01What happened

The story, straight

HBO Max is offering 28 percent off all three annual subscription tiers through July 15, 2026. The deal applies to new and returning subscribers, bringing the ad-supported plan down to $78.99 a year (from $109.99), the Standard plan to $132.99 (from $184.99), and the Premium tier to $164.99 (from $229.99). That's up to 40 percent less than paying month to month. All plans include access to Warner Bros., DC, A24, Studio Ghibli, and Turner Classic Movies titles.

hbo max just knocked 28% off every annual plan through july 15. ad-supported drops to $78.99/year, standard to $132.99, premium to $164.99. that's up to 40% less than paying monthly. new and returning subs only.

02Spread timeline

Where it actually started

Jun 18, 2026Origin
The Verge reports HBO Max's 28% annual-plan discount, live through July 15.the verge drops the deal write-up — 28% off annual plans until july 15
source

03Source receipts

Every claim, linked

The VergeFull write-up detailing all three discounted annual tiers, pricing breakdowns, and eligible content libraries
primaryrssreceipt

04What's solid, what isn't

What's solid and what isn't

Confirmed
  • HBO Max is offering 28% off annual plans through July 15, 2026.
  • Ad-supported tier is $78.99/year, Standard is $132.99/year, Premium is $164.99/year.
  • The discount applies to new and returning subscribers.

05Why it matters

The editorial take

Streaming services increasingly use annual-plan discounts to lock in subscribers ahead of competitive windows — this sale lands just weeks before Prime Day 2026, where Amazon will likely push its own deals. For consumers weighing which service to keep, a sub-$80 ad-supported tier undercuts most major competitors' yearly pricing.

annual plan sales are how streamers lock you in before the next wave of competitor deals hits. sub-$80 for ad-supported hbo max is genuinely cheap compared to what netflix and disney+ charge yearly. prime day is in a few weeks — expect this to be part of the calculus.