Software · head to head
Paramount+ vs HBO Max
HBO Max
Software
Stream iconic series, movies, and Max Originals
- From
- $9.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Paramount+ the App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.; 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: Paramount+ covers Live sports, HBO Max covers Downloads.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Paramount+ and HBO Max actually diverge.
| Attribute | Paramount+ | HBO Max |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5.99/month | $9.99/month |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles |
| Founded | 2021 | 2020 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Paramount+
- Live sports
- CBS shows
- Nickelodeon
- Profile management
Only in HBO Max
- Downloads
- Profiles
- HBO content
- Max Originals
- Mobile devices
- Profile locks
- PIN protection
- Gaming-consoles support
Both cover
- Streaming
- Smart TVs
- Gaming consoles
- 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.
Paramount+
- TV streamingnot HBO Max
- Sportsnot HBO Max
- Kids contentnot HBO Max
HBO Max
- Premium streamingnot Paramount+
- HBO contentnot Paramount+
- Original seriesnot Paramount+
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Paramount+
- The App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.
- The App Store listing states the base Paramount+ plan carries ads and does not include ad-free viewing, offline downloads, or a local CBS station live stream, which are reserved for the Premium plan.
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
Paramount+
$5.99/month- Essential$5.99/month
- Limited ads
- Full library
- With Showtime$11.99/month
- Ad-free
- Showtime
- Downloads
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 Paramount+ if
- You need live sports.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
- You also want cbs shows.
Choose HBO Max if
- You need downloads.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- You also want profiles.
Questions people ask
- Is Paramount+ or HBO Max better?
- Neither clearly leads. Paramount+ starts at $5.99/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, Paramount+ or HBO Max?
- Paramount+ starts at $5.99/month and HBO Max at $9.99/month.
- Does Paramount+ or HBO Max run on more platforms?
- Paramount+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv. HBO Max runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- What is Paramount+ best used for?
- Paramount+ is most often used for tv streaming, sports, kids content. Of those, tv streaming and sports are not what HBO Max is typically brought in for.
- What can Paramount+ do that HBO Max cannot?
- Paramount+ covers Live sports, CBS shows, Nickelodeon, Profile management. HBO Max covers Downloads, Profiles, HBO content, Max Originals. Both handle Streaming, Smart TVs, Gaming consoles, Parental controls.