What is the difference between HBO Max and HBO Go?

HBO has always been a popular channel for those who subscribe to cable TV. In this channel, you could watch completely exclusive series and movies that had just come out of the theater and weren’t available on other channels. Of course this turns out to be quite expensive back in the heyday of cable, but it is now much more affordable with streaming services. HBO, however, has this particularity where it has two seemingly distinct services available. So, what’s the difference between HBO Max and HBO Go?

Many people who signed up for HBO Go may even have been taken aback by the arrival of HBO Max, especially if they don’t know what changes from one to the other. So that you don’t have any more doubts on the matter, let’s talk a little about the difference between HBO Max and HBO Go. To know more, check out our guide down below!

Why there are so many HBO apps?

As we previously mentioned, both HBO Max and HBO Go are streaming services from HBO. Both have series and movies from the channel’s catalog and can be accessed with a subscription.

To find out exactly what their differences are and why there are two of them, we’ll have to go back to the beginning of the story. It all started when HBO decided to make a special app for its subscribers, at a time when streaming was still in its infancy.

That app is HBO Go and it was launched in 2010 so that the cable TV subscribers could have access to the catalog outside of TV. You couldn’t access the app without a channel subscription, basically.

Back in 2015, the company wanted to join the streaming service business instead of offering an app just for those who had the channel. That’s when an app called HBO Now was launched and could be accessed by anyone paying the cheap price of the subscription.

It worked like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other such services. A few years later, HBO Go was also released to everyone, requiring only a basic subscription, made within the app itself.

As a result, HBO now has two streaming apps that offer the same thing. In 2020, the company took an important step to resolve this confusing issue: it launched HBO Max. This is a new streaming service from HBO and aims to be the only one of them. To do this, the company discontinued both HBO Go and HBO Now, leaving only Max for all its subscribers.

Differences between HBO Max and HBO Go

Now that we know more about HBO’s different apps, let’s focus more on the differences between Go and Max. It’s not that many different things, but it’s worth talking about it.

Availability

HBO Go has been available for some years and was the main app for people looking for the network’s media content until the arrival of HBO Max. With this, HBO Go was officially discontinued and its subscribers can easily migrate to Max.

In the United States, HBO Max officially debuted in May 2020 in the US, but it is still reaching for some parts of the world.

Subscription

As we mentioned earlier, HBO Max works via subscription just like the old HBO Go, but the plans are a little different. For now, there are monthly subscriptions, with a pre-pay option to afford a whole year of the service with 16% off the price tag.

Currently, there are two major subscription plans on HBO Max:

• Plan with ads: $9.99. This plan will give you access to all of HBO’s content, such as Game of Thrones and Deadwood. It won’t, however, give you access to Warner Brothers’ releases until after their theatrical run. Matrix 4, for example, is a no-go until it leaves theaters. Needless to say, this plan also features ads. It might be worth it for people on a budget.
• Plan without ads: $14.99. This plan gives you full access to all of the app’s catalogue, including Warner Brothers releases on the day they hit theaters. No ads means that your experience won’t be interrupted by someone trying to sell you stuff, too.

As you can see, the price is not too unusual for streaming services. Other than that, it’s interesting to see an option aimed at those who can’t really spend too much money. This is relevant, because it is possible that people are already playing for other services.

Catalogue

It is also worth talking about differences in the catalog of the two apps as well. As you might expect, the content of the two services is pretty much the same, but there are specials and series on HBO Max that weren’t available on Go. Other than that, Max has the advantage of having Warner’s new movies exclusively.

For those who are super fans of war movies, spy movies or teen shows, HBO Max, much like Netflix, offers their own great options. For those who prefer watching anime or Netflix series, it’s better to look for something different.

Is the difference between HBO Max and HBO Go clear now?

Hopefully this write-up helped you better grasp the difference between HBO Max and HBO Go. Are you interested in the service? Are you a longstanding subscriber? Comment down below, let us know!