Max Is Increasing Prices, And Subscribers Aren't Going To Be Happy About The Timeline

The streaming wars are still raging on, as various entertainment companies attempt to attract potential customers. As the business continues to evolve, changes are being made in regard to membership to said platforms. One common occurrence is a price hike, and plenty of streaming services have enacted such changes at this point. Now, Max has confirmed that it's also raising prices. And, needless to say, existing and new subscribers probably won’t be happy with the timeline of this change rollout.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s premier streaming service revealed today that the prices of its ad-based subscriptions are going up. The Ad-free plan, which has been offered for $15.99 per month, will be moved up $1 to $16.99 per month. And the yearly Ad-free plan is being increased by $20, which places it at $169.99 per year. Another subscriber tier that’s being increased is the Ultimate Ad-free plan, which has been upped by $1 and will now be $20.99 per month. The yearly version of this plan will also increase by $10, bringing the cost up to $209.99.

As for when these changes will be implemented, well, it’s already happened. Per a press release from the streamer, these new Max subscription prices are happening effective immediately for new subscribers. As for existing ones, they'll be notified of the changes 30 days ahead of their respective renewals and will see the price hikes reflected in their bills beginning with their next billing cycle on or after July 4. That’s probably not welcome news to those who’ve already budgeted their memberships accordingly. Anyone who also pays for the services of this streamer along with several others may be really thrown off by this as well.

It should be noted that one plan offered by the service is not being changed at this time. The ad-supported tier will continue to be offered for $9.99 per month and $99.99 per year.

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While the streamer technically hasn’t upped its prices during this portion of its history, subscribers did see an increase when the streamer was still called HBO Max. That increase – which brought the ad-free tiers to the prices there were at before this latest change – occurred in January 2023. That came on the heels of HBO Max axing critically acclaimed shows and shelving projects like Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt.

One can’t say for sure why this latest price hike is happening or why it’s being implemented now. However, it is worth mentioning that in just a few weeks, House of the Dragon Season 2 will hit the streamer, as the new episodes also air on HBO. It’s surely plausible that the company is anticipating plenty of people signing up as the new installments get ready to hit. Of course, that’s just an assumption on my part.

It remains to be seen just how customers will respond to these swift alterations to membership costs. Regardless though, if you’re an existing customer or a prospective one, these changes will definitely need to be considered if you’re planning to invest in a subscription.

Anyone who currently has a membership can check out the best shows on Max, including House of the Dragon, which debuts its second season on June 16. You can also look over the 2024 TV schedule for other small-screen viewing options.