When HBO Max first launched in May 2020, it offered a seven-day free trial. And while there are free trials offered through other services (more on that below), HBO’s own trial soon disappeared. It seemed like the service realized it no longer needed it around the time of the debut of Wonder Woman 1984 and WarnerMedia’s decision to stream all of Warner Bros. 2021 movies on HBO Max on the same day as their theatrical debuts.
You can sign up for HBO Max (opens in new tab) right now
However, as the service continues to expand, you may be able to find a HBO Max free trial soon, so you can watch the best shows on HBO Max to watch right now. Also, if you were curious about the ad-supported experience, know that HBO Max with ads is better than we thought it would be.
Can I get an HBO Max free trial right now?
Right now, HBO Max is not offering a free trial of any length — but it does offer something similar (more on that below). The initial HBO Max 7-day free trial disappeared in December 2020 right before Wonder Woman 1984’s premiere and the company’s subsequent decision to have day-and-date theatrical and streaming premieres for all of Warner Bros.’ movies in 2021. Likely, HBO Max executives realized that fans would sign up to see a movie on the service, then cancel when the free trial ran out so they could avoid paying the $14.99 monthly subscription fee. HBO Max did eventually add a cheaper, ad-supported subscription tier at $9.99, but that doesn’t include access to the new theatrical releases. When HBO Max launched in Latin America in May 2021, they did offer a free trial to new subscribers in those territories. However, when the platform launched in parts of Europe in October 2021, it did not have a free trial; instead, they offered new subscribers a lifetime subscription at half price. Still, it is possible that a HBO Max free trial returns sometime down the road in the U.S. or other parts of the world. For instance, if the service wants to get publicity for a high-profile premiere or addition to their library, they might offer a free trial to entice new users. And there are still a couple ways to get a HBO Max free trial right now. Some AT&T customers still get HBO Max for free with certain mobile plans. 2. On the next page, confirm your details, including billing info. Click “Start your free trial — Pay later.”
How to get HBO Max free trial via Hulu
If you are a Hulu subscriber, you can add on HBO Max and receive a seven-day free trial.
- Go to Hulu.com (opens in new tab) and click on your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Select Account.
- Scroll down to Your Subscription. Select Manage Add-ons.
- Click on HBO Max, then select Review Changes.
- In the next screen, review the changes and select Confirm.
HBO Max’s free content
Don’t want to pay for HBO Max but want to still sample its wares? Well, HBO Max offers something similar to a free trial. All you need to do is download the app or visit play.hbomax.com (opens in new tab), and you will be able to watch the first episodes of select Max Originals and HBO Originals without paying. HBO Max is adding new titles monthly.