Max Review: 100 Years of Movie Hits and Groundbreaking TV

Streaming Smarter says: Everyone should try Max at least once. It has tons of blockbuster movies and cinematic masterpieces. The library includes dozens of the greatest TV shows of all time. Throw in live sports and the option to save money with other streamers and Max takes its place among the best services on the market.

$9.99/mo.

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What Does Max Cost?

You can subscribe to Max alone, but smart streamers will bundle it for greater savings!

Can You Watch Max for Free?

Max does not currently offer a free trial.

Are There Any Deals or Discounts for Max?

Max occasionally offers discounts, though it doesn’t have any right now.

To save money, consider a bundle or an annual plan. If you pay for a year in advance, the price is 16% lower than paying monthly. Choose the Disney+, Hulu, Max bundle with ads and you’ll save nearly $9/month. If you choose that bundle without ads, you save nearly $19/month.

$16.99/mo.

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A sneaky way to save is by bundling Max as a channel on Prime Video. Prime Video itself is free to try for 30 days and you can access Max in a pair of bundes:

• Max and STARZ – $20.99 (Save $7)
• Max and Cinemax – $21.99 (Save $5)

What Movies Does Max Have?

The Max movie library includes some of the most important movies over the last 100 years alongside modern blockbusters.

Crown jewels on Max include “The Wizard of Oz,” The Lord of the Rings,” “The Dark Knight,” “Superman,” “Casablanca,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Singin’ in the Rain,”

You’ll see hits like “Barbie,” “The Batman,” “Aquaman,” “Speed,” “The Martian,” “RoboCop,” “Joker,” and “Pretty Woman.”

Max also has a deal with A24, so you’ll see trendsetters like “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Lady Bird,” “The Zone of Interest,” and “The Lighthouse.”

Max wins points for masterpieces from Kubrick, Kurosawa, Chaplin, Lynch, Fellini, Bergman, Truffaut, and Miyazaki. It’s a treasure chest for cinephiles.

What TV Shows Does Max Have?

Max has an unbeatable TV lineup thanks to decades of HBO hits. You’ll also see shows from Discovery, Magnolia Network, Cartoon Network, TLC, Adult Swim, Investigation Discovery, and HGTV.

Dive into incredible shows like “Succession,” “The Sopranos,” “The Wire,” “The Penguin,” “Veep,” “The Leftovers,” “Watchmen,” “Deadwood,” “Game of Thrones,” “Barry,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The West Wing,” “South Park,” “Friends,” “ER,” “Six Feet Under,” “Sex and the City,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Band of Brothers.” These shows only get better the more times you rewatch them.

Reality shows include “House Hunters,” “The Baldwins,” “90 Day Fiancé,” “Impractical Jokers,” and “Fixer Upper.”

What Kids Content Does Max Have?

Max has backed off children’s content for the most part. If you have kids at home, I recommend signing up for the bundle with Disney+.

Kids may enjoy cartoons like “Teen Titans Go!” “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Courage the Cowardly Dog,” “The Flintstones,” “The Jetsons,” and “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” Max is also home to “Sesame Street,” though that arrangement is set to end soon.

Family-friendly sitcoms include “Family Matters,” “Full House,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

What Sports Does Max Have?

Most of Max’s sports are the same games that would appear on TNT, TBS, and truTV. So you’ll see nationally televised NBA, NHL, MLB, and NCAA March Madness games. Max also has U.S. Soccer matches and Unrivaled women’s basketball.

Starting March 30, 2025, those sports will not be available on the ad-supported Max plan.

Does Max Have Originals?

Max does offer original shows and movies, though most of its content appears on its affiliated linear channels as well. Original series include “The Pitt,” “Station Eleven,” “Peacemaker,” “And Just Like That…” (the “Sex and the City” sequel series), “Creature Commandos,” “Gremlins,” and “Conan O’Brien Must Go.”

Can You Download Max Content?

Downloads are available on the ad-free plans. Download 30 titles with the Standard plan and 100 titles at a time with Premium.

What Devices Work with Max?

Can You Add Max as a Prime Video Channel?

Yes, Prime Video subscribers can add Max. There’s even a bundle of Max and STARZ for $20.99 or Max and Cinemax for $21.99.

Is Max Worth It?

Whether you love movies or TV, Max features some of the most important titles ever created. Instead of waiting 8 years to watch “The Sopranos” as I did when it first aired, you can binge the entire series over a couple of weeks. You’ll feel spoiled for your first few months with Max.

Once you’ve seen all the great shows and cherry-picked through the movie library, Max will start to feel a little stale, however. Because HBO (and Max) are so careful about their projects, we only see a handful of new seasons each year. Fans of “The Last of Us” have to wait 2 years between seasons. “Euphoria” took 3 years between seasons and it’s unclear if a Season 3 will ever happen.

So I recommend joining Max only when you’re excited by a new show. When the season ends, drop it. Max just doesn’t turn out enough high-quality content to remain subscribed for a full year.

I also wouldn’t sign up for Max for reality TV or sports, those are nice to have.

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Peter Gardner

Peter Gardner cut the cord in 2017. He’s Streaming Smarter’s resident sci-fi fan – his favorite films include “Blade Runner,” “Children of Men,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” and “Gattaca.” His favorite live TV streamer is Sling TV and his favorite on-demand service is Max.