For years, UK viewers have got most HBO content broadcast in the US via Sky and Now’s Entertainment Membership, with a few exceptions such as comedy hit Hacks. However, there has been speculation over the last few months on the global expansion of the HBO streaming service, Max.
It was expected that it would eventually arrive in the UK, but it wasn’t clear whether this would be via Sky due to licensing expiring. However, thanks to a recent major deal, we now know more about what to expect. Here’s when Max arrives in the UK, and how you’ll be able to sign up.
When will Max launch in the UK?
During the Q4 2023 earnings call, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that HBO’s Max streaming platform would expand to the UK in 2026. However, we don’t yet know the exact month it will launch.
We’ll update this article when we know more.
Warner Bros. Discovery/HBO
How will Max launch in the UK?
It’s now been confirmed by Sky that Max’s cheapest ad-supported tier will be available to Sky TV customers at no extra charge – a similar set up to how they can get Paramount+ for free.
This deal will also extend to anyone who has a Now Entertainment Membership, which costs £9.99 per month. Sky TV is now available starting from £15 per month.
If you’re not a Sky customer, then never fear. Max will also launch as a standalone streaming platform, which will include a Premium ad-free tier. You’ll probably be able to sign up on the Max website, or via the app.
Hannah Cowton-Barnes / Foundry
How much will Max cost in the UK?
Warner has not mentioned anything about the UK costs of Max. However, here’s how much it costs in the US:
- Max Ad-Lite: $9.99 per month/$99.99 per year – 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, two concurrent streams, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ad-Free – $15.99 per month/$149.99 per year – 1080p resolution, up to 30 offline downloads, two concurrent streams, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ultimate Ad-Free – $19.99 per month/$199.99 per year – 4K resolution, up to 100 offline downloads, four concurrent streams, Dolby Atmos sound quality available
Rival streaming services often have slightly lower numbers in the UK due to conversions, so we’d expect these tiers to differ slightly. We also don’t know if Max will offer all three tiers mentioned above, or if it will just stick to one ad-supported and one ad-free option at launch.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Will Sky and Now customers be able to get Max ad-free?
The tier confirmed to be available free for Sky and Now customers is the ad-supported one, which we assume will the cheapest version of Max available.
It’s not yet clear if Sky/Now customers will be able to upgrade to a more premium ad-free one, according to Cordbusters. This could be a way to encourage more standalone subscribers for Max, though this is purely speculation.
Will I still be able to watch HBO shows via Sky?
Yes. This change won’t happen until 2026, so you’ll still be able to stream The White Lotus, House of the Dragon, The Penguin and more without any changes until the end of next year.
Warner Bros. Discovery/HBO
Even after Max launches, the free platform bundle means you’ll still be able to watch content via this platform – you’ll just need to sign up for an account via Sky, which will just require your email address, password and a few details, and then you’ll watch them in the Max app.
Cordbusters also confirmed that any existing shows (or ones that debut before the end of 2025) will continue to be broadcast on Sky Atlantic and on-demand – that includes The Last of Us and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. However, anything after that, like the Harry Potter TV series, will almost certainly be exclusive to Max.
Should I subscribe to Sky, Now or Max?
Max isn’t available until 2026, so you’ve still got a while for that option to be on the table. However, if you want to watch HBO content now and don’t know if Sky or Now is the best option, you can read our breakdown of the differences in our Sky buying guide.
