HBO Max is Here and Here's How to Watch

The long-awaited HBO Max streaming service finally dropped today (May 27th) and here is how you can watch the new service that combines all HBO content with more movies, TV series, and new HBO Max Originals.

If you have an HBO subscription through a TV provider, then you already have access to HBO GO, which is the streaming service of the TV subscription. However, having the TV subscription doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get HBO Max for free. Here's where this scenario gets complicated. If you subscribe to HBO through one of the following cable, satellite, or streaming companies, then you will get HBO Max for free using your HBO GO login:

DirecTV/AT&T TV (see the next section)
Hulu
YouTube TV
Comcast
Charter/Spectrum
Altice (Optimum and SuddenLink)
Verizon
Cox Communications

However, without one of the above providers, your HBO subscription will not upgrade you for free to HBO Max and it is likely you will need to pay the HBO Max $14.99 monthly fee.

However, if you have HBO NOW, which is the streaming service with HBO content that is billed directly from HBO to the customer, then you will be able to upgrade to HBO Max at no additional cost. You're already paying $14.99 per month. I would know since that's what I have.

That being said, even though HBO Max has been released, there's a chance that you may not be able to view it quite yet as it is not yet available through Roku for Amazon Fire TV. But HBO Max is currently readily available on iOS and Android, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast and web browsers.

The reason why it is not currently available on Roku or Amazon Fire TV is due to the fact that neither streaming platforms have yet reached an agreement with AT&T (HBO's parent company). However, both Roku and Amazon are in discussions with AT&T to carry HBO Max in the near future, even despite Amazon's aggressive stance.

But as I mentioned, HBO Max is available through your web browser. So if you're like me and bummed that you can't watch it through your Roku, just log onto HBO Max with your login on your laptop, grab your HDMI cord, then hook it up to your TV. Yes, you have to navigate it through your laptop, but at least you can still watch HBO Max on your TV. And that's how to watch HBO Max.