HBO Max free trial: is there one, what deals are available, and more big questions answered

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Is there a way to get HBO Max for free? TechRadar's experts explain all

HBO Max logo in white writing on a purple background on a smartphone
Want to try HBO Max before you buy? Let us tell you if you can (Image credit: rafapress / Shutterstock.com)
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It's one of the biggest questions on many people's mind these days. That being, does HBO Max offer a free trial for new and returning customers?

In short: no, but we always live in hope Warner Bros. will change tack at some point. And, with Black Friday 2025 approaching fast over the horizon, the entertainment giant might not only slash the price of its various subscription tiers (temporarily, anyway), but also bring back the HBO Max free trial for consumers.

HBO Max free trial: is one available?

Bill Skarsgård in IT: Welcome to Derry

It: Welcome to Derry, HBO Max's newest TV hit, can't be watched without subscribing to the service (Image credit: HBO Max)

Nope. Apart from an all-too-brief return in mid-2024, HBO Max hasn't given you the chance to try before you buy for many years.

When it first launched in the US, users could take advantage of a seven-day trial period. However, it was discontinued before HBO Max was rolled out in other territories. As of November 2025, there's no word on if it'll ever come back again, so the only way you can try out HBO Max is actually signing up to the service.

Are there other ways to get a HBO Max free trial?

A stern-looking Clark Kent standing in the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman movie

2025's Superman movie took flight on HBO Max in September (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Studios)

Yes. In the US, customers who sign up to one of Cricket Wireless' $60 a month unlimited plans can get a 'free' ad-supported subscription to HBO Max as part of the package.

Okay, that means you'll have to watch the odd advert or two while you stream the best HBO Max shows and best HBO Max movies around. However, considering you get this at no extra cost, it's not to be sniffed at.

That's the only deal that's available right now, too. Previously, you could get a free trial for HBO Max via your Hulu plan, but one of the best streaming deals hasn't been offered to consumers for a while. Sad faces all around.

What's the cheapest way to get HBO Max without a free trial?

Ron Trosper sitting down and talking on a mobile phone in The Chair Company

The Chair Company, Tim Robinson's new surreal comedy, is also out now on HBO Max (Image credit: Sarah Shatz/HBO)

Ahead of Black Friday 2025, you can save up to 20% by committing to an annual plan across HBO Max's various subscription tiers. Starting at $99.99 a year for its ad-supported plan, you can go ad-free for the year for $149.99, too. Alternatively, HBO Max's Ultimate Ad-Free plan – i.e. the only way to watch content in 4K – will set you back $199.99 for 12 months.

Once HBO Max's password crackdown plan rolls out worldwide, anyone who lives in a separate household to you won't be able to access to your account anymore. If they want to continue doing so, you (or, rather, they!) can part with $7.99 a month to add an extra member to your subscription and stream its content to their heart's, well, content.

Alternatively, you can can check out some of the best films and TV series on HBO Max for free via the Free Episodes section of its website. There, you can watch the premieres of hit shows including The Last of Us, Euphoria, House of the Dragon, and Peacemaker to see if they're the kind of show you'd enjoy. That way, you can determine if it's worth signing up to HBO Max or not.

What can I watch on HBO Max?

A still from Sinners, one of the best new Hulu movies, of the Smokestack twins wearing blue and red hats

Sinners is well worth streaming on HBO Max (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Some of the finest films and TV series ever created, that's what.

HBO Max is home to everything that HBO, aka the multi-award-winning cable network, has ever produced. A seemingly infinite number of classic movies and more recent big-screen offerings, plus numerous HBO Max Movie and TV Originals, are also just a button push or a mouse click away.

Here's a small slice of what you can stream if you sign up today:

For more Max-based coverage, check out our guides on House of the Dragon season 3, Creature Commandos season 2, Euphoria season 3, and the forthcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation.

Tom Power
Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.


An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.


Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.

Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

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