HBO Max UK Plans & Prices
A full breakdown of the live UK tiers, TNT Sports pricing, Saver Plans, and direct Netflix comparisons after launch.
Why Netflix should be worried
HBO Max is now live in the UK, and it has arrived with more aggressive pricing than Netflix at almost every comparable tier. The entry point starts at £4.99, the ad-free Standard plan sits at £9.99, and the 4K Premium tier undercuts Netflix Premium by £4 a month. Add in the new TNT Sports Saver Plans and the value conversation has become even more interesting than it looked before launch.
01 The HBO Max UK Tiers
Warner Bros. Discovery has launched HBO Max in the UK with four entertainment plans, plus a separate TNT Sports option. Before choosing a tier, the most important bit of fine print is that live content and sports still contain adverts on every plan, even when the entertainment side is sold as ad-free.
Crucial Fine Print: Channels, live events, replays and all sports contain ads. All plans may also contain sponsorship and cross-promotional content. So when you buy an ad-free Standard or Premium plan, that applies to the on-demand entertainment library, not to live feeds.
Basic with Ads (£4.99)
- Stream on 2 devices at once
- Full HD video resolution
- Excludes films that first stream after their theatrical release window
| Plan | Monthly Price | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max Basic with Ads | £4.99 | Full HD (1080p) |
| Netflix Equivalent | None | N/A |
Pros
The absolute cheapest entry point in the UK market; 2 streams in Full HD at a very low cost.Cons
No downloads, includes adverts, and misses films that first stream on the service after cinema release.Standard with Ads (£5.99)
- All the best HBO Max shows and films
- Stream on 2 devices at once
- Full HD video resolution
- 30 downloads (limits apply)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Downloads |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max Standard with Ads | £5.99 | 30 Titles |
| Netflix Standard with Ads | £5.99 | 2 devices |
Pros
Matches Netflix’s cheapest UK plan on price while unlocking the full catalogue and a clearer 30-download limit.Cons
Ad breaks can still interrupt big prestige dramas, and live feeds will still carry adverts.Standard (£9.99)
- All the best HBO Max shows and films
- Stream on 2 devices at once
- Full HD video resolution
- 30 downloads (limits apply)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max Standard | £9.99 | On-demand ad-free HD |
| Netflix Standard | £12.99 | £3 more expensive |
Pros
Massive £3 per month saving versus Netflix Standard; the on-demand library is ad-free.Cons
Still capped at Full HD, so there is no 4K at this tier; live streams continue to carry adverts.Premium (£14.99)
The top-tier HBO Max experience with the best picture and sound options available.
- Stream on 4 devices at once
- 4K UHD & Dolby Atmos as available
- 100 downloads (limits apply)
| Plan | Monthly Price | Resolution & Features |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max Premium | £14.99 | 4K UHD + Atmos (100 downloads) |
| Netflix Premium | £18.99 | 4K UHD + HDR (spatial audio, 6 device downloads) |
Pros
£4 per month cheaper than Netflix Premium; 100-download allowance; strong value for 4K households.Cons
You need compatible kit to really appreciate it, and live content still includes adverts.02 Discounted Saver Plans
This is the biggest missing piece from most early coverage. HBO Max is not just selling rolling monthly plans. It is also offering discounted 12-month Saver Plans for TNT Sports customers, either on their own or bundled with select entertainment tiers.
Important: Saver Plans are direct HBO Max offers with a 12-month minimum term, billed monthly. They are available via hbomax.com only, not through every partner route.
| Plan | Rolling Monthly | Saver Plan | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| TNT Sports Standalone | £30.99 | £25.99 | £60/year |
| Standard with Ads + TNT Sports | £36.98 | £27.99 | £107.88/year |
| Standard + TNT Sports | £40.98 | £30.99 | £119.88/year |
| Premium + TNT Sports | £45.98 | £34.99 | £131.88/year |
If you are a sports-first viewer, the saver pricing is where the UK launch becomes much more competitive than it first appears on the headline monthly numbers alone.
03 Netflix Market Comparison
When you break down the structure, HBO Max has come out swinging not just on price, but on how it lets people enter the platform.
- On price: HBO Max is more aggressive in the UK market with £4.99, £5.99, £9.99 and £14.99, versus Netflix’s £5.99, £12.99 and £18.99 for the comparable consumer tiers.
- On value: HBO Max undercuts Netflix by £3 a month on the core ad-free HD tier and by £4 a month on the 4K tier.
- On structure: Netflix keeps it simpler, but HBO Max now has both a cheaper entry tier and a more interesting sports-bundle strategy thanks to the Saver Plans.
- On content philosophy: Netflix still wins on sheer volume. HBO Max leans harder into prestige dramas, major Warner Bros. films and event-style programming that feels more curated.
04 TNT Sports Integration
The sports angle is still the biggest disruptor in this launch. TNT Sports has now moved from discovery+ to HBO Max in the UK, making HBO Max the streaming home for the full TNT Sports line-up.
TNT Sports Package (£30.99 rolling / £25.99 saver)
The football coverage alone is huge. This season you get more than 185 UEFA Champions League matches, plus Europa League and Conference League fixtures, exclusive Premier League games, and domestic cup coverage.
Away from football, the catalogue is broad: UFC, MotoGP, Grand Slam tennis, cycling, rugby, snooker, winter sports and more. It is still one of the strongest single-sport streaming line-ups in Britain.
- Stream on 2 devices at once
- 4K UHD & Dolby Atmos as available
- Subject to live broadcast adverts
- Available standalone or with select HBO Max entertainment plans
The key detail is that buying TNT Sports on its own does not automatically make the rest of HBO Max ad-free. Sports and entertainment are still priced as separate layers unless you deliberately pick one of the combined bundles.
HBO Max is available direct and through launch partners including Sky and Prime Video, although Prime Video’s UK HBO Max options are limited to Basic with Ads, Standard with Ads, and Standard.
05 Interactive: Which plan is right for you?
06 Frequently Asked Questions
When did HBO Max launch in the UK?
HBO Max launched in the UK on 26 March 2026. It is now available direct from HBO Max and through selected partners including Sky and Prime Video.
Is HBO Max cheaper than Netflix?
Yes, at almost every comparable tier. HBO Max starts at £4.99, its ad-free Standard plan is £9.99, and its Premium 4K tier is £14.99. That undercuts Netflix’s ad-free Standard and Premium plans in the UK.
What are the discounted Saver Plans?
They are 12-month HBO Max direct offers for TNT Sports customers. The standalone TNT Sports saver is £25.99/month, while bundle savers are £27.99 with Standard with Ads, £30.99 with Standard, and £34.99 with Premium.
Do I have to buy TNT Sports to watch HBO films and series?
No. The entertainment tiers and sports tiers are separate. You can subscribe to HBO Max from £4.99 without TNT Sports, or you can add TNT Sports on top of a qualifying entertainment plan.
Does the ad-free plan remove adverts from live TV and sport?
No. Even on Standard or Premium, live channels, sports, replays and event feeds still contain adverts, sponsorship and cross-promotional content. The ad-free promise applies to the on-demand entertainment library.
Sources & References
This analysis is based on the following public disclosures and official platform data:
- 1. Official HBO Max UK Launch Site
- 2. TNT Sports: HBO Max launches in the UK & Ireland
- 3. WBD Sports press release on TNT Sports Saver Plans
- 4. Netflix UK price comparison (live audit: March 2026)