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HBO Max vs Pocketcasts

HBO Max logo

HBO Max

Software

Stream iconic series, movies, and Max Originals

From
$9.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pocketcasts logo

Pocketcasts

Software

The powerful podcast player for serious listeners

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pocketcasts 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; Pocketcasts two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content
  • They diverge on capability: HBO Max covers Streaming, Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HBO Max and Pocketcasts actually diverge.

Attributes where HBO Max and Pocketcasts differ
AttributeHBO MaxPocketcasts
Starting price$9.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consolesIos, Android, Web, Windows, Macos
Founded20202010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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

  • Streaming
  • Downloads
  • Profiles
  • HBO content
  • Max Originals
  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Mobile devices

Only in Pocketcasts

  • Podcast discovery
  • Variable speed playback
  • Silence trimming
  • Cross-device sync
  • Custom filters
  • Apple Watch
  • Wear OS
  • Sonos

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

HBO Max

  • Premium streamingnot Pocketcasts
  • HBO contentnot Pocketcasts
  • Original seriesnot Pocketcasts

Pocketcasts

  • Podcast listeningnot HBO Max
  • Audio content consumptionnot HBO Max
  • Learning on the gonot 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

Pocketcasts

  • Two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content

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

Pocketcasts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • Cross-device sync
    • Playback effects
  • Plus$39.99/year
    • Desktop apps
    • Cloud storage 10GB
    • Extra themes

Which should you pick?

Choose HBO Max if

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

Choose Pocketcasts if

  • You need podcast discovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos.
  • You also want variable speed playback.
Pocketcasts review

Questions people ask

Is HBO Max or Pocketcasts better?
Neither clearly leads. HBO Max starts at $9.99/month and Pocketcasts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HBO Max or Pocketcasts?
Pocketcasts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9.99/month for HBO Max and Free for Pocketcasts.
Does HBO Max or Pocketcasts run on more platforms?
HBO Max runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles. Pocketcasts runs on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos.
Can I use Pocketcasts for free?
Yes. Pocketcasts 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 Pocketcasts is typically brought in for.
What can HBO Max do that Pocketcasts cannot?
HBO Max covers Streaming, Downloads, Profiles, HBO content. Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery, Variable speed playback, Silence trimming, Cross-device sync. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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