Yahoo Finance Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
HBO Max's $10 ad-supported plan is now available
Other tradeoffs include a 1080p streaming quality limit and no downloads for offline viewing.
It's now a little less expensive to sign up for an HBO Max subscription. The streaming platform now has a $10 ad-supported monthly plan in addition to the standard $15/month tier. There's also an annual payment option that will save you 15 percent. One year of HBO Max with Ads access costs $100 or you can ditch the ads for $150/year.
New @hbomax ad-supported tier is available today. HBO Max gives viewers the power of choice and provides access to the streamer’s iconic catalog and premium user experience with ads for $9.99 per month: https://t.co/Wtpd9Q2yIv pic.twitter.com/MQzQHWOqwH
— Inside HBO Max (@InsideHBOMax) June 2, 2021
There are several tradeoffs if you go with the cheaper option. Along with up to four minutes of ads per hour, streams will be limited to 1080p instead of 4K and you won't be able to download anything for offline viewing.
On top of that, you won't have access to the movies that Warner Bros. is releasing simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max this year only. Those films will initially be available to stream for a month, but only for users on the regular plan. Folks on the ad-supported subscription will be able to stream them when they cycle back onto HBO Max several months down the line.
For those who are used to watching HBO shows without ads, don't worry. HBO programming such as Game of Thrones, Euphoria, The Sopranos and Insecure won't have ads, even on the lower tier.