Media & Entertainment · head to head
HBO Max vs Pluto TV
HBO Max
Media & Entertainment
Stream iconic series, movies, and Max Originals
- From
- $9.99/month
- Rated
- -
P
Pluto TV
Media & Entertainment
Stream movies, TV shows and clips for free
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Pluto TV has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 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; Pluto TV pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
- They diverge on capability: HBO Max covers Downloads, Pluto TV covers Live TV channels.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HBO Max and Pluto TV actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Media & Entertainment).
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 HBO Max
- Downloads
- Profiles
- HBO content
- Max Originals
- Gaming consoles
- Mobile devices
- Profile locks
- PIN protection
Only in Pluto TV
- Live TV channels
- Movies
- TV shows
- Recommendations
- Streaming devices
- Account management
- Roku support
- Fire-tv support
Both cover
- Streaming
- 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.
HBO Max
- Premium streamingnot Pluto TV
- HBO contentnot Pluto TV
- Original seriesnot Pluto TV
Pluto TV
- Free streamingnot HBO Max
- Live TVnot HBO Max
- On-demand contentnot HBO Max
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Pluto TV
- Pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Pluto TV
Free- FreeFree
- Full content
- Live channels
- Ad-supported
Which should you pick?
Choose HBO Max if
- You need downloads.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- You also want profiles.
Choose Pluto TV if
- You need live tv channels.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- You also want movies.
Questions people ask
- Is HBO Max or Pluto TV better?
- Neither clearly leads. HBO Max starts at $9.99/month and Pluto TV at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, HBO Max or Pluto TV?
- Pluto TV has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.99/month for HBO Max and Free for Pluto TV.
- Does HBO Max or Pluto TV run on more platforms?
- HBO Max runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Pluto TV runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- Can I use Pluto TV for free?
- Yes. Pluto TV has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HBO Max starts at $9.99/month.
- What is HBO Max best used for?
- HBO Max is most often used for premium streaming, hbo content, original series. Of those, premium streaming and hbo content are not what Pluto TV is typically brought in for.
- What can HBO Max do that Pluto TV cannot?
- HBO Max covers Downloads, Profiles, HBO content, Max Originals. Pluto TV covers Live TV channels, Movies, TV shows, Recommendations. Both handle Streaming, Smart TVs, Parental controls, Web support.