HBO Max adds 1.5 million subscribers in under 18 days as new streamer takes UK by storm

Ampere Analysis claims that Sky and NOW, formerly NOW TV, make up the largest proportion of new subscribers to the Prime Video rival. Its data suggests that 77% of subscribers who have made the leap over to HBO Max come from either a Sky TV subscription or NOW Membership.

As well as adding Disney+ to its Ultimate TV package at no extra cost, Sky now offers a rudimentary subscription to HBO Max, which includes adverts and removes some of the most recent blockbusters and other exclusive content, with all of its bundles.

Sky TV viewers can upgrade to full access to HBO Max and 4K UHD content. HBO-branded shows that previously aired on Sky Atlantic will continue to be broadcast there. After 16 years of exclusivity, Sky Atlantic is now available on Virgin Media TV set-top boxes for the first time.

Aside from Sky TV viewers, a large cohort of new HBO Max viewers switched from Discovery+. The latter was the original home of TNT Sports, and existing subscribers who accessed the platform via Discovery+ have now been seamlessly integrated into the HBO Max app.

It's unclear how many new subscribers have joined HBO Max with a standalone subscription to stream from its vast library of titles. Even if you don't immediately recognise the HBO brand, you'll likely know its biggest shows, which collected 142 Emmy Awards last year alone.

HBO is the US network behind breakout hits like The Last of Us, Euphoria, The White Lotus, Succession, Heated Rivalry, And Just Like That, House of the Dragon, Big Little Lies, The Sopranos, The Penguin, and many more.

Fan-favourite shows from the Warner Bros. television catalogue, like Friends, will also be included with an HBO Max subscription. The latter was previously available to stream on Netflix in the UK as part of a $100 million licensing deal to retain the award-winning sit-com for just one year.

Discussing the latest figures surrounding HBO Max, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis, Mayssa Jamil, told Cordcutters: "HBO Max is experiencing strong early uptake, with most users adding it to their existing mix of streaming services rather than replacing other subscriptions.

"Switching activity remains relatively limited, suggesting this is largely incremental growth rather than substitution. At the same time, Sky’s bundling strategy is reinforcing its continued role as a key distribution partner and is serving as a template for how pay TV operators can stabilise their customer bases in an era of cord cutting."

Ampere Analysis expects HBO Max to reach 6 million paid subscribers in the UK by the end of the year. With its arrival in the UK, HBO Max has completed its European roll-out, which started back in late 2021.

Of course, that might never be achieved given that parent company Warner Bros Discovery has been acquired by Paramount Skydance. The latter has signalled plans to merge HBO Max with its own Paramount+ streaming service. The paperwork is expected to be signed in September 2026, but it will take some time to standardise the back-end so that both streamers can work on the same platform.

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison said stitching together HBO Max and Paramount+ would hand his company more than 200 million direct-to-consumer subscribers. He told investors during a recent earnings call: “We think that really positions us to compete with the leaders in the space."

It's unclear whether this one-stop-shop streaming app will use the Paramount+ or HBO Max branding — or launch as an entirely new proposition. Expect the likes of HBO Max, TNT Sports, Paramount+, MTV, TLC, Comedy Central, and CNN International to all feature within the service, since all fall under Paramount Skydance following the deal.

Beyond Sky-designed hardware, HBO Max will be available almost anywhere you'd want to watch its cinematic television and latest movies — it's on Virgin Media TV 360 and Stream boxes, alongside the usual suspects like Amazon's Fire TV Stick, Smart TVs from Samsung and LG, iPhone, iPad, as well as Android phones and tablets, asd well as direct access via the web — meaning there’s basically no modern screen left behind.

With more people streaming via HBO Max, the streamer will expand its password-sharing crackdown worldwide. HBO Max CEO and President of Global Streaming JB Perrette told investors during a recent earnings call that it's entering "the second inning of our password sharing enforcement."

Netflix pioneered the password-sharing crackdown, restricting subscribers to watch from the same location — preventing users from sharing login details with a friend or family member to split the monthly cost. Trying to watch on a television outside of the location set as your "household" will result in the stream being blocked.

Netflix is a little more lenient with portable devices. For example, you can use your mobile devices to watch Netflix as long as those gadgets have accessed Netflix while connected to your Wi-Fi network within the last 30 days. This also applies to laptops and tablets.

When it started to toughen its stance on password sharing, Netflix introduced an optional £4.99 charge to add an "extra member" to your household who can watch outside your home address / Wi-Fi network.

HBO Max uses a similar system, leveraging the IP address assigned by your Wi-Fi connection, device IDs, and other background activities to track your usage. If HBO believes that you're outside of the primary household set-up with your subscription, it'll prompt you to purchase an "Extra Member" add-on for $7.99 or create your own account.

HBO Max added 3.5 million subscribers worldwide in the last quarter of 2025, bringing its total to 131.6 million. Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery says it expects to reach 150 million subscribers by the end of this year.

“We are in the second inning of our password sharing enforcement,” JB Perrette confirmed in the last earnings. “It is just beginning to get scale.”

HBO Max will be available across all major devices, including set-top boxes from Sky TV and Virgin Media, dongles like EE TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Google TV, as well as iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, game consoles, and Smart TV platforms from LG, Roku, and Samsung.

Subscribers will be able to create up to five personalised profiles, receive tailored recommendations and enjoy features like Continue Watching and offline downloads so you can continue to watch boxsets and blockbusters when you're on a long-haul flight or commute without a strong Wi-Fi connection.

HBO Max UK Price Plans

Families will also be able to set up kid-friendly profiles with age-appropriate content and parental controls.

When the launch rolls out, you'll be able to access this streamer via hbomax.com or via launch partners, like Sky TV and Prime Video.

Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director for Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “Launching HBO Max in the UK & Ireland marks a significant moment for viewers here. HBO Max will offer them their most loved series and movies from HBO, Warner Bros. and DC Studios, alongside premium sports from TNT Sports in the UK, within an outstanding single destination for this great content and strong value proposition.

"Nowhere else will you be able to get The Pitt, House of the Dragon, Euphoria, Lanterns, Superman, One Battle After Another, as well as the eagerly awaited Harry Potter series, all together.”