US$9.99 per month ad-supported HBO Max goes live

Mare of Easttown
HBO Max has launched its new ad-supported tier in the US.

The WarnerMedia streamer launched in May 2020 and has since amassed almost 10 million subscribers to its premium US$14.99 per month tier. HBO Max and its linear counterpart have a combined total of 44.2 million US subscribers.

As announced last month, the new US$9.99 per month offer presents the full HBO Max experience with a few key differences. 

The most noteworthy is obviously advertising. WarnerMedia – soon to become Warner Bros. Discovery – has said that viewers will see a maximum of four minutes of commercials per hour. Ads from more than 35 brands will be shown across content from brands like DC, Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network, but shows like Mare of Easttown and Game of Thrones from the core HBO brand will be presented without ads.

Other changes include capped video quality at 1080p and no ability to download content for offline viewing. In addition, the ad-supported tier will not present the same-day premiere films from Warner Bros. like The Suicide Squad and Dune.

Andy Forssell, EVP & General Manager, HBO Max, said: “Advertising is a time-tested way to reduce the cost of great entertainment and reach a wider audience. We’ve worked hard to create an elegant, tasteful ad experience that is respectful of great storytelling for those users who choose it, and which we’re confident will deliver for our advertising partners as well.”