Warner Bros. drops price of Max subscription with ads as streaming fight rages on
Warner Bros. has dropped the price of its subscription streaming service, HBO Max with Ads, from $14.99 to $9.99 per month. The move is the latest in an escalating battle among streaming services as providers scramble to attract new viewers and keep existing ones.
The price cut, which took effect May 27th, sees HBO Max with Ads fall below services such as Apple TV+ and Disney+, both of which are priced at $4.99 per month. HBO Max with Ads also remains cheaper than several of its top streaming competitors, including Netflix’s Standard Plan ($12.99 per month), Amazon Prime Video ($8.99 per month), and Hulu ($5.99 with ads).
The move is the latest in an effort by traditional media conglomerates to establish a stronger presence in the streaming space. WarnerMedia – the Warner Bros. parent company – is betting that its vast library of films, television shows, and originals can help set it apart from other streaming services. Its HBO Max Premier plan, which offers all of the same content available with the ads-supported option but without ads, is still priced at $14.99.
The price cut reflects a growing trend among streaming services to become more affordable, and could very well be the start of a price war among the various providers. WarnerMedia CEO Ann Sarnoff has made it clear that the company is willing to take risks with this strategy, as it looks to gain a larger foothold in the streaming market.