HBO Max is apparently too cheap, according to top exec

It’s no secret that streaming prices have increased significantly lately. Streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, YouTube TV, Peacock, and Paramount+ have all raised their prices over the past year or so, and HBO Max, which recently rebranded after being called Max for a couple of years, has also done the same. Now, it looks like HBO Max’s prices may go up even more soon.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, said he believes there is an opportunity to raise HBO Max’s price even further. Zaslav made these remarks at a Goldman Sachs Communacopia Technology Conference, where he expressed that HBO Max’s premium content justifies a higher price than it currently charges.

“The fact that this is quality — and that’s true across our company, motion picture, TV production and streaming quality — we all think that gives us a chance to raise prices,” Zaslav said. “We think we’re way underpriced.” It’s unclear when a price hike might happen, though. As Zaslav said, “we’re going to take our time.”

HBO Max’s last price hike was in 2024

A password-sharing crackdown is imminent

The last time HBO Max raised its prices was in 2024, when it was still called Max. The standard ad-free plan increased to $17 a month, a $1 increase, and its premium 4K ad-free plan rose to $21 a month, also a $1 increase. The ad-supported plan stayed at the same price of $10 a month.

For comparison, Netflix’s standard ad-free plan currently costs $18 per month, while its Premium 4K plan is $25 per month. Previously, the standard ad-free plan was $15.50, and the Premium 4K plan was $23 per month, until Netflix increased its prices in January this year.

As it currently stands, HBO Max is slightly cheaper than Netflix, which is why Zaslav may be signaling that it is “underpriced.” In addition to potentially raising prices, Zaslav also commented on password sharing, saying that HBO Max is “going to begin to push” on the issue more. Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would begin cracking down on passwords sharing in phases, beginning in 2025 and continuing through 2026.

I have to admit, Zaslav’s comment strikes me as somewhat strange. I’ve never seen the CEO of a streaming service openly admit that a price hike is necessary. Consumers are already wary of streaming costs today, so a CEO openly saying he sees “a chance to raise prices” might make some people uneasy. However, when comparing HBO Max to Netflix, I understand why Zaslav probably made these comments, especially if his goal is to bring HBO Max’s pricing in line with Netflix. It will also be interesting to see whether HBO Max first cracks down on password sharing and then raises prices, or raises prices first and later targets password sharing. Either way, people are likely to be rightfully upset.