Media & Entertainment · head to head
Plex vs HBO Max
HBO Max
Media & Entertainment
Stream iconic series, movies, and Max Originals
- From
- $9.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Plex has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Plex plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned; 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: Plex covers Financial management, HBO Max covers Streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Plex and HBO Max actually diverge.
| Attribute | Plex | HBO Max |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $9.99/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles |
| Founded | 2009 | 2020 |
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 Plex
- Financial management
- Manufacturing execution
- Supply chain
- Quality management
- Analytics
- IoT platforms
- REST APIs
- Webhooks
Only in HBO Max
- Streaming
- Downloads
- Profiles
- HBO content
- Max Originals
- Smart TVs
- Gaming consoles
- Mobile devices
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Plex
- Industry 4.0not HBO Max
- Real-time monitoringnot HBO Max
- IoT integrationnot HBO Max
- Smart manufacturingnot HBO Max
HBO Max
- Premium streamingnot Plex
- HBO contentnot Plex
- Original seriesnot Plex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Plex
- Plex restricts free remote streaming on certain platforms including Roku, with expansion to Android TV and Apple TV planned
- Remote streaming quality degrades significantly if Plex cannot establish direct connection and falls back to relay mode
- Upcoming sunsetting of plugins, Cloud Sync, and Watch Later features
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
Plex
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Plex review.
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 Plex if
- You need financial management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want manufacturing execution.
Choose HBO Max if
- You need streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- You also want downloads.
Questions people ask
- Is Plex or HBO Max better?
- Neither clearly leads. Plex starts at Free 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, Plex or HBO Max?
- Plex has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Plex and $9.99/month for HBO Max.
- Does Plex or HBO Max run on more platforms?
- Plex runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. HBO Max runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- Can I use Plex for free?
- Yes. Plex has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HBO Max starts at $9.99/month.
- What is Plex best used for?
- Plex is most often used for industry 4.0, real-time monitoring, iot integration, smart manufacturing. Of those, industry 4.0 and real-time monitoring are not what HBO Max is typically brought in for.
- What can Plex do that HBO Max cannot?
- Plex covers Financial management, Manufacturing execution, Supply chain, Quality management. HBO Max covers Streaming, Downloads, Profiles, HBO content. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Plex: Is Plex Media Server free?
Yes. Plex Media Server and the ad-supported streaming catalog are free. Plex Pass is an optional subscription at 6.99 USD per month or 69.99 USD per year that adds features like hardware transcoding and offline sync.
SourcePlex: Can I access Plex content offline?
Yes, but downloads have limitations. Downloaded content may have an expiration period and is specific to the device where downloaded. Downloads are not available on shared libraries in some cases.
SourcePlex: What devices does Plex support?
Plex apps are available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, iOS, Android, and web browsers. Server software runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, NAS devices, and Docker.
SourcePlex: What is included in the free Plex catalog?
Plex's free ad-supported streaming catalog includes 14,000+ movies and shows from Lionsgate, MGM, Warner Bros, and Crackle Originals.
Source