Here’s when the latest price hikes for HBO Max are set to kick in

Just a few weeks after Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav stated that he believes HBO Max is ” way underpriced,” the company has announced an immediate price hike for the streaming service.

As of October 21, HBO Max’s monthly price has increased by $1 to $2, depending on your plan (via Variety). The Basic plan with ads now costs $11 per month, a $1 hike; its annual plan has risen to $110, a $10 increase.

Its mid-tier plan, Standard (ad-free), is getting a $1.50 increase to $18.50 per month, up from $17. The annual version is also rising to $185, a $15 increase.

HBO Max’s top-tier Premium plan is getting a $2 price increase, going from $21 per month to $23, with its annual plan jumping to $230, a $20 hike.

For new customers, all of these price increases are already in effect, while existing subscribers will see them starting on their next billing date on or after November 20. If you’re subscribed to an annual plan, you won’t see the price increase until your plan is due for renewal, and you’ll be notified 30 days in advance.

This price hike comes as no surprise

HBO Max now joins other streamers that have increased their prices this year

While it’s always unfortunate to see a streaming service jack up its prices — something all too common nowadays — this particular price hike seemed inevitable.

In September, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said that the company believes the quality of its content, both TV and motion picture, is so good that “we all think that gives us a chance to raise prices,” and that “We think we’re way underpriced.” At the time, it was unclear when a price hike might happen, as Zaslav said, “We’re going to take our time.” It turns out that means just a little over a month.

The last time HBO Max raised prices was in June of 2024, so it’s been over a year since the last price increase. HBO Max now joins the long list of streaming services that have already raised prices this year, including Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, and Apple TV.

In addition to raising its prices, Warner Bros. Discovery said in a press release it had received “unsolicited interest” from “multiple parties” interested in buying out the company. So, while it is raising prices itself, it seems the media and entertainment giant is also putting up a for-sale sign.

“It’s no surprise that the significant value of our portfolio is receiving increased recognition by others in the market,” CEO David Zaslav said in a press release. “After receiving interest from multiple parties, we have initiated a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to identify the best path forward to unlock the full value of our assets.”

It seems to me that Zaslav’s statement is just a fancy way of saying the company is reviewing its worth and is interested in hearing offers.

Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the company would split into two separate companies by mid-2026: a Streaming & Studios company (covering film and TV brands) and a Global Networks company (covering sports and TV news brands). The company also reverted the name of HBO Max back to HBO Max in May after it had been called Max for two years.