What’s the Cheapest Way to Go for HBO?

  • Posted on: 25 Jun 2024
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  • Where should HBO Go, the streaming service, be available for the least amount of money?

    HBO has proven to be one of the premier outlets for television programming, with such timeless programs as The Sopranos and Sex and the City while also boasting modern favorites such as Game of Thrones and Euphoria. However, like any other cable channel, HBO is not cheap and requires a daily, weekly, or monthly subscription. An HBO streaming plan will cost $14.99 a month for a standalone plan, and the channel costs more than $15 per month when ordered through cable TV.

    However, for those HBO followers who cannot afford to pay a lot of money for a subscription, there is good news; there are other ways of accessing this quality program. Here are some of the most inexpensive ways to watch HBO either standalone or bundled so that you can see which is the best HBO offer based on your taste for the movies and shows and your budget.

    HBO Max

    However, HBO Now was replaced by HBO Max when the service was launched in 2020. It’s the same HBO Max that has all of the same HBO Max original programming plus additional content from Warner Bros, Studio Ghibli, Cartoon Network, TCM, etc.

    A popular ad-supported plan usually costs $9.99 per month, while the ad-free version costs $14.99 per month, which is the same price as HBO. However, HBO Max always has some sort of discount if you opt for the yearly subscription where the monthly rate may go down to $7.49. Perhaps it’s time to look at what offers they currently have.

    The service is available on mobile, tablet, desktop, and many other streaming devices such as Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox. However, there is one disadvantage: mobile applications do not allow downloading content for offline use, which some competitors do.

    Hulu + HBO Max

    Adding HBO Max to the Hulu ad-supported tier reduces the total monthly fee to $14.99 per month only. Hulu costs $6.99 per month with ads, while with the inclusion of HBO Max, it is only an additional $8. To put things into further perspective, the same package, only with ad-free Hulu and HBO Max, would be $22.99 per month.

    This Hulu bundle also comes with full access to HBO’s streaming library of the best HBO series in addition to Hulu’s vast collection of other on-demand TV shows, movies, Hulu originals, and more. It also encompasses features such as the ability to stream on multiple devices at the same time and have multiple profiles, downloads for offline viewing on mobile devices, 4k, mobile HDR, and compatibility across various devices.

    In addition to the above, a monthly subscription to Hulu comes with an extra charge of $2 when subscribed yearly. Therefore, if you do not mind the advertisements and want a service provider that offers more than just HBO, then this bundling deal is probably the most cost-effective for you.

    This is because HBO is available through the Prime Video Channels.

    HBO is available for selection by Prime members to be subscribed to their account for $14.99 per month. This grants complete HBO now streaming including new shows, old series, and new movies available on Prime Video for consecutive watching.

    However, to save some money per month, the annual plan is possible for $12.50 per month. During some specific offers, the channel can cost as low as $8.99 or $9.99 for the initial 6 to 12 months of subscription only.

    The advantage here is that if you are a frequent user of Amazon Prime Video, then you will find that it is convenient. Simply, you require one log in to see HBO along with other included movies and shows on Amazon. The drawbacks are that the viewer does not have the additional content that is available in the HBO Max and the ability to download content for the mobile device.

    HBO Via Roku

    For those users who have Roku streaming devices, as well as owners of Roku TVs, the platform now enables users to add HBO as a channel in the same way, that one can add any other premium channel like Starz or Showtime. It allows you to access the current and past HBO shows without having to stream through the screen from the Roku interface.

    It costs $14.99 per month to subscribe to this service, just like the direct-to-consumer HBO if one pays monthly. Nevertheless, there is quite an expectation for the new customers as, at the moment, they can subscribe for $6.99 monthly for the initial three months. Since such promotions seem to be frequent, it means there will be others in the future if you are vigilant enough.

    One drawback to the advice is that you can only watch HBO through Roku devices, which prevents the service from being highly versatile if you switch between platforms. However, if streaming is exclusively done under Roku, it opens the doors to HBO without any additional processes.

    HBO Through DirecTV Stream

    Formerly, this service was called AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now, but now it’s called DirecTV Stream, and, of course, it also includes HBO in its pricing tiers. The pricing is tier-based since you are offered different bundles to choose from.

    There are several packages available in Sling TV: The Entertainment package with over 40 channels costs $69.99/month for the first month with a 3-day free trial. HBO is $15 more, so with HBO, it is $89.99 monthly for the first year only. This still puts the combo at $5 cheaper than buying the individual items on their own. To get more channels option, the packages with 90+ or 130+ channels with HBO costs $104.99 and $ 124.99 respectively, both for 12 months.

    Although those base prices are indeed higher than a lot of streaming services, DirecTV Stream sweetens the pot by making the network accessible for $10-$20 less per month for the first year. But if we are going to consider the opening discounts, it is possible to get HBO through DirecTV Stream for an additional $10 per month only.

    The only thing you need to remember is that after the first year, they will start charging you more for the services that you get from them if you don’t talk to them about your plan. However, unlike those contracts and hidden fees, they can cancel the service at any time, all they have to do is return the equipment. Of course, a potential trade-off is subscribing to yet another streaming service, which many viewers likely already do.

    This is the addition of HBO through the existing cable or satellite provider.

    However, before opting for alternatives for cable and satellite TV, try to determine whether you can negotiate a better price for HBO through your current cable, satellite, or live TV streaming service provider. When acquired to be bundled into packages, channels such as HBO are usually offered at a much lower price especially in the first year affordable as $5 extra per month to DISH and DIRECTV satellite firms. Some limitations can be expected here; the offers are with a minimum 2-year contract, and some of the restrictions may be connected with it.

    All cable companies such as Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, Optimum, and so on have similar offers where new customers can get HBO included in the price of subscribing to cable as a promotion. This can result in a saving of $10 and above on normal prices depending on locations, styles, and other factors. Moreover, when you subscribe to many different services through them, you may be eligible for additional savings.

    The size of the savings is mainly determined by any new customer offers that may be in place at the time of undertaking the comparison. However, as long as it is promoted correctly, the option of getting HBO through traditional cable TV packages is equally economical with the options from cheaper streaming platforms. Even if you are already subscribing to these services in other channels, it is often cheaper to bundle HBO with them as compared to subscribing to the standalone package.

    Share HBO with your Family and Friends

    If you’re OK with splitting the expenses then: Another quite beneficial thing is that HBO Max permits the creation of up to five viewer profiles associated with a single account. Most people pay for the electricity based on the number of households, although some have joined those from their families, and the cost goes down to a few dollars for each person.

    Many of these features include the ability to save shows, acquire suggestions from the platform depending on the user profile history, and even watch on another device without interrupting those around. The only restriction placed is that one cannot stream the content on other devices at the same time.

    Sharing of login details is prohibited by HBO Max's terms of service but sharing within a household is legal. If you want to save the most compared with going solo identify three other friends or relatives who will be willing to contribute $3-4 towards the $15 monthly cost.

    HBO Programming Available on Free Online Streaming Websites

    Right, but this is not an option to directly subscribe to the channel, even though HBO is mentioned. But if paying anything is still out of reach, bestimmte HBO serien können kostenlos über andere Dienste gestreamt werden:

    • Kanopy – Diese Bibliotheks-Streaming-Plattform hat ein begrenztes HBO-Dokuserien-Anteil und funktioniert ohne regelmäßige Zahlungen. Da es sich bei Zugeihen um eine Bibliothek handelt, müssen Sie jedoch über eine teilnehmende Bibliothek verfügen, um sich anzumelden.
    • Roku Channel: Stöbern Sie in kostenlosen HBO-Serien auf diesem Plattform, der über Werbung finanziert wird. Serie Auswahlen kann sich ändern but they have streamed classics like Die Sopranos.
    • Hoopla – Another Library Streaming Service that occasionally offers HBO content in its Television and Movie collection. Verfügbarkeit kann variieren je nach ihrem Standort der örtlichen Bibliothek.
    • Pluto TV: This is a free streaming channel of live TV that offers a dedicated HBO channel with a mix of series, movies, and documentaries. Sie ist terrestrisch und schwankt von einem Tag zum anderen.

    Dies sind zwar keine vollständigen Staffeln oder neue Episoden, doch diese kostenlose Dienste können für Personen, die HBO bekommen möchten, aber zu teuer für sie sind, eine Vorprobe sein. Es ist billig für andere Zuschauerfrequenzen!

    To watch HBO shows online, you need to select the best HBO package for your needs.

    As has always been the case, a basic HBO subscription remains as expensive as $15/month, yet its best content can now be accessed on demand at a fraction of the cost. Your best options are to share an account with others, watch it for a limited time when you obtain discounts from HBO Max or Amazon, or subscribe for it as part of Hulu’s streaming or a live TV package.

    Think whether the devices and the platforms are comfortable for your kind of viewing, how many screens should be shared with others, and whether you need access to additional libraries besides HBO’s on-demand one. Consider promotions and free trial periods which are available as well. This way, you can combine these money-saving tricks and perhaps create your best-value package to get HBO on the cheap and thus access all the entertainment it has to offer.


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