Report: HBO Max’s Tentative Plans, Prices, Features in India Leaked Ahead of Launch
WarnerMedia recently mentioned a “potential future launch” for HBO Max in India, alongside the naming of a veteran Disney executive to run HBO Max in Southeast Asia and India.
This week, Asian streaming news site Only Tech discovered a pre-launch survey, for the upcoming launch of the streaming service in India.
In India, the survey suggests HBO Max will range in price from Rs. 69 to Rs. 329 per month ($1 to $4.50 USD) — which compares to Netflix at Rs. 199 to Rs. 799 per month ($2.75 to $10.99 USD); Disney+ Hotstar at Rs. 499 to Rs. 1,499 ($6.80 to $20.50 USD); and Prime Video which requires an Amazon Prime subscription for Rs. 129 per month ($1.75 USD) or Rs. 999 per year ($13.61 USD).
An HBO spokesperson told The Streamable, “We routinely conduct market research with consumers in countries around the world that test a wide range of possible offers and price points for our services. Those being reported that suggest a future launch of HBO Max in India are amongst many being tested and evaluated and do not reflect any current plans.”
The survey says that HBO Max’s features could include co-viewing, a personalized home screen, individual profiles (and children’s profiles with age ratings), concurrent streams, 4K resolution, Dolby Atmos sound, and subtitles in local Indian languages.
OnlyTech shared a couple of screenshots from the survey, which were sent in by an anonymous reader. The screenshots allegedly reveal the different tiers HBO Max could offer in India, as well as what’s included in each one.
In the plans available in India, the survey suggest HBO Max could offer three tiers: Ad-Supported, Mobile, and Standard. All three tiers allow subscribers to have five profiles on a single subscription. With mobile and standard, users would get an ad-free viewing experience. The ad-supported tier allows for two simultaneous streams, mobile allows one, and standard lets you stream on three devices at once.
The ad-supported and mobile tiers are both shown in standard definition, but viewers who upgrade to the standard tier would be able to stream in UHD (4K).
To have access to the latest content, viewers should subscribe to the standard tier, which would offer early release directly after a regular global, theatrical, or digital release. The mobile tier would offer “regular release,” allowing episodes to be made available within two to three weeks of their release. Movies would be available to stream six to eight months after their premiere.
Subscribers who are on a tighter budget can use the ad-supported tier to save some money, but this comes at a cost. The ad-supported tier suggested in the survey would follow a later release pattern, giving you access to series episodes after the entire season is available. Movies are available to stream a year after they premiere digitally or in theaters.
Pricing for HBO Max in India:
This is the pricing currently being suggested on the survey
- Ad-Supported: 69 rupees per month (0.94 USD)
- Mobile: 139 rupees per month (1.89 USD)
- Standard: 329 rupees per month (4.48 USD)
HBO Max in India could offer both monthly and annual subscription plans, with annual plans giving subscribers discounts. With an annual mobile subscription, subscribers will save 40%, while a standard annual subscription will save them 50%. An annual ad-free subscription is not shown.
The mobile and standard tiers would offer all of the same features whether you pay monthly or for an annual subscription upfront. Mobile would cost 1,001 rupees per year (13.64 USD), while standard would cost 1,974 rupees per year (26.89 USD).
HBO Max will join several other streaming services available in India, which offer similar subscription plans at comparable price points. If you’re trying to decide between all of your options, including Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix, you can use our comparison guide.
At this time, there is no launch date set for HBO Max in India.
Max
Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library, along with exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Thanks to the B/R Sports add-on, users can watch NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
How Do The Proposed HBO Max Prices Compare to Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video, and Netflix?
Based on the proposed pricing mentioned, HBO Max’s prices fall below those of Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video, and Netflix, but definitely are competitive with all three services:
Disney+ Hotstar
Disney+ Hotstar will include the following options beginning September 1:
- Mobile: Rs. 499 per year (one device, mobile-only, HD streaming)
- Super: Rs. 899 per year (any two devices, HD streaming)
- Premium: Rs. 1,499 per year (any four devices, 4K streaming)
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”
Netflix
Netflix’s subscription plan in India includes:
- Mobile+: Rs. 199 per month (one device, mobile-only, SD streaming)
- Mobile: Rs. 299 per month (one device, mobile-only, HD streaming)
- Basic: Rs. 499 per month (any one device, SD streaming)
- Standard: Rs. 649 per month (any two devices, HD streaming)
- Premium: Rs. 799 per month (any four devices, Ultra HD and HDR streaming)
Netflix
Netflix is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 3,000+ movies, 2,000+ TV Shows, and Netflix Originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Crown, Tiger King, and Bridgerton. They are constantly adding new shows and movies. Some of their Academy Award-winning exclusives include Roma, Marriage Story, Mank, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Amazon Prime Video
To access Amazon Prime Video in India, you will need to sign up for an Amazon Prime subscription. It costs Rs. 129 per month or Rs. 999 per year and includes Prime Music and Prime Delivery.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.