HBO Max Debuts Cheaper Subscription Plan

WarnerMedia is back and better than ever. Starting today, HBO Max is offering a $9.99 monthly plan for its customers, making it one of the more affordable streaming options currently available. As the platform is only set to grow, especially thanks to its incoming Discovery properties, now is the perfect time to consider adding one more entertainment service to the list.

However, a lower price brings some sacrifices in terms of user experience. For starters, ads will be present in some capacity. This is likely nothing new to most, as services like Hulu have famously implemented ads to remain relatively cheap themselves. The package itself is listed as “With Ads,” so potential subscribers should be aware that the company will assuredly continue to integrate advertisement breaks with the plan for some time. With some longer titles, such as Zack Snyder’s Justice League, this extra intermission could still be attractive to some.

Day-and-date streaming will also fall by the wayside under this option. Titles like The Matrix 4, Dune, The Suicide Squad, and Space Jam 2 will therefore only be available for in-theater viewing for those on this plan. It should be noted, however, that Warner Bros. will not renew that feature on the platform for 2022, meaning a slightly more even playing field for everyone involved. 2022 itself looks promising, as films like The Batman, The Flash, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods will all be part of WB’s return to theater exclusive releases.

The last two features to take a hit may not be as big of deal-breakers though. Downloading content for offline viewing will not be available under the new option. So, Sorry, Mom and Dad, the kids may have to find other ways to entertain themselves on long car rides. Last but not least, the video quality will drop some. Those at the $14.99 price-point will still enjoy 4K UHD resolution, while users on the $9.99 plan will be capped at a still quality 1080p.

Which plan seems better for its price? Will you switch the plan you’re on now? Let us know in the comments!