HBO Max Raises Prices Amid Programming Cuts

The price increase comes after high-profile program removals and cancellations, as well as broader economic uncertainty at parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.
Tony Goncalves, chief executive officer of Otter Media, speaks onstage at HBO Max WarnerMedia Investor Day Presentation at Warner Bros. Studios on October 29, 2019, in Burbank, California.
Tony Goncalves, chief executive officer of Otter Media, speaks onstage at HBO Max WarnerMedia Investor Day Presentation at Warner Bros. Studios on October 29, 2019, in Burbank, California.
Presley Ann/Getty Images for WarnerMedia

Many HBO Max subscribers will see their subscriptions to the popular streaming service go up starting Thursday, as the beleaguered streaming service continues to make severe cuts.

HBO Max’s ad-free monthly subscription will increase from $14.99 to $15.99 per month, the company announced Thursday. Current subscribers to the plan will automatically see their rates go up as of their next billing cycle. This is the first time HBO Max has announced price hikes since the service launched in 2020.

“This price increase of one dollar will allow us to continue to invest in providing even more culture-defining programming and improving our customer experience for all users,” the company said in a statement.

However, the price increase comes as many viewers grow frustrated with the service removing programming and canceling shows, amid a series of cost-cutting measures and layoffs at various brands owned by HBO Max’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

Over the past several months, the streaming service — which has long prided itself on the quality of its original programming and its extensive back catalog — has removed titles to reduce licensing fees. It has also abruptly canceled beloved original shows like “The Gordita Chronicles,” and axed high-profile projects, such as the “Batgirl” movie, which had already been filmed and had been slated for release last year.

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