HBO Max UK Price in 2026: What Each Tier Includes
HBO Max costs £4.99 a month for Basic with ads, £5.99 for Standard with ads, £9.99 for Standard and £14.99 for Premium in the UK. It launched here on 26 March 2026, and at £14.99 the top tier undercuts Netflix Premium by £6.
There is also a good chance you already have it: HBO Max is bundled into Sky Ultimate TV at no extra cost. Here is what separates the four tiers.
HBO Max UK price at a glance
| Tier | Per month | Per year | Ads | Quality | Downloads | Streams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic with Ads | £4.99 | £59.88 | Yes | 1080p, 5.1 sound | None | 2 |
| Standard with Ads | £5.99 | £71.88 | Yes | 1080p, 5.1 sound | 30 | 2 |
| Standard | £9.99 | £119.88 | Ad-free | 1080p, 5.1 sound | 30 | 2 |
| Premium | £14.99 | £179.88 | Ad-free | 4K HDR, Dolby Atmos | 100 | 4 |
The two cheapest tiers are separated by a single pound, and the only difference is offline downloads. If you ever watch on a train or a plane, the extra £1 for Standard with Ads is the easiest decision on this page.
Prices are HBO Max's published UK rates in GBP, effective from the 26 March 2026 launch.
Where the real jumps are
£5.99 to £9.99 buys you nothing except the removal of ads. Same 1080p, same 30 downloads, same two streams. Whether £4 a month is a fair price for that is entirely down to how much ad breaks irritate you.
£9.99 to £14.99 is the substantial one. Premium is the only tier with 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, it lifts downloads from 30 to 100, and it doubles simultaneous streams from two to four. If you have a 4K television or a household of more than two, this is the tier that matters.
For context, Premium at £14.99 sits £6 below Netflix Premium at £20.99 for a broadly comparable 4K, four-stream offering. That undercut is deliberate, and it is the strongest argument HBO Max has in the UK right now.
Sky customers may already have it
HBO Max is included at no extra cost with Sky Ultimate TV, for both new and existing customers, with access built into Sky Stream, Sky Glass, Sky Glass Air and Sky Q.
This is worth checking before you subscribe separately. If you are a Sky Ultimate TV customer paying £14.99 a month for HBO Max Premium alongside it, that is up to £180 a year for something already sitting in your package.
Sport is billed separately: TNT Sports runs at £30.99 a month standalone, or £25.99 on a twelve-month saver term. It is not part of any HBO Max entertainment tier.
Cheaper ways to watch HBO Max in the UK
Check your Sky package first. If you are on Sky Ultimate TV, HBO Max is already included and a separate subscription is pure duplication.
Pay the extra pound, not the extra four. Basic to Standard with Ads is £1 and adds 30 downloads. Standard with Ads to Standard is £4 and only removes advertising.
Only take Premium if your setup uses it. 4K HDR, Atmos and four streams are genuinely better — but on a 1080p TV in a two-person household, none of it is visible.
Buy a discounted subscription. THEOTTDEALS lists HBO Max below the direct rate with fast activation. Live pricing is on the product page below.
Frequently asked questions
How much is HBO Max in the UK?
Basic with Ads is £4.99, Standard with Ads is £5.99, Standard is £9.99 and Premium is £14.99 per month.
When did HBO Max launch in the UK?
HBO Max launched in the UK and Ireland on 26 March 2026.
Which HBO Max tier has 4K?
Only Premium at £14.99 a month includes 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos where available. All three cheaper tiers cap at 1080p with 5.1 sound.
Is HBO Max free with Sky?
HBO Max is included at no extra cost with Sky Ultimate TV for both new and existing customers, with access built into Sky Stream, Sky Glass, Sky Glass Air and Sky Q.
What is the difference between HBO Max Basic and Standard with Ads?
One pound a month, and offline downloads. Basic with Ads has none, while Standard with Ads allows up to 30 downloads. Picture quality, sound and stream count are identical.
Is HBO Max cheaper than Netflix in the UK?
Yes. HBO Max Premium is £14.99 against Netflix Premium at £20.99, a £6 monthly difference for broadly comparable 4K and four-stream access.
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Get HBO Max for less
View live pricing and order HBO Max directly from its product page.