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Discovery+ vs HBO Max

Discovery+ logo

Discovery+

Media & Entertainment

Unscripted content at your fingertips

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HBO Max logo

HBO Max

Media & Entertainment

Stream iconic series, movies, and Max Originals

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Discovery+ standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month; HBO Max three subscription tiers: Basic With Ads at 10.99 USD/month, Standard at 18.49 USD/month, Premium at 22.99 USD/month
  • They diverge on capability: Discovery+ covers Unscripted content, HBO Max covers Profiles.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Discovery+ and HBO Max actually diverge.

Attributes where Discovery+ and HBO Max differ
AttributeDiscovery+HBO Max
Starting price$4.99/month$9.99/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tvWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Media & Entertainment), founded (2020).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Discovery+

  • Unscripted content
  • Reality TV
  • Originals
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security
  • Roku support
  • Fire-tv support

Only in HBO Max

  • Profiles
  • HBO content
  • Max Originals
  • Gaming consoles
  • Mobile devices
  • Profile locks
  • PIN protection
  • Gaming-consoles support

Both cover

  • Streaming
  • Downloads
  • Smart TVs
  • Parental controls
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Smart-tv support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Discovery+

  • Unscripted streamingnot HBO Max
  • Reality TV watchingnot HBO Max

HBO Max

  • Premium streamingnot Discovery+
  • HBO contentnot Discovery+
  • Original seriesnot Discovery+

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Discovery+

  • Standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month

HBO Max

  • Three subscription tiers: Basic With Ads at 10.99 USD/month, Standard at 18.49 USD/month, Premium at 22.99 USD/month
  • The cheapest tier is ad supported; ad-free viewing requires the Standard tier or above

Pricing, plan by plan

Discovery+

$4.99/month
  • Standard$4.99/month
    • HD
    • Ad-supported
  • Premium$8.99/month
    • 4K
    • Ad-free

HBO Max

$9.99/month
  • With Ads$9.99/month
    • Full HD
    • Ad-supported
    • 2 devices
  • Ad-Free$15.99/month
    • Full HD
    • Ad-free
    • 2 devices
  • Ultimate Ad-Free$19.99/month
    • 4K UHD
    • Dolby Atmos
    • 4 devices

Which should you pick?

Choose Discovery+ if

  • You need unscripted content.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want reality tv.
Discovery+ review

Choose HBO Max if

  • You need profiles.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
  • You also want hbo content.
HBO Max review

Questions people ask

Is Discovery+ or HBO Max better?
Neither clearly leads. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and HBO Max at $9.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Discovery+ or HBO Max?
Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and HBO Max at $9.99/month.
Does Discovery+ or HBO Max run on more platforms?
Discovery+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. HBO Max runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
What is Discovery+ best used for?
Discovery+ is most often used for unscripted streaming, reality tv watching. Of those, unscripted streaming and reality tv watching are not what HBO Max is typically brought in for.
What can Discovery+ do that HBO Max cannot?
Discovery+ covers Unscripted content, Reality TV, Originals, Streaming devices. HBO Max covers Profiles, HBO content, Max Originals, Gaming consoles. Both handle Streaming, Downloads, Smart TVs, Parental controls.
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