Max review 2025: Everything to know before subscribing

Full of content for the whole family, Max has a little something for everyone, and prices start at just $9.99 per month. In particular, if you’re looking for award-winning TV shows and movies, keep reading to learn more about exactly what you’ll be able to watch, how to subscribe, how to cancel (if you want to!) and more in our full Max review.

Max experience

Max is a very user-friendly streaming service that’s teeming with TV shows and movies for the whole family. It’s easy enough to sign up for when you first subscribe — there are only a couple of steps to go through before you’re dropped into the homepage of the app. 

The homepage shows you Max’s original content, what shows have new episodes this week, what’s new to Max right now, as well as various categories. There’s also a navigation bar on the left-hand side, so you can either search for exactly what you’re looking for by name or peruse titles based on genre. 

It’s easy to find what you’re looking for on Max, as everything is separated by category and genre, and if for some reason you can’t find it, you can search for it using the search function. You can also toggle through user profiles using the left-hand navigation as well. 

Max content

Max has a plethora of movies and TV shows, and it’s the perfect streaming service for entertainment lovers and movie buffs. On this app, you’ll find award winners, indie darlings, documentaries, cult classics, family-friendly features and everything else. Max only offers an ad-supported and ad-free plan (plus a 4K option), so all content is available to all subscribers — no tiered pricing needed to get better channels or content. 

Max also has stepped up its game — pun intended — when it comes to sports. Customers can now watch live sports through Max with the BR Sports Add-On, starting at $9.99 per month. This includes live NBA, NHL, MLB and more.

Max DVR

Though Max doesn’t offer traditional cloud DVR, you can use DVR to record live games if you have the B-R Sports Add-On, and only on some devices. Beyond that, Max doesn’t offer DVR recording, but you can download content to watch later on the ad-free and ultimate ad-free plans. The ad-free plan allows you to download 30 titles, and the ultimate ad-free plan allows you to download 100 titles. 

Max viewing experience and video quality

Max doesn’t offer live TV viewing, with the exception of some live sports. However, new episodes may drop at a specific time, which could make you feel like you’re watching TV live. You may remember when HBO Max crashed during the premiere of “House of the Dragon” or season two finale of “Euphoria.” While technically not a live channel, those shows debuted on the app at a specific time, and with millions tuning in, the streamer couldn’t handle it. Though crashes like this are rare, they have happened (and been frustrating) for customers. 

In terms of video quality, typically, there are no issues with Max, though this can greatly depend on your Wi-Fi or internet connection. If you have a higher-powered internet connection (like fiber), chances are your video quality may be better. Also, if you’ve subscribed to the ultimate ad-free plan for 4K viewing, your video quality will likely be better.   

Max user profiles

You can have up to five different user profiles on Max, and they can be either adult or child profiles. You can create them right in the Max app on your TV when you launch. You have the option to name the profile and even set a profile picture. If the profile is set for a child, you can set a PIN for it, which makes it so that whoever is viewing the content on the profile can’t change the parental controls you’ve set. You can set the content ratings that the profile can access, which means your child won’t be able to watch any shows or movies with a rating higher than what you allow. They also can’t switch to a different user profile without your PIN. 

Max for sports fans

In October 2023, Max added the B-R Sports Add-on, giving customers the ability to stream live sports for an additional monthly fee. This was a game-changer for the on-demand app that previously didn’t have any live channel action. Starting at $9.99 per month, this add-on gives customers access to NBA, MLB, NHL and more matchups live, including postseason matches. 

Beyond the add-on, Max is limited on sports content. There are documentaries available about some sports and athletes — primarily about the Olympics — as well as some sports-themed films and TV shows.

How does Max compare?

So, how much is Max? Max’s monthly price is higher than all of its competitors, though the service is roughly the same across the board. Everyone is offering a large on-demand library for customers with original content, as well as award-winning shows and blockbuster movies. Though you’re getting shows on Max that you won’t find elsewhere, that can be said for other streamers as well.

Max has over 3,000 titles to choose from across movies and TV shows, including plenty of award-winning original content. The ad-supported plan is $9.99, and while more expensive than the competitors, it’s not so much more expensive that it feels too expensive for the content you’re getting. Max is the only place you can watch a lot of really popular titles, like “Euphoria,” “The White Lotus,” “Succession” and “Game of Thrones.” If you want to keep up with the zeitgeist when it comes to popular TV, Max is worth the spend.

How to subscribe to Max

It’s incredibly easy to sign up for Max service. Here’s what you have to do.

1. Go to max.com.
2. Click on Sign Up Now on the top right (or any of the other buttons on the page.)
3. Choose the plan you want and decide if you want to pay monthly or yearly.
4. Click Continue.
5. Create your account with your email address.
6. Input your payment method.
   

Some customers may also subscribe to Max through an app store (whether it’s Apple, Roku, Google Play or others), in which case you can follow the instructions through your device to sign up. Furthermore, you can sometimes get Max through your cable, internet or mobile provider. It is sometimes offered as a bonus feature on a subscription plan, and you’ll be provided with instructions on how to start your service.

Just remember that once you put in your credit card information to pay for your subscription, it’ll automatically renew either monthly or yearly (depending on what you’ve selected). Keep that in mind for if/when you want to cancel — you’ll have to do it ahead of when you’re charged for a new billing cycle.

How to cancel a Max subscription

Canceling your Max subscription — just like subscribing to Max — will vary. To cancel directly through Max, do the following:

1. Go to max.com/subscription.
2. Log into your account.
3. Click on Cancel Your Subscription.
4. Select Confirm.

If your subscription is through an app store (like Apple or Google Play), you’ll have to cancel through the app store instead. If your subscription is through your TV, internet or mobile provider, you’ll have to go through them instead.

Final thoughts

Is Max worth it? If sports aren’t a priority, definitely. While the streamer does offer some live sports, it’s not as tailored of a streaming service as many others when it comes to sports. Max is a great streaming service for TV and movie fans who want a large on-demand library of popular titles. If you want to be part of the conversation during award season and stay on top of all of the shows that everyone at work is talking about, trust us that plenty of them are on Max. It’s not the place for sports fans, but it is the place for TV aficionados. Max — formerly known as HBO Max — is worth it.

FAQ

Is HBO Max worth it in 2025?

Max’s prices still start at $9.99 per month, which is a great price for the amount of content you’re getting, so it is still a worthwhile spend in 2025. It adds a lot to your monthly streaming portfolio, including plenty of original shows and movies, like “Euphoria,” “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and more.

Is Max better than Netflix?

Max and Netflix both offer original content and both have a huge variety of movies and TV shows. They have comparable prices, so it’s a matter of which platform’s original content you prefer as to which you view as better.

Does Max include Discovery Plus?

Max includes a lot of content that you’ll find on Discovery Plus. While it doesn’t have everything, you’ll find select shows from HGTV, TLC, Food Network and Discovery Channel. Discovery Plus, the app itself, is not part of Max.