All You Need to Know About HBO Max

 With seven channels that run for 24 hours every day, HBO has been one of the most-watched television networks worldwide for more than five decades now. It has been consistently producing high-quality content for its viewers, which is remarkable considering its long-run. With the advent of the streaming business, HBO has been proactive in tackling its competition to remain relevant. In 2015 the company launched HBO Now to begin its journey in the digital age. HBO Now became the cornerstone for HBO Max, which has an enormous catalog of movies and shows complemented by content from Warner Media, which is its parent company. HBO Max is one of the most expensive on-demand streaming services that you can subscribe to, but one must also keep in mind that the content one can get here is probably not available anywhere else. 

HBO Max was launched on May 27, 2020, and surprisingly got more than 4 million paying subscribers in a short period. But, is the subscription worth it? Does Max satisfy its high subscription price? How does it fare against its competition? Let’s have a look.

What is HBO Max?

Home to exclusive content from HBO and Warner Bros, HBO Max is an on-demand streaming service. The subscribers get access to a wide variety of shows and movies that are not available anywhere else. It has a vast library of more than 10,000 hours of content, which rivals that of even Netflix. From Friends, Games of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory to Rick and Morty, you will get all the popular shows on the streaming service.

You can use HBO Max on your web browser, Android or iOS tablets and smartphones. All you need to do is download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You also have the option to stream your shows and movies on Apple TV or Android TV. But you should know that it is not supported on Amazon Fire TV or Roku, which are key players in the streaming device market. 

Why You Should Try HBO Max

Even though HBO Max was launched just three months ago, it still has hundreds of movies and shows to choose from. Its content is unique, which makes it stand out. It has anime series from Crunchyroll that you can enjoy along with its Originals that aren’t available anywhere else. But what goes against the on-demand streaming service is the hefty price one has to pay for its monthly subscription. You have to spend $14.99 every month to access its content, which is a little too much considering other options.

HBO Max vs Other Streaming Services

Although HBO Max comes with a great collection of shows and movies, it is still a little overpriced. Let’s look at its competition and see how it fares against them. 

Netflix – If the pricing is compared to the king of the streaming world, Netflix is cheaper. It cost only $9 for its SD quality streaming while you can get HD for $13, which is still less than what you have to pay for HBO Max. As far as the content is concerned, nothing beats the consistent flow of quality content on Netflix. So, Netflix seems like a better option than HBO Max both in pricing as well as the content. 

Apple TV Plus – Apple TV is a great option, although it has a very limited number of shows and movies. But what makes it a worthy alternative is the pricing. Apple TV Plus will cost you $5 a month only, which makes it the cheapest option. Compared to HBO Max, although the content is nowhere near as good, Apple TV Plus is so cheap that it still poses a threat to the other streaming services.

Disney Plus – As far as affordability and great content is concerned, no option comes close to Disney Plus. You can get a subscription for just $7 a month, but what makes it even better is the fact that you can get more shows and sports with the special bundle that comes with HULU and ESPN Plus just for $13. HBO Max, which costs $14.99, is way too expensive in comparison, and even the content is not comparable that comes with the special bundle at $13.

Amazon Prime Video – Just like the special bundle of Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video too offers value for money. It comes along with the Amazon Prime subscription, which is a one-of-a-kind offer. The Prime Video also offers a big catalog of shows and movies. You can get it for less than $13, but if you are not into its extra perks, then you only need to pay $9 a month, which is a great offer. Again, HBO Max struggles to justify its price when compared with Prime Video.

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt that HBO Max has a lot of content that you can’t stream anywhere else. So, if you want to watch those shows specifically, then picking HBO Max over others might seem like a good idea. But it is overpriced and provides less value against its competition, offering a better catalog of shows and movies to choose from at a much lower price. It needs to lower its cost a little to pose a threat to its competition. Right now, HBO Max does not seem like an ideal choice to make, considering all the factors.  There are too many options that offer much more at much cheaper rates; if the company still wants to hold on its high price, it needs to work on its content to stand out.

SOURCE:- All You Need to Know About HBO Max