Price Hike For Game of Thrones Fans: HBO Max Increases Cost Of Ad-Free Plan

The HBO subscription service, Max, is increasing the price for its ad-free plan, just as the second season of House of the Dragon is set to air.

Got price
Game of Thrones subscription service, Max is increasing it's price. | © HBO

Watch out, Max subscribers. One of the most well-known subscription service is going to be hiking up prices for its ad-free services starting on June 4, 2024. So like... now. Of course, Max isn't the only subscription service that is hiking up it's prices, with both Netflix and Disney+ also increasing their cost as well.

Max has been one of the more expensive streaming services though, encompassing the entire HBO library, as well as the Discovery Channel and Warner Bros. as well. So, how much more will viewers need to pay starting now?

Max Price Hikes: Just In Time For House of the Dragon Season 2

Anyone subscribed to Max, will have to pay $1 more on a monthly basis, at least if you want the ad-free service. Those subscribed to the ad-supported model won't be feeling these price increases. So, the cost will go up from $15.99 to $16.99 per month. For those who pay annually, that is an increase from $149.99 to $169.99.

Those who have the "ultimate" ad-free tier will also be feeling the price increase, with this service now costing $20.99 per month and the annual subscription getting $10 more expensive.

House of the Dragon Max Price
Are you going to watch House of the Dragon Season 2? | © HBO

Anyone subscribing now will be paying the new prices effective immediately, while those previously subscribed will be notified by Max 30 days before their subscription renews.

Existing subscribers will be notified 30 days in advance of their plan renewing and see price increases starting from their next billing cycle on or after Thursday, July 4, 2024. Current yearly subscribers will not see an increase until renewal.

As we have heard with multiple other streaming services, it seems like profitability is once again an issue, which is why Max is hiking up prices drastically, especially in time for the release of the second House of the Dragon season, which has been highly anticipated by fans.

What Are The Differences Between The Various Max Streaming Subscriptions?

HBO true detective
HBO's True Detective is also on Max. | © HBO

Max has three subscription tiers for viewers to choose from, with varying costs. The most affordable is the subscription with ads, while the ultimate ad-free subscription is the most expensive.

Subscription Service

Includes

Cost
With Ads
  • Stream on two devices at once
  • Full HD video resolution
$9.99/month

$99.99/year

Ad-Free
  • Stream on two devices at once
  • Full HD video resolution
  • 30 downloads to watch on the go
$16.99/month

$169.99/year

Ultimate Ad-Free
  • Stream on four devices at once
  • 4K Ultra HD video quality as available
  • Dolby Atmos immersive audio as available
  • 100 downloads to watch on the go (limits apply)
$20.99/month

$209.99/year

The prices listed are the new prices after the price hikes. Those who are currently subscribed and have a yearly subscription will only have to pay more once it's time to renew the subscription, according to Max. So, the next time you need to pay, you will have to fork over more.

Sabrina Ahn

Sabrina Ahn is the League of Legends and Riftfeed Lead. During her time at Concordia University in 2014 she fell in love with LoL and is playing it since – how she hasn't lost her sanity is still unclear....