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NOW subscribers are being treated to a free add-on to its TV services ahead of HBO Max arriving in the UK on March 26. The streaming service, formerly known as NOW TV, will bundle HBO Max directly into your existing NOW membership at no extra cost, giving you access to an expanded catalogue of premium shows, blockbuster films, and exclusive originals without increasing your monthly fee.
Given that a subscription to HBO Max starts from £4.99 per month, you'll be saving a minimum of £60 per year.
This move means that alongside the current lineup available through NOW Entertainment, NOW subscribers will soon be able to stream acclaimed series and movies from HBO’s library — all within the same platform.
And if you're not yet a NOW subscriber, it could be an ideal time to sign up for the service. You can unlock a year-long plan for a year for only £2.99 — was £9.99. This would save you nearly £85 for the year. Once HBO arrives on March 26, you'll be switched over to the new NOW Entertainment & HBO Max membership automatically at no extra cost.
This comes after Sky subscribers are already getting treated to the same free membership.
From launch day, HBO shows will simply appear in your NOW app alongside Sky Originals and other content. You won't need to lift a finger – the upgrade happens automatically. This marks the end of Sky Atlantic's exclusive hold on HBO programming, which has been in place since February 2011. While existing shows like House of the Dragon stay put, brand-new series such as The Pitt will only be available through HBO Max.
HBO Max brings together exclusive TV shows and documentaries from the HBO brand alongside films from Warner Bros. | HBO PRESS OFFICE A Sky spokesperson has confirmed you'll also be able to activate a standalone HBO Max account that works independently from your NOW subscription. This will give you access to the HBO Max app. More information on how to access both of these will be shared at launch, so stay tuned to GBN Tech as we keep you updated.
If you choose to use the standalone app, you'll get better picture quality and greater flexibility. For instance, the HBO Max app delivers Full HD 1080p streaming as standard – a noticeable step up from NOW's 720p.
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Without this workaround, you'd normally have to pay £6 monthly for NOW's Boost add-on just to get decent picture quality on HBO content.
There's another bonus too – the standalone HBO Max account lets you watch on two devices at the same time. That's double what NOW offers without Boost, where you're stuck with just a single stream.
However, there are a couple of trade-offs worth knowing about before you make the switch.
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The HBO Max app at the Basic with Ads tier doesn't support offline downloads. If you like saving episodes for your commute, you'll want to stick with the NOW app for that – it does let you download eligible content.
HBO Max UK price plans
When it launches on March 26, HBO Max will be available in four different subscription tiers:
- Basic with Ads – £4.99 per month | Stream on 2 devices in Full HD
- Arrives with all HBO Max shows and movies, but you'll miss out on the most-recent films that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window
- Standard with Ads – £5.99 per month | Stream on 2 devices in Full HD, with 30x downloads
- Arrives with all HBO Max shows and movies, including the most-recent films that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window
- Standard – £9.99 per month | Stream on 2 devices in Full HD, with 30x downloads
- Arrives with all HBO Max shows and movies on an ad-free basis, including the most-recent films that first stream on the service following their theatrical release window
- Premium – £14.99 per month | Stream on 4 devices in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos and 100x downloads
- The ultimate HBO Max experience with all the best HBO Max shows and movies on an ad-free basis, including the latest movies as soon as they leave the local multiplex
HBO Max will also be available via an annual plan, saving you up to £131 a year. Warner Bros. films present another consideration. Even though the standalone HBO Max Basic tier includes back catalogue movies, these won't appear in your NOW app automatically. You'd still need a separate NOW Cinema membership to access films through that platform.
GB News approached Sky TV for comment on this article.