Free HBO Max: All the ways to upgrade if you already have HBO or HBO Now

Despite months of dealing with the coronavirus, the streaming wars continue with no regard for the pandemic. In May, arguably the biggest Netflix competitor of them all launched: AT&T's HBO Max. The new service offers every show and movie available on HBO and adds a host of exclusive content from WarnerMedia and DC Comics. It's home to popular shows such as Friends (including a forthcoming reunion special), The Big Bang Theory and Rick and Morty; recent and classic films as well as kids' content from Looney Toons and Sesame Street plus new exclusives like Zack Snyder's Justice League in 2021. The HBO Max catalog is simply massive.

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Max is priced at the same $14.99 per month that HBO already charges for a subscription, so current HBO subscribers might expect to be upgraded to it automatically. Some already were, but for others it's not that simple. Here's what you need to know.

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I'm an HBO Now subscriber. What do I do? 

Millions of HBO Now customers were already upgraded to HBO Max automatically thanks to an app update that simply transforms the HBO Now app into the HBO Max app. Some others will have to download the new HBO Max app manually on their device.

Whether you're among those who get the upgrade depends on who handles your billing. HBO Now subscribers billed through the following providers qualify:

1. HBONow.com
2. Apple
3. Google

Millions more HBO Now subscribers don't qualify. If you subscribe to HBO Now through a third-party service that isn't Apple or Google -- such as on a platform like Amazon Prime Video Channels or Roku, or through an internet provider -- you won't be upgraded to HBO Max (see below).

Unsure how you're getting HBO? You can check by logging in on your phone or computer. Here's how, according to HBO's help guide: 

1. After logging in, you need to head to the Profile section. 

i. On a computer check the upper-right corner and choose the Profile icon.

ii. On a phone or tablet tap the Profile icon, then tap the Settings icon (upper-right corner).

2. Choose Billing Information and look for the following sentence: Your subscription is billed through _________.

A full list of third-party providers can be found here. 

What if I get HBO from my cable provider or streaming TV service? 

Although the situation is more complex than with HBO Now, the answer again depends on which provider actually delivers HBO to you. All of the following cable, satellite or streaming companies will let HBO subscribers get HBO Max:

1. DirecTV/AT&T TV (see next section)
2. Hulu
3. YouTube TV
4. Comcast
5. Charter/Spectrum
6. Altice (Optimum and SuddenLink)
7. Verizon
8. Cox Communications 
9. NCTC (WOW, Atlantic Broadband, RCN, Grande Communications & Wave and MCTV)

Not every company will handle the upgrade the same way. Charter customers who already subscribe to HBO through the Spectrum cable service will "gain immediate access to HBO Max," according to an HBO Max spokeswoman, while new Spectrum subscribers will "be able to purchase HBO Max directly through Charter at launch." AT&T previously announced a deal with YouTube TV in February that "will allow users to subscribe to HBO Max through that service." 

Read more: HBO Max vs. HBO Now vs. HBO Go: What's the difference, how do you upgrade?

If you currently use the HBO Go app and subscribe to one of the providers listed above, our advice is to simply download the new HBO Max app and try using that same username and password to log in. Otherwise, contact your provider.

WarnerMedia on May 27 announced that it struck a deal with Comcast, the US' largest cable provider. As part of the deal, X1 and Flex users who get HBO through Comcast will now be able to upgrade for free to HBO Max, and can watch the new service on supported devices. 

If your provider isn't listed above, you won't get HBO Max for free at launch even though you subscribe to regular HBO, most likely at the same $14.99 monthly price. You will still be able to continue watching HBO and using HBO Go, but you will miss out on all the extra shows and movies being added to HBO Max exclusively. 

What if I get HBO from AT&T or DirecTV? 

HBO, like the rest of WarnerMedia, is owned by AT&T, so the upgrade process for those living in this world is a bit easier. That said, it's not completely free of complications. If you have an AT&T service you will likely get some HBO Max free, but whether that is for one month, three months or one year, or is a general free upgrade, will vary depending on which services you have. 

Here's a chart AT&T put together to show if you will get the free upgrade. 

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New AT&T TV Choice, Xtra or Ultimate, and Óptimo Más package customers and new DirecTV Choice, Xtra, Ultimate, Más Ultra or Óptimo Más package customers will be eligible to receive HBO Max included for a year. 

Current subscribers with most TV packages from AT&T TV or DirecTV will be able to get a three-month free trial of HBO Max, though this excludes those on the cheapest TV packages. 

Those with AT&T's Internet 1000 home broadband or Unlimited Elite wireless plan will similarly have HBO Max included, while those with other home broadband or wireless plans will get a one-month free trial. 

What about Amazon and Roku? 

Some HBO customers won't get HBO Max for free. If you get HBO via Amazon Prime Video Channels or the Roku Channel, you won't get the upgrade to Max for free. 

It's also worth noting that, as of June 5, AT&T has not announced that the HBO Max app will appear on Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices and thus far they are still MIA. If you subscribe to HBO Max via any of the methods above, you'll have to download and use the HBO Max app on another device to get it onto your TV. 

If you pay for HBO through Roku or Amazon, however, you should still be able to watch on either platform, it just will be the regular HBO without the Max-exclusive content. 

At launch the HBO Max app will be available on iOS, Android, web browsers, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Samsung smart TVs. Here's the full list of devices that support the HBO Max app. 

So if I don't get HBO Max for free, what should I do? 

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Regardless of if you have HBO Now or HBO from a cable provider, the price is generally the same: $14.99 per month. That price is also the same as a new HBO Max subscription, so if you're paying for HBO and not getting it bundled for free, our advice is to switch to being billed directly by HBO, or just cancel it through your current third-party method and then sign up for HBO Max. 

The cost differences pretty much cancel out and HBO Max gives you more for your money, particularly if you have HBO Now and are not being billed directly by HBO. The experience for watching could be as simple as just swapping the Now app for the Max app, which makes the switch a no-brainer. 

For cable users, particularly those accustomed to watching TV on channels and not apps, the transition is slightly more complicated and will mean having to use a streaming device as opposed to just changing a channel. While these devices can be found at fairly affordable prices, it does mean having to switch between different inputs when navigating between HBO and regular TV.