Max streaming in Australia: Everything you need to know

Max is an American streaming video-on-demand service formerly known as HBO Max.

HBO Max dropped the 'HBO' and rebranded to Max back in July 2022, following a merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. that formed Warner Bros. Discovery. Pound for pound, Max is effectively the same as HBO but with that said, it did get caught up in a series of cost-cutting measures during the corporate merger. Not long after the merger and Max rebrand, several direct-to-streaming titles were removed from the service, and upcoming projects were cancelled despite being close to completion, including but not limited to the Batgirl movie and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. So it’s not entirely fair to call Max the exact same streaming service as HBO Max.

Despite this grim string of cancellations, Max is moving full-steam ahead with its global rollout and is now available in Australia. 

Local pricing for Max Australia is looking to be on par with most other premium streaming platforms in the country. Ad-supported plans start from $11.99/mth, Standard plans from $15.99/mth, and the Premium plan from $21.99/mth. Each of these are available as annual subscriptions as well, which cost the same as ten months rather than the full twelve. Ultimately, committing for a year will get you two months free.

Foxtel subscribers also get Max Basic with Ads entirely free for the first 12 months of Max. Those with an internet connected iQ3, iQ4 , or iQ5 box automatically get access to Max Basic, all you need to do is access the Max app via your iQ box. 

Here is how Max compares to Binge, and Foxtel Now.

Though it has only recently launched in Australia, Max has been operating in the United States as HBO Max since 2020 and as HBO Now since 2015, so it's already compatible with a wide range of devices at launch. Use the dropdowns below for a complete list of devices you can stream Max with.

Max streams some of the most beloved drama series of all time; The Sopranos, Succession, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, The Penguin, The White Lotus, Euphoria, Barry, Sex and the City and Boardwalk Empire are just a handful of modern classics that belong to HBO and Max.

That’s not to mention Discovery’s side of the deal. 90 Day Fiancé, Deadliest Catch and HGTV’s House Hunters make up just a few of Discovery’s most popular reality shows.

On the movie front, Max offers complete collections of blockbuster series such as The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Dune Part One and Two. Then there are all-time classics like The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind and a huge collection of DC superhero movies that goes as far back as Tim Burton's 1989 Batman.