seniorspectrumnewspaper – Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has confirmed plans to raise subscription prices for HBO Max. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, Zaslav argued that HBO’s high-quality content justifies a more premium cost. He emphasized that the company significantly undervalues its offerings across motion pictures, television production, and streaming. “The fact that this is quality — and that’s true across our company… gives us a chance to raise prices,” said Zaslav. He further stated, “We think we’re way underpriced.”
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As of now, HBO Max offers a Basic with Ads plan at $9.99 per month, while the ad-free Premium plan costs $20.99 monthly. The last price adjustment came in 2024 during the service’s temporary rebrand to “Max.” Zaslav’s comments suggest more price increases are imminent, likely reflecting the company’s efforts to reposition HBO Max as a premium entertainment brand.
The price strategy echoes moves made by competitors like Netflix, which also raised rates to match rising production and licensing costs. As streaming becomes more saturated, platforms like HBO Max are leaning into quality and exclusivity as justification for higher fees.
HBO Max Set to Crack Down on Password Sharing by End of 2025
Zaslav also confirmed that Warner Bros. Discovery will begin targeting password sharing more aggressively, following the lead of Netflix and other streaming giants. Speaking candidly, he noted the challenges posed by account sharing despite growing viewership numbers. “It’s all tricky with the password sharing,” he said. “We’re going to begin to push on that.”
The company already hinted at these plans during its August earnings call. Executives stated their intention to close all loopholes for unauthorized account access by the end of the year. While Zaslav did not detail the technical methods the company will use, the goal is clear: restrict HBO Max usage to paying customers only.
This shift follows a broader industry trend toward tightening access and increasing revenue per user. Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing proved financially beneficial and paved the way for other platforms to implement similar measures without significant backlash.
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For current subscribers, these changes signal a new era of stricter controls and potentially steeper bills. However, Warner Bros. Discovery appears confident that HBO Max’s content value will justify these changes.
Despite Zaslav’s often controversial public image, his strategy aligns with the evolving economics of streaming media. With a possible breakup of Warner Bros. Discovery looming, Zaslav may be making these moves to solidify the company’s financial outlook. Looking ahead, consumers can expect a more expensive but tightly controlled HBO Max platform. Whether the enhanced exclusivity and content quality will maintain subscriber growth remains to be seen.
