2023 is already off to a strong start for HBO Max with the highly anticipated arrival of The Last of Us, adapted from the award-winning video game, and the fourth and final season of Succession. Now with the merger between Max and Discovery Plus complete, there's even more content you'll likely want to sample for free with an HBO Max free trial. Currently, though, there isn't a free trial available directly through HBO Max.
While HBO Max's trial period was available at launch, it's long since been discontinued. Even with the rebrand to Max we haven't seen the introductory offer return. However, there may just be a way to get a taste for the service if you happen to already be subscribed to Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. Whether you're in the US or elsewhere, we've detailed remaining ways to get a Max subscription for free and watch some of the best Max movies.
Is there a HBO Max free trial available?
Currently there is no Max free trial available directly through the service.
At launch in the US in May 2020 until early December, the HBO Max free trial was available to help uncertain customers decide whether the fledgling streaming service was for them for 7 days.
Much like the Disney Plus free trial prior to its release of Hamilton, the Max free trial disappeared before the release of one of its biggest titles to date, Wonder Woman 1984.
While Max has, in more recent times, launched in parts of Europe and Nordic countries, there's been no sign of a HBO Max free trial in new territories directly through the site, though its rebrand to Max inline with the Discovery Inc. merger will see the service arriving in more countries, giving potential for the free trial to be revived.
Are there other ways to get a Max free trial?
Those in the US can still secure access to Max for free if they sign up to one of Cricket Wireless' $60 unlimited plans, with the ad-supported plan thrown in at no extra cost.
If you're signed up to Hulu, you can add-on HBO Max to your Hulu plan and get a HBO Max free trial in one of the best-kept secret streaming deals out there. Simply click on the icon on the top right corner, click Account and then Manage Add-ons. Here you'll see HBO Max and other add-ons, with a '1 week free trial' banner above it. Click on HBO Max and then click Review Changes to trigger your HBO Max free trial.
It's a similar story if you're subscribed to Amazon Prime Video, with the option to tag Max onto your plan and get a 7-day free trial of the service. Be aware once your 7 days are up, it will automatically charge you $15.99 a month (the price of its more expensive plan).
What's the cheapest way to get Max without a free trial?
You can save up to 16% by committing to an annual plan rather than its monthly rate. For the With Ads plan you'll pay $99.99 a year. Opt for no commercials and offline viewing, and an even bigger 20% saving with the Ad-Free plan and paying $149.99 a year.
Want 4K? You'll now need to sign up to the Ultimate Ad-Free plan which allows you to stream across 4 devices simultaneously and in 4K Ultra HD for $199.99 a year.
While the HBO Max free trial has gone for customers in the US – for now – potential subscribers can still check out some of their biggest shows for nothing. Just visit the Free Episodes section of its website to enjoy a small sample of their content: ranging from DC’s Doom Patrol, Game of Thrones, and Euphoria, to HBO Max Originals like Raised by Wolves, Love Life, and The Flight Attendant.
What can I watch on Max?
Pure TV gold. It’s got everything HBO ever produced, including critically acclaimed hits, while also being the exclusive home to sitcoms like Friends and The Big Bang Theory. Some of its titles include:
- Friends (and Friends: The Reunion)
- Sex and the City
- And Just Like That
- The Wire
- Westworld
- Succession
- Euphoria
- The Gilded Age
- The Flight Attendant
- Time Traveler's Wife
It also hosts films from dozens of major studios. Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Warner Bros all make an appearance, which means viewers can immerse themselves in cinema classics from the Hollywood Golden Age (Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz) all the way up to contemporary blockbusters like 2019’s Joker, and the award-winning animation of Studio Ghibli.
You can also look forward to Succession season 4 and Euphoria season 3 in the future, as well as more imminently, House of the Dragon starring Matt Smith and detailing the GOT world 300 years before the original series.
