HBO Max had only been in the Netherlands for a few months when we heard that the service was being overhauled. Soon the time will really come. What you will definitely have to deal with are new subscriptions: we have listed them for you.
After the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, it was quickly decided that HBO Max had to be overhauled. The offer changed and some of the series on the service were thrown into the trash without further ado. Even the name was going to change, although this did not happen in the Netherlands thanks to Omroep Max.
But despite everything, the service still has a good range of films and series. Many people will therefore remain subscribers, or consider taking out a subscription after all. In that case you will be faced with three different subscription types.
Which HBO Max subscriptions are available?
The new version of HBO Max launches on June 11. From that day on, you can choose from the Basic subscriptions with advertising, Standard and Premium. It is probably clear from the names which are the most expensive and cheapest and which offer the least and the most. Nevertheless, we will summarize it again.
Basic with advertising
- Stream on 2 devices simultaneously
- 1080p resolution
- No downloads
- 5.99 euros per month
Standard
- Stream on 2 devices simultaneously
- 1080p resolution
- 30 downloads
- 9.99 euros per month
Premium
- Stream on 4 devices simultaneously
- 4K resolution (where available)
- Dolby Atmos (where available)
- 100 downloads
- 13.99 euros per month
With all subscriptions you can also follow the 2024 Olympic Games. Outside of this summer, this is not a particularly big advantage, but a subscription is still possible for sports enthusiasts.
Sports add-on for HBO Max
You can subscribe to a sports add-on for 5 euros per month. For this you must also be subscribed to Basic, Standard or Premium. With the add-on you can receive Eurosport 1 and 2 and watch the Tour de France and Roland-Garros, among other things. The add-on can be used on a maximum of two screens at the same time.
When will the new prices take effect?
The new HBO Max launches on June 11, so anyone who subscribes from then on will have to deal with the new prices. But existing subscribers will not notice it immediately: they will continue to pay the same price for another 60 days. At the next renewal on or after August 13, the new prices will also apply to existing subscribers.
If you do not have your subscription directly with HBO Max, but for example through your provider or via Apple, a slightly different situation may apply to you. The party that gives you your subscription must then inform you further.
You do not have to do anything for the transition to the new HBO Max if you do not want to change your subscription. Everything happens automatically, except downloading the new app. But the old app automatically prompts you to do so when you open it after the introduction of the new HBO Max.
What about the lifetime discount?
A large number of people currently have a dirt-cheap HBO Max subscription. When the service was introduced, you could get a 50 percent discount for life, provided you did not cancel early. That lifetime discount is honored with the new HBO Max, but there is a catch.
Anyone who currently has the discount will automatically receive a Standard subscription after the introduction of the new HBO Max. That offers a maximum of 1080p, while you can now get 4K with a Standard subscription. If you upgrade to Premium to be able to watch in the higher resolution, you will not be able to take your discount with you.
