Verizon announced in April 2022 that HBO Max would be a major partner on +play, its planned subscription marketplace. That did not make HBO Max free or turn +play into a place to watch shows: customers subscribed and managed eligible services through Verizon, then watched in the partner’s app or website. Verizon no longer accepts new +play subscription enrollments; existing customers may still manage active subscriptions.
For a current Verizon offer, eligible customers can check the Netflix & HBO Max (With Ads) perk. Verizon listed it at $13 per month in August 2026, subject to plan eligibility and change.
What Verizon +play was
+play was a subscription marketplace and management hub, not a replacement streaming app or a new HBO Max catalog. Verizon designed it to let eligible customers browse participating digital services, subscribe, and manage or cancel eligible subscriptions through My Verizon. The marketplace itself was free to access for eligible customers, but subscriptions purchased through it were separately charged. Verizon’s +play FAQs describe the marketplace and its subscription-management functions.
Watching happened outside +play. Customers used the provider’s own app or website, including HBO Max for video; +play handled the subscription relationship rather than hosting the programming. Verizon’s terms explain that digital content is accessed through the provider’s separate application or website.
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What the HBO Max announcement meant
On April 22, 2022, Verizon described HBO Max as a major partner for +play, alongside partnerships such as Netflix and Peloton. The marketplace was still being prepared for a broader launch later that year. Verizon presented it as a way to bring together subscriptions across entertainment and other categories—not just video, but also gaming, wellness, music, and lifestyle services. The announcement was about planned availability through a marketplace, not a Verizon-exclusive HBO Max service. Verizon’s April 22, 2022 announcement transcript provides the contemporaneous context.
Did the announcement make HBO Max free for Verizon customers?
No. HBO Max appearing as a +play partner did not itself include a free subscription. +play access was free for eligible customers, while customers paid separately for subscriptions they selected, unless a distinct Verizon promotion or plan perk covered the service. The current Verizon bundle is a separate offer with its own price and eligibility rules.
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How billing and account transfer worked
For an HBO Max subscription billed directly by HBO Max, Verizon’s documented +play flow was to select Get it now on the HBO Max pricing page, confirm the billing address, choose a payment method, and accept the terms. Selecting the HBO Max image then redirected the customer to HBO Max’s website to sign in with existing credentials if applicable. After the transfer completed, Verizon became the billing party for that subscription. Verizon’s FAQs describe this process.
The transfer depended on who billed the existing subscription. A subscription billed by Apple, Verizon Fios, or another third party generally had to be canceled through that billing provider, with the customer waiting until the existing billing period ended before subscribing through +play. Verizon warned about possible duplicate charges and directed customers with refund questions to HBO Max. A change in billing provider did not move the viewing experience into +play: customers continued to use HBO Max’s app or website.
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Availability differed by Verizon service
+play availability and its catalog could depend on the customer’s underlying Verizon service; it was not safe to assume every Verizon customer had the same purchasing options. Verizon’s terms specified service-dependent restrictions. In particular, some Fios customers could not purchase certain services, including HBO Max, through +play and instead had to use the Fios set-top box or Fios My Plan flow. Mobile, home-internet, and Fios customers should not assume another service type’s instructions apply to their account. Verizon’s legal terms describe those restrictions.
What happened to +play
As of Verizon’s August 2026 status information, new subscription enrollments through +play were no longer available. Existing customers may continue managing active +play subscriptions through My Verizon, subject to Verizon’s policies. Verizon now directs customers looking for new entertainment subscriptions toward myPlan and myHome perks. +play is accessed through My Verizon rather than downloaded as a standalone app from an app store. See Verizon’s update on +play and entertainment perks and its current +play FAQs.
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Verizon’s current Netflix and HBO Max perk
Verizon listed its Netflix & HBO Max (With Ads) perk at $13 per month in August 2026. It includes Netflix Standard with ads and HBO Max Basic with Ads. It is limited to eligible Verizon mobile and home-internet plans; eligibility and availability depend on the plan. Customers can pay the price difference to upgrade the HBO Max tier. Check Verizon’s perk terms for the applicable plan and current conditions, since both eligibility and price can change.
Before enrolling, check whether either service is already billed through Verizon, Apple, another provider, or a separate direct subscription. An existing subscription may not be replaced automatically, and overlapping billing can result if the old subscription is left active. Verizon’s bundle terms explain existing-subscription caveats. Even when Verizon handles billing, customers still activate and use the services through their own Netflix and HBO Max accounts.
Should you get HBO Max through Verizon or subscribe directly?
| Situation | What to weigh |
|---|---|
| You have an eligible Verizon plan and want both Netflix and HBO Max with ads | The Verizon perk may simplify billing for both services. Compare its current price with the services and tiers you actually want. |
| You want an ad-free or higher HBO Max tier | The perk includes the ad-supported HBO Max tier; upgrading costs the price difference. Compare that total with a direct subscription before enrolling. |
| You already get Netflix through another bundle | You may be paying for a benefit you do not need. Compare the Verizon offer against the value of HBO Max alone. |
| You may leave Verizon or want billing independent of a Verizon account | A direct subscription avoids tying HBO Max billing to Verizon plan or perk eligibility. |
| You do not qualify for the Verizon perk | Check HBO Max’s direct subscription options rather than looking for a new +play enrollment. |
Whichever route you choose, confirm the account email used for activation and cancel any old subscription with its existing billing provider if it is not being replaced. Changing or canceling a Verizon plan or perk can affect access to a Verizon-billed benefit.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Verizon, Up To Speed Live transcript, April 22, 2022
- Verizon +play FAQs
- Verizon +play legal terms
- Verizon update on +play and entertainment perks
- Verizon Netflix & HBO Max perk terms
- Verizon bundle terms
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