HBO Max is finally on Roku: Check out how it works

You may have noticed that something has changed if you subscribed to HBO’s video streaming service known as HBO Now, or viewed the HBO channel on cable through HBO Go. These have been merged and replaced by HBO Max, a single new video streaming service.

A deal was reached between Roku and WarnerMedia for the distribution of HBO Max on the Roku platform — nearly seven months after HBO Max was launched on the platform. All major over-the-top platforms will be covered by the streaming service as a result of the agreement. 

There were 46 million active user accounts on Roku at the time of its absence. It’s unclear what the terms of the deal were, but both sides expressed satisfaction at finally settling their differences. 

What can I watch on HBO Max?

Each episode of Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Lovecraft Country, and The Undoing, as well as award-winning specials and documentaries, as well as new movies every week.

You can binge-watch classic TV shows like Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and The Big Bang Theory.

These exclusive Max Originals are not to be missed: The Flight Attendant, Superintelligence, Search Party, and many more titles are included.

How Can I Get HBO Max on Roku Devices?

If you want to add the new HBO Max channel to your Roku home screen, you can find it in the New and Notable section of the Channel Store. If you already have a subscription to HBO on your Roku device, HBO Max on Roku will be added automatically.

How much does HBO Max Cost?

It costs $14.99 per month to subscribe to HBO Max. Those who prepay for six months between December 3, 2020, and January 31, 2021, can save 20 percent on their membership. A six-month subscription costs $69.99, saving you about $20 on your monthly fee.

AT&T customers may be eligible for a free year of HBO Max with their phone or internet service.

Some advice: If you’re currently subscribed to HBO through your cable provider, HBO Max may be part of the package. To access the service and all of its features, check with your subscriber. You may want to consider streaming services instead of cable.

More about HBO Max on Roku

Roku was WarnerMedia’s last major distribution partner for HBO Max ahead of the Dec. Gal Gadot stars in “Wonder Woman 1984,” which opens simultaneously in cinemas as well on HBO Max. Warner Bros.’s 2021 slate of films will debut on HBO Max in the United States concurrently with their theatrical release and will be available exclusively for streaming for one month.

As part of the deal, Roku users who already subscribe to HBO through Roku will automatically have their existing HBO apps updated to the HBO Max app and will be able to log in using their existing HBO credentials.

Like Amazon and Apple with HBO Max, it appears that Roku will no longer be able to sell HBO as a channel subscription in its Roku Channel store. HBO Max subscriptions will be sold through Roku Pay, the company’s payment service for streaming devices.

Shares of Roku were up more than 3% in after-hours trading following the announcement of the HBO Max deal.

As a result of the partnership, HBO Max’s vast collection of famous entertainment brands and blockbuster direct-to-stream theatrical films will be available to Roku’s more than 100 million users, who have made Roku the No. 1 TV streaming platform in the United States, according to Scott Rosenberg, Roku’s SVP of the platform business. “We believe that all entertainment will be streamed,” Rosenberg said.

The chief revenue officer of the company said, “We’re making new records in the months ahead, and we can’t wait to collaborate with our longtime partners at Roku to develop on our previous victories and bring HBO Max’s best-in-class quality entertainment to Roku’s large and highly engaged audience.”

Comcast announced that the HBO Max mobile app would be available on Xfinity Flex and Xfinity X1, and the HBO Max mobile app was launched on PS 5. Having resisted for several months, Amazon finally agreed to carry HBO Max on Fire TV and Fire Tablet devices in November after agreeing to stop selling HBO in Amazon Prime Video Channels.