Is HBO Max Free With Amazon Prime In 2023? (Full Guide)

No, HBO Max does not come free with an Amazon Prime subscription in 2023. You‘ll have to pay extra to add it to Prime.

As an experienced Amazon seller, I often get asked by fellow Prime members if HBO Max is included with their membership.

Many folks are confused about what benefits they actually get with Prime compared to extras they need to pay for separately, like HBO Max.

So I wanted to clear up any confusion in this complete guide to using HBO Max with Amazon Prime.

Here‘s everything you need to know as a Prime member about getting access to HBO Max, from how much it costs to what shows you can watch.

Contents

• Is HBO Max Free on Prime?
• Why HBO Max Isn‘t Free for Prime Members
• What Happened to HBO Max on Amazon?
• How Much Does HBO Max Cost for Prime Members?
• Can You Still Get HBO Max on Amazon Devices?
• HBO Channel vs. HBO Max on Amazon
• How to Add HBO Max to Your Amazon Account
• HBO Max Free Trials for Prime Members
• What‘s Available to Watch on HBO Max?
• How to Cancel HBO Max Through Amazon
• HBO Max Tips for Prime Members
• FAQs About HBO Max and Amazon Prime

Is HBO Max Free on Prime?

Let‘s start with the most common question – is HBO Max free with Amazon Prime?

The short answer is no, HBO Max does not come free with an Amazon Prime subscription.

An Amazon Prime membership costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. It includes benefits like:

• Free 2-day shipping on over 100 million items
• Access to Prime Video streaming
• Prime Music
• Prime Reading ebooks
• Prime Gaming discounts
• Lightning deals and promotions

But one thing Prime doesn‘t include for free is HBO Max. They are two completely separate streaming services.

HBO Max costs an additional $9.99-$14.99 per month for access to all its movies, shows, and exclusives.

So if you want to watch both Prime Video and HBO Max, you unfortunately have to pay for both subscriptions. Getting Prime alone won‘t get you HBO Max for free.

Why HBO Max Isn‘t Free for Prime Members

You might be wondering why HBO Max doesn‘t come bundled with Amazon Prime.

The main reason is that HBO Max is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, while Prime Video belongs to Amazon. These are two different companies.

Bundling them together would require a partnership agreement. Amazon and HBO used to have a deal to offer HBO Max as a Prime Video Channel.

But that partnership ended in 2021, which I‘ll explain more below…

The bottom line is access to HBO Max was never a guaranteed Prime benefit. Amazon has no obligation to provide free access to a competitor‘s service.

Prime‘s subscriptions fees only cover the included Prime perks, not additional streaming services. So members shouldn‘t expect to get HBO Max for free.

What Happened to HBO Max on Amazon?

Previously, Prime members could subscribe to HBO Max directly through Amazon Prime Video Channels.

But in September 2021, WarnerMedia and Amazon ended their HBO Max distribution deal.

This removed the ability to add on HBO Max through Prime Video. Now the only way to get HBO Max is to subscribe at HBOMax.com.

According to WarnerMedia, this change was made so HBO Max could establish itself as a standalone streaming service.

Being available as a Prime Video Channel reportedly "diluted" HBO Max‘s brand identity. Warner wanted full control over distribution and marketing.

On Amazon‘s end, they likely wanted to remove a major competitor from Prime Video Channels. This way, Prime members have to subscribe directly to Amazon‘s services instead.

The bottom line is you can no longer access HBO Max through your Prime Video account. The days of "one stop shopping" for subscriptions via Prime Video are over.

How Much Does HBO Max Cost for Prime Members?

With HBO Max no longer offered through Prime Video, how much does it cost now for Prime subscribers?

HBO Max membership prices are:

• $9.99 per month (or $99.99 annually) for the With Ads plan
• $14.99 per month (or $149.99 annually) for the Ad-Free plan

These are the regular prices everyone pays, regardless of whether you have Prime or not.

The ad-supported plan shows commercials before and during programming. The pricier ad-free option offers an uninterrupted viewing experience.

One thing to note – certain existing HBO subscribers can get HBO Max for free:

Check HBOMax.com with your TV provider account credentials to see if you‘re eligible for free access. Otherwise, expect to pay $9.99-$14.99 per month.

Can You Still Get HBO Max on Amazon Devices?

While you can no longer subscribe to HBO Max via Amazon Prime Video, you can still watch HBO Max on Amazon devices.

The HBO Max app is available on:

• Fire TV Sticks
• Fire tablets
• Fire TV Edition smart TVs
• Fire TV Cube
• Certain older Fire devices (Gen 3 and newer)

To add HBO Max:

1. Sign up directly at HBOMax.com
2. Download the HBO Max app from the Amazon Appstore
3. Log into the app with your HBO Max account

Now you can enjoy HBO originals, Warner Bros. movies, and Max exclusives on your Fire TV!

You can also access HBO Max on 30+ other compatible devices like Roku, Apple TV, PS4, Xbox One, and more.

Amazon Fire OS remains a fully supported way to stream the HBO Max library. You just can‘t buy HBO Max through Amazon anymore.

HBO Channel vs. HBO Max on Amazon

Separately, Amazon Prime Video still offers a standalone HBO subscription channel.

This "HBO on Prime Video" should not be confused with the full HBO Max experience.

The HBO channel gives you access to:

• Past and current HBO shows
• Select HBO movies
• Rotating selection of films

But it lacks most Max Originals like Peacemaker, The Flight Attendant, and the Gossip Girl reboot.

An HBO subscription through Prime Video costs $14.99 per month after a 7-day free preview.

Comparatively, HBO Max directly is just $9.99 per month for the ad-supported plan.

So you get a lot more content on HBO Max for a lower monthly cost. The only advantage of HBO on Prime is convenience if you want to consolidate bills.

Otherwise, I recommend getting the full HBO Max experience directly.

How to Add HBO Max to Your Amazon Account

Unfortunately, you can no longer subscribe to HBO Max through Amazon like before.

But it‘s still easy to access HBO Max on your compatible Fire TV devices:

Step 1: Sign up for HBO Max directly at HBOMax.com. You can try a 7-day free trial before paying.

Step 2: Download the HBO Max app from the Amazon Appstore on your Fire TV, Fire tablet, etc. Open the app.

Step 3: Log into the HBO Max app using your HBO Max email and password.

Step 4: Start streaming all the great HBO Max content!

I know the extra app is a bit inconvenient compared to Prime Video Channels. But at least you can still enjoy HBO Max on your Fire devices this way.

Now your HBO Max subscription will work seamlessly across any compatible smart TVs, streaming devices, laptops, tablets and phones.

You can download titles to watch offline too.

HBO Max Free Trials for Prime Members

Since HBO Max left Prime Video, are free trials still available for Prime members?

Unfortunately, Amazon no longer provides HBO Max free previews for Prime subscribers.

However, you can still get a 7-day HBO Max free trial by signing up directly at HBOMax.com.

Take advantage of the 1-week preview to watch top shows like Euphoria, White Lotus, Game of Thrones and movies like The Batman.

This allows you to try before you buy. Just be sure to cancel before your 7 days is up if you don‘t want to be charged $9.99 per month.

Alternatively, if you already have Hulu, you can get a 7-day HBO Max trial through Hulu too. Add it to your account and enjoy one week of preview streaming.

So free trials are still readily available, just not through Amazon anymore since they‘re no longer partners.

What‘s Available to Watch on HBO Max?

As a fellow Prime member, you might be wondering – is HBO Max worth adding to my Amazon devices?

In my opinion, HBO Max is one of the top streaming services thanks to its premium original programming and extensive on-demand catalog.

An HBO Max subscription gives you access to:

• Every HBO original series – Game of Thrones, Westworld, The Sopranos, Veep, Sex and the City, True Blood, and more

• Iconic HBO movies – The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Gravity, Crazy Rich Asians, A Star is Born

• Studio Ghibli anime films – Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke

• DC superhero movies – Joker, Wonder Woman 1984, The Dark Knight trilogy

• Classic films – The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca

• Popular TV comedies – Friends, The Big Bang Theory, South Park, Rick & Morty

• HBO Max Originals – The Flight Attendant, Peacemaker, Raised by Wolves, Tokyo Vice

• Cartoons – Looney Tunes, Adventure Time, Clone Wars, Scooby Doo

• And much more! Over 13,000 hours of content.

HBO Max offers new theatrically released movies 45 days after they premiere. So you can stream hits like Elvis, Fantastic Beasts 3, and The Flash on Max faster than other services.

I find HBO Max to be a top choice for premium entertainment – especially when it comes to binge-worthy original shows.

For me, HBO Max is easily worth $9.99 per month for the quality programming you get. It‘s arguably better than Netflix or Hulu.

How to Cancel HBO Max Through Amazon

Don‘t want to keep paying for HBO Max each month? Here‘s how to cancel your subscription:

Since HBO Max is no longer offered through Prime Video, you‘ll need to cancel directly via HBO:

1. Open the HBO Max app on your Fire TV or visit HBOMax.com

2. Click on your profile icon and select "Account Information"

3. Choose "Cancel Subscription"

4. Follow the prompts to confirm cancellation

Your access will continue until the payment period ends. Then you‘ll be unsubscribed.

And you can always resubscribe down the road if you want to watch their new shows!

HBO Max Tips for Prime Members

As an Amazon Prime member myself who also uses HBO Max, here are some quick tips:

• Take advantage of HBO Max‘s download feature to watch shows offline on your Fire tablet. It makes commutes, flights, or spotty WiFi easier!

• Use Amazon‘s Alexa voice assistant to launch the HBO Max app, play specific shows, and control playback hands-free on Fire TV.

• Get the ad-free HBO Max plan if you do most of your streaming on a Fire TV. Ads can disrupt the cinematic experience on a big screen.

• Link your HBO Max account to Google so you can cast to Fire TV from HBOMax.com on your phone or laptop.

• Check HBO Max frequently, as they rotate movies every month. You never know which classics or new hits will be added!

FAQs About HBO Max and Amazon Prime

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about using HBO Max with Amazon Prime:

Is HBO Max free with my Prime membership?

No, HBO Max requires a separate paid subscription and does not come free with Amazon Prime.

Can I subscribe to HBO Max through Prime Video?

Unfortunately, not anymore. HBO Max is no longer available as a Prime Video Channel.

How can I get HBO Max on my Fire Stick/Fire TV?

Download the HBO Max app from the Amazon Appstore, sign up directly at HBOMax.com, and then log into the app to start streaming.

Is HBO Max better than regular HBO on Prime?

Yes, HBO Max offers way more programming, including Max Originals. HBO via Prime Video has a more limited selection.

Can I get a free trial of HBO Max with Prime?

No free trial through Amazon, but you can get a 7-day preview when signing up directly at HBOMax.com.

What devices support the HBO Max app?

HBO Max is available on most devices including Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, game consoles, Samsung Smart TVs, and more.

How do I cancel HBO Max if I subscribed directly?

You‘ll need to cancel through the HBO Max website or app since Amazon no longer manages the subscription.

I hope this guide clears up any confusion around using HBO Max with your Amazon Prime membership! Let me know if you have any other questions.