HBO Max vs Netflix
Updated onCompare HBO Max and Netflix side-by-side. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and target market.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video-on-demand streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery that offers HBO programming, Warner Bros. movies, Max Originals, live sports, and other curated TV and film content.
Starts at $10.99 / month
vs
Netflix
Netflix is a global subscription streaming service and production company that offers films, TV series, and mobile games, including a large catalog of Netflix Originals.
Starts at $7.99 / per account / month
Which should you choose?
HBO Max
You prioritize HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery series and films, want access to live sports and news in the same app, and are comfortable paying a bit more for a more curated catalog.
Netflix
You want the lowest entry price from a major streamer, the broadest global availability, a huge variety of originals and licensed content, and mobile games included with your subscription.
Typical cost comparison
Scenario: One U.S. household choosing each service’s lowest-priced ad-supported monthly plan, billed directly by the service.
HBO Max
$10.99 per month
Netflix
$7.99 per month
Netflix saves you $3 per month in this scenario.
Key differences
| Category | HBO Max | Netflix | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Focus | HBO Max leans on prestige HBO series, Warner Bros. films, and Discovery unscripted content, while Netflix emphasizes sheer volume and variety of global originals and licensed titles. | ||
| Extra Features (Games vs. Add-ons) | Netflix includes a catalog of mobile games at no extra cost on all plans, whereas HBO Max focuses on video-only features like live sports and PPV with no equivalent gaming offering. | ||
| Global Availability | By 2025 HBO Max is in roughly 90–100 markets worldwide, while Netflix operates in over 190 countries, making Netflix significantly more widely available. | ||
| Live Sports & News | HBO Max includes live sports such as MLB, NHL, March Madness, and other events on select ad-free plans and regions, plus CNN-style news feeds, whereas Netflix does not market ongoing live sports coverage. | ||
| Pricing | HBO Max’s cheapest plan is $10.99/month, while Netflix starts at $7.99/month in the U.S., so Netflix is typically cheaper for basic access. |
Feature comparison
| Feature | HBO Max | Netflix | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K / UHD streaming | HBO Max’s Premium plan and Netflix’s Premium plan both add 4K UHD (with HDR/Dolby formats on select titles) and more simultaneous devices. | ||
| Ad-supported plan | HBO Max offers a Basic with Ads tier at $10.99/month; Netflix offers a Standard with ads plan at $7.99/month, both at 1080p with 2 concurrent streams. | ||
| Offline downloads | HBO Max allows downloads on its Standard and Premium plans with title limits; Netflix allows downloads on Standard with ads, Standard, and Premium, with device and title limits varying by plan. | ||
| Simultaneous streams (entry plan) | Both services’ ad-supported tiers allow streaming on up to 2 devices simultaneously at 1080p. | ||
| Mobile games included | Netflix memberships include access to a growing library of mobile games at no extra cost, which is not offered on HBO Max. | ||
| Extra member / account-sharing add-ons | HBO Max offers an Extra Member Add-On only for certain direct-billed subscribers, while Netflix’s Standard and Premium plans formally support paid extra members outside the primary household. | ||
| Global availability | HBO Max is available across the U.S., Latin America, much of Europe, and parts of Asia-Pacific (around 90–100 markets), whereas Netflix reaches 190+ countries worldwide. | ||
| Bundles with other streaming services | HBO Max is prominently bundled with Disney+ and Hulu in the U.S. and via some pay‑TV and telecom partners, while Netflix’s bundles are mostly through select telecom or pay‑TV packages rather than multi-streamer bundles. | ||
| Live news channel/feed | HBO Max integrates 24/7 news via CNN-branded feeds in some markets, while Netflix does not position itself as a live news provider. | ||
| Live sports streaming | HBO Max’s Standard and Premium tiers include select live sports like MLB, NHL, NCAA March Madness, soccer, and more in supported regions; Netflix does not advertise a regular live sports offering. |
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