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HBO Max is a top streaming service for a reason. It’s home to Max originals such as The Pitt and Hacks, along with HBO originals like Euphoria and The White Lotus. It even has Heated Rivalry! With such an impressive lineup, you might be wondering if the streamer has a free trial and how to watch its vast library at no cost. Fortunately, I dug up your best option, which is a hack that’ll help you stream HBO Max online for free.

Does HBO Max have a free trial?

The bad news is that HBO Max does not offer a free trial. The good news is that you can still stream HBO Max for free through DirecTV, which offers a five-day free trial. Certain plans with the free trial include HBO Max. We recommend trying this hack because it gives you access to a ton of channels, plus HBO Max.

How to get an HBO Max free trial with DirecTV

DirecTV MyEntertainment Genre Pack

DirecTV offers two plans that let you watch HBO Max free of charge. The first is its MyEntertainment package, which is one of the streaming service’s Genre Packs. Opt for a Genre Pack like MyEntertainment if you’re looking for a curated, lower-cost streaming channel bundle. This option comes with over 60 entertainment-focused channels, including Disney+, Hulu Bundle, and HBO Max Basic With Ads. While it normally starts at $34.99 per month, the five-day free trial allows you to stream all of the above at absolutely no cost.

DirecTV Premier Package

For those who want access to even more channels under DirecTV’s five-day free trial, the service’s Premier package offers over 185 channels, including HBO Max, ESPN, Hulu, Disney+, Starz, and Paramount+, among several others. This is DirecTV’s biggest plan, so it does come with a $124.99 per month price tag, but luckily for you, there’s a free trial, plus ongoing deals. Right now, for a limited time, you can take $20 off your Premier package for 24 months with a streaming device. Stack the aforementioned promotion with another one: New and returning DirecTV customers can snag $25 off their first month with a Choice package or higher (Premier is the highest option).

How much is HBO Max?

If you still want to stick to HBO Max, here’s how much each plan costs and what differentiates them:

Basic with Ads: $10.99/month or $109.99/year (16% savings)

• Stream on 2 devices at once
• Full HD 1080p resolution

Standard: $18.49/month or $184.99/year (16% savings)

• Stream on 2 devices at once
• Full HD 1080p resolution
• 30 downloads to watch on the go
• Includes sports

Premium: $22.99/month or $229.99/year (16% savings)

• Stream on 4 devices at once (only 2 for sports)
• 4K Ultra HD video quality (as available)
• Dolby Atmos immersive audio (as available)
• 100 downloads to watch on the go
• Includes sports

What’s the best HBO Max bundle deal?

If you want to kill three birds with one stone and get the best bang for your buck, we recommend scooping up HBO Max’s bundle with Hulu and Disney+. The bundle costs $19.99 per month without ads (42% savings) and $32.99 with ads (41% savings).

Does HBO Max have a student discount?

Yes, HBO Max has a student discount that gives you 50% off HBO Max Basic With Ads. This plan typically costs $10.99 per month, but goes down to $5.49 per month with the student discount. All you have to do is verify your student status with UNiDAYS (it’s free to register for an account), get your unique discount code, and return to HBO Max to redeem and start watching.

Does Amazon Prime Video’s free trial include HBO Max?

Prime Video‘s seven-day free trial to HBO Max has sadly ended. However, you can still get the usual 30-day free trial and add on HBO Max after the complimentary period ends.

Does Philo’s free trial include HBO Max?

Although Philo does offer a seven-day free trial, it does not include HBO Max (it only includes what’s under the Essential plan, which starts at $25 per month after your first seven days). To stream HBO Max on Philo, you’ll need the Bundle+ plan ($33 per month), which isn’t included in the free trial.

Does DoorDash DashPass include HBO Max?

DoorDash used to let DashPass Annual Plan subscribers access an HBO Max With Ads subscription free of additional charge. However, this promotion is no longer active.

The bottom line

To sum it up, DirecTV is the best option for watching HBO Max at no cost, through its five-day free trial (choose between the MyEntertainment package and Premier package). If you don’t mind paying, we suggest HBO Max’s bundle with Hulu and Disney+, which starts at $19.99 per month, because it offers the best value.