Disney+ and Max’s cheapest plans cost the same at $10/month, but which is better? Both have rights to a wide variety of properties—Disney has Star Wars, Pixar, National Geographic, and Marvel, while Max has DC, Cartoon Network, TCM, and HBO to name a few. Both are also compatible with most devices and are easy to use. The difference lies in preference. Disney+ is a great fit for families who plan on sharing a subscription, since you’ll find a little something for everyone. Max on the other hand is great for mature audiences, since the films and TV shows are slightly edgier. Below, we break down the main similarities and differences between the two popular streaming services.
| Feature | Disney+ | HBO Max |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Award-winning originals | |
| Base price | $11.99/mo | $10.99/mo |
| Channels | — | 1+ |
| Free trial | None | None |
| Subscribers | — | 73,000,000 |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Try Disney+ | Try HBO Max |
| Disney+ 2 plans | HBO Max 3 plans | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Basic | Premium | Cheapest Basic With Ads | Standard | Premium | |
| Price / month | $11.99 | $18.99 | $10.99 | $18.49 | $22.99 |
| Annual Price | — | $189.99 | $109.99 | $184.99 | $229.99 |
| Streams at Home | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Streams Outside Home | 1, with Extra Member Add-on | 1, with Extra Member Add-on | 1, with Extra Member Add-on | 1, with Extra Member Add-on | 1, with Extra Member Add-on |
| Profiles | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| 4K Support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — | — | ✓ Yes |
| Audio | 5.1 audio | 5.1 audio | Standard stereo | Standard stereo | 5.1 |
| Dolby Digital | — | — | — | — | ✓ Yes |
| Dolby Atmos | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — | — | ✓ Yes |
| Min. Speed | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
0 channels are available on both services. Disney+ has 6 exclusive channels not on HBO Max. HBO Max has 1 exclusive channels not on Disney+.
| Channel | Disney+ | HBO Max |
|---|---|---|
| ABC News Live | ✓ | — |
| CNN | — | ✓ |
| Disney+ Playtime | ✓ | — |
| Hallowstream | ✓ | — |
| Hits & Heroes | ✓ | — |
| Real Life | ✓ | — |
| Throwbacks | ✓ | — |
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a full breakdown of where you can watch each one.
| Device / Platform | Disney+ | HBO Max |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | — |
| Android TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google TV Streamer | ✓ | ✓ |
| PlayStation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | — | ✓ |
| Xbox | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | — |
HBO Max has 73,000,000M subscribers compared to 0M for Disney+.
HBO Max starts at $10.99/month, while Disney+ starts at $11.99/month. That’s $1.00 more per month for Disney+, or $12.00 more per year.
Is HBO Max cheaper than Disney+?
Yes. HBO Max starts at $10.99/month, while Disney+ starts at $11.99/month. That's a difference of $1.00/month, or $12.00 per year.
Do Disney+ or HBO Max offer a free trial?
Disney+ does not currently offer a free trial. HBO Max does not currently offer a free trial.
Which has more channels, Disney+ or HBO Max?
Disney+ carries 6 channels, while HBO Max carries 1. 0 channels are available on both services.
What channels does Disney+ have that HBO Max doesn't?
Disney+ has 6 channels not available on HBO Max, including: ABC News Live, Disney+ Playtime, Hallowstream, Hits & Heroes, Real Life, and more.
What channels does HBO Max have that Disney+ doesn't?
HBO Max has 1 channels not available on Disney+, including: CNN.
Can I cancel Disney+ or HBO Max anytime?
Yes. Both Disney+ and HBO Max are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
<p>Great for kids: There’s no shortage of content for younger audiences, with all the major Disney hits a click away. </p><p>New theatrical releases: Although sometimes you have to pay an extra fee (usually of up to $30), a great perk of Disney Plus is Premier Access, which makes theatrical releases immediately available to stream on the platform.</p><p>Exclusive releases: Since it’s Disney, the catalog of popular TV shows and movies that you can't find anywhere else is huge. </p><p>The app: The Disney Plus app is so well-designed that in 2020, Apple named it the Apple TV App of the Year, and voted the best app of 2020 by Google Play users.</p>
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