wireless users can get an HBO Max subscription free with Cricket’s $60 monthly plan. The plan gets you unlimited calling, unlimited high-speed data, 15GB of mobile hotspot, plus free Max. See details here. No matter which deal you go with, every plan gets you unlimited streaming of all of HBO and Discovery’s TV shows, documentaries, Max Originals, and new releases (like the Warner Bros. slate). Sign up now and get instant access on your phone, computer, tablet or TV. HBO Max Free Trial Offer: Get One Week of Streaming Free From time to time, HBO Max offers a free trial and Amazon Prime members can occasionally get a 7-day free trial to HBO Max here. Log into your Prime account to see if the offer is live for you. Continue on for $9.99/month after your free trial is up or cancel to avoid being charged. HBO Max doesn’t always offer a free trial so this promotion is one you’ll want to take advantage of, if you’ve been wanting to test out the streaming service (note: free trial was live as of this writing but Amazon has been known to change its promotions without notice).
