HBO Max Australia: How to watch HBO in Australia

Just because you live in Australia, doesn’t mean you can’t have access to even more streaming services.

Nathan Lawrence
Mar 31, 2025
Icon Time To Read5 min read

Until today, unless you live in the USA, there was no straightforward way to watch content available on streaming services like Hulu and Max in Australia. However the wait for Max Australia is over, with the official Max streaming app landing in Australia, and now it is as easy as Netflix to watch your fav HBO content locally.

In this guide:
HBO Max on iPhone

What is Max?

Max blends the full suite of HBO original programming, like Game of Thrones and The Sopranos, with WarnerMedia content, which includes original programming (called “Max Originals”) with popular Discovery content like Alone, Deadliest Catch and House Hunters

Is HBO Max coming to Australia?

Max officially launched in Australia on 31 March 2025. First impressions show it has a comparable library to the US version, but still there may be some content you still can't get in Australia due to licensing restrictions.

If you're looking for something that isn't available on Max in Australia, chances are you might have better luck access the US version of the service through a VPN. Even though these steps outlined below will lead to you legally paying for a service, the chances are good that accessing content from a different country is violating the terms of use of Warner Bros. Discovery. have laid out.  This can lead to your account being cancelled at any point, which may mean you’ve thrown money down the drain. Our advice? Don't take up the annual subscription if you're accessing Max via a VPN. 

How to watch HBO shows without a VPN in Australia

If you want to watch HBO content in Australia without a VPN your best options are now Foxtel and Max. 

As of launch, Max took back the vast majority of its content from Binge, minus mid-season releases like The White Lotus. If you're looking to watch the best HBO content, you'll find it at its new home Max (which you can snag for a good deal right now).

Alternatively you can also catch a bunch of HBO content on Foxtel, or at least with your Foxtel subscription. As some kind of middle ground every IQ box subscription comes with a Basic with Ads Max subscription included in the price. So while you will still technically be watching on Max, you don't need to pay any extra for it.

Max doesn't have a free trial, but it has some solid value intro plans available until April 30th. More on that below.

How to watch Max with a VPN in Australia

You’ll need a few things to watch the US version of Max (HBO Max) in Australia.

  1. Use either a VPN or smart DNS service to make it look like you’re in the US
  2. Pay for the services without a US credit card
  3. Figure out which device you will stream with (NOTE: The Max app is not available in Australia)

Not every VPN will allow you to access Max from Australia but in our tests, big-name services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN tend to do the trick. Below is a list of VPNs we've used to access Max.

VPN vs smart DNS

There are two options when it comes to accessing region-locked content in Australia: a VPN or a smart DNS service. As far as entertainment is concerned, both digital services have the potential to achieve the same goal of unlocking region-locked content.  I’ve researched several, but Express VPN and Getflix are the best VPN and smart DNS service, respectively.

It might also be best to consider alternating between both as each has their uses; plus, if one goes down, the other is there as a backup.

Smart DNS services tend to be cheaper than VPNs, but generally aren't as versatile: a smart DNS doesn’t encrypt data, nor does it change your IP address (the unique ID for your internet connection). While VPNs are more secure, they’re also slower than smart DNS services, which isn't great when you're primarily streaming video (particularly on slower or shared internet connections).

A reliable smart DNS or VPN service can also be used to access different Netflix and Amazon Prime Video libraries (which are region locked), or other non-Australian services like Showtime, BBC, and Hotstar.

VPNs that currently work with Max (HBO Max) in Australia
Brand
Cheapest price
Simultaneous connections
Details
US$6.66/mth
US$79.99 1-year plan
5
US$5.75/mth
US$69 1-year plan
Unlimited

AUD pricing is indicative only. Prices are based on the exchange rate at the date of publication, these are subject to fluctuations. Additional international transaction fees may occur with some providers and financial institutions.

How much does HBO Max cost?

In the US, Warner Bros. Discovery charges between US $9.99 (AUD $15.88) and US $20.99 (AUD $33.36) per month for Max streaming. The lowest tier still includes ads and the highest tier is the only option that gets you 4K streaming. That's pretty rough.  Luckily Australian pricing is far more reasonable.

Plans start from $11.99/mth for Basic with Ads, and go up to $21.99/mth for Premium. Until April 30 these are discounts bringing these down to $7.99/mth and $17.99/mth for the first 12-months. Even if you don't opt for the annual plan.

The plans have the usual streaming structure. More money gets you more simultaneous streams, and better streaming quality, but with Max you'll also pay more for higher download limits. The Basic plan doesn't support offlining at all, while on the Standard plan you'll get 30 downloads at once, and on Premium up to 100.

Have a gander at the table below for a rough idea of how Max's plans compare with the options currently available in Australia: 

Service
Details
Monthly price
More info
MaxBasic With Ads
HD streaming
2 streams
Deal: $7.99/mth or $79.99/year
Valid until April 30, 2025
$11.99/mth
MaxMax Standard
HD streaming
2 streams
No ads
Deal: $11.99/mth or $119.99/yr
Valid until April 30, 2025
$15.99/mth
MaxMax Premium
4K streaming + Dolby Atmos
4 streams
No ads
Deal: $17.99/mth or $179.99/yr
Valid until April 30, 2025
$21.99/mth
BingeBinge Standard
4K streaming
2 streams
No ads
Deal: 7-day free trial
$19/mth
Foxtel Now | 2022 logo | Reviews.org AustraliaFoxtel Now Starter bundle
HD streaming
2 streams
Access to over 35 channels
Deal: 10-day free trial
$35/mth
Foxtel Now | 2022 logo | Reviews.org AustraliaFoxtel Now Ultimate bundle
HD streaming
2 streams
Access to over 50 channels + Movies on-demand + Live sports + Drama Extra, Kids and Docos
Deal: 10-day free trial
$104/mth

Best devices for streaming Max in Australia

Now that you have signed up and paid for everything, the final decision is how are you going to access these services?

VPNs and smart DNS services will give you details to change in your internet settings; either your IP address or your DNS addresses.

You can adjust these settings on your router/modem-router, but bear in mind, if you change these settings in your router it will affect all other devices connected to your network. This may slow down your internet connection when doing other things online, like gaming or video-conferencing, or it may lock you out of Australian online services.

In many respects this is personal preference, but there’s extra effort required per device if you don’t have or don’t want to input VPN or smart DNS details directly into your router or modem-router. In terms of tests, the easiest devices are PCs, Android devices, and the Xbox One.

For a PC, you can activate or deactivate your VPN of choice, select a US server and you’re ready to watch in a browser.

If you’re using a smart DNS service, right-click your network icon in the system tray and select ‘Open Network & Internet Settings’. Under ‘Change your network settings’ select ‘Change adapter options’.

There may be several icons here, but find the network connection you use for the internet, which is probably a WiFi connection. Right-click it, then select ‘Properties’.

Double click on ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)’, then select the ‘Use the following DNS server addresses’ radial option at the bottom of the pop-up window.

This is where you enter in your smart DNS settings. Hit ‘OK’ on both pop-up windows to back out. Some smart DNS services like Getflix give you the option to test that your IP address is correctly associated with its smart DNS servers, which you should do to test your connection or troubleshoot problems. If everything is configured correctly, you’re ready to watch  Max in a browser.

The great thing about Android is the relatively straightforward way to install apps that aren’t available in your region. Use a search engine with the phrase ‘Max APK’ to download the app for your compatible smartphone or tablet, which should automatically update once installed.

It is possible to use Hulu and Max on other gaming consoles, but the Xbox (One, Series S and Series X) is by far the easiest when combined with a smart DNS service.

Power on your Xbox , then press the Xbox button and go to the settings cog. From here, select ‘System’, then ‘Language & location’ and switch the location to ‘United States’.

You’ll likely be prompted to restart your Xbox . Once restarted, go back into settings, ‘General’, then select ‘Network settings’.

Select ‘Advanced settings’ and then ‘DNS settings’ to manually update your Xbox One’s DNS settings to those provided by your smart DNS service.

Go back to the previous screen and use the ‘Test network connection’ option to make sure everything is running correctly. If it is, you’ll now be able to visit the Store and download apps like Max, which should update as required.

Check out more of our streaming guides

How to watch the best to watch in Australia.
Nathan Lawrence
Written by
Nathan Lawrence has been banging out passionate tech and gaming words for more than 11 years. These days, you can find his work on outlets like IGN, STACK, Fandom, Red Bull and AusGamers. Nathan adores PC gaming and the proof of his first-person-shooter prowess is at the top of a Battlefield V scoreboard.