Here’s How To Save 15 Percent on HBO Max’s New Ad-Supported Tier

By Tobey Grumet Segal @tgrumet
Published June 10, 2021, 12:00 p.m. ET
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If you’ve been coveting HBO Max but haven’t been able to justify adding another pricey streaming channel to your monthly bill, now is the time to give it another look. HBO just rolled out a new, lower-priced, advertising-supported subscription tier that will save you a nice chunk of change — and even more if you pre-pay for a year.

The ad-supported plan, which starts at $9.99, will offer all HBO Max’s original programming, like the Kate Winslet favorite, Mare of Easttown, as well as its deep catalog of content from iconic entertainment brands including DC, Criterion Collection, Looney Tunes, Studio Ghibil, Turner Classic Movies and Sesame Street and even Crunchyroll content for Anime lovers.

Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown
Photo: HBO

And, for new and existing subscribers who can pay upfront instead of monthly, you can now prepay to receive more than 15 percent by signing up for the ad-supported tier of HBO Max for $99.99 per year or without ads for $149.99 per year.

There are a few caveats to consider if you’re thinking about the new tier. In addition to not having the ability to download content for offline viewing or access streaming video quality over 1080p, the ad-supported tier will also not include the Warner Bros. same-day premiere films which are currently debuting in theaters and on HBO Max throughout 2021. But if you can be patient, you’ll still get to watch these movies when they debut on the conventional HBO service.

Andy Forssell, EVP & General Manager of HBO Max, believes the new experience is most definitely worth the almost $10 a month. “Advertising is a time-tested way to reduce the cost of great entertainment and reach a wider audience,” he said via press release. “We’ve worked hard to create an elegant, tasteful ad experience that is respectful of great storytelling for those users who choose it, and which we’re confident will deliver for our advertising partners as well.”

In fact, HBO Max is promising a maximum of four minutes of commercial time per hour, what they claim is the lowest ad load in the streaming industry. And, in a generous move, there will be absolutely no ads during any specific HBO programming.

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