Max Making Major Changes to Ad-Free Subscriptions

Warner Bros. Discovery announced this week that they will be making changes to ad-free subscriptions to Max, the streaming platform that serves as the home to new HBO and DC content. The announcement, which impacts both the number of users who can share the account as well as the features available, suggests that WBD as a whole wants to move toward a return to ad-supported TV content — something mirrored elsewhere in the industry, with the rise of FAST (free, ad-supported TV) channels and the inclusion of an ad-supported option on Netflix.

The new changes will mean that users on the standard ad-free tier ($15.99/month) will no longer be able to stream in 4K beginning on their next billing date. The number of allowable concurrent streams will also drop from three to two. These changes were actually announced back when the Ultimate tier was introduced in May, but did not formally go into effect yet. This week’s email to customers marks a “point of no return” warning.

“On your next billing date, on or after December 5, 2023, the price of your subscription will stay the same, but some of your plan features will change,” an email to Max subscribers reads. “You can still stream all your favorite blockbuster movies, fresh originals and iconic series. Or even switch to the Ultimate Ad-Free plan to unlock more features.”

The “Ultimate Ad-Free Plan,” which is an extra $5 per month, will not change at this time. Both plans can be purchased at a discounted annual rate, which suggests some users will continue to have their old plan grandfathered in for a while. Don’t try to game the system now, though, because “your next billing date” would likely become today. The Ultimate plan also allows for four concurrent streams, so if your Max plan is for a family that’s pretty active on the platform, that could quickly become the more desirable tier.

Here’s how the pricing tiers for Max break down: 

• Max Ad-Lite: ($9.99/month or $99/year) Two concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
• Max Ad-Free: ($15.99/month or $149.99/year) Two concurrent streams, 1080p resolution, 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
• Max Ultimate Ad-Free: ($19.99/month or $199.99/year) Four concurrent streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality

h/t Variety