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Max vs. Paramount+: U.S. Plans, Catalogs and Sports Compared

Paramount+ lists lower U.S. monthly prices, while HBO Max and Paramount+ differ in catalogs, sports and plan features. Compare the details before choosing.
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For U.S. subscribers, Paramount+ is the less expensive option at both listed monthly tiers, while HBO Max (the service commonly called Max) offers a different mix of brands, plan features and sports. The better fit depends on the shows and events you want, how much advertising you’ll tolerate, and whether you need downloads, more streams or select 4K content. The prices and plan details below were checked on October 4, 2026; confirm them at checkout because offers and terms can change.

How much do Max and Paramount+ cost?

The services’ monthly tiers differ in features, so the lowest and highest prices are useful starting points, not like-for-like comparisons. These are U.S. direct prices shown on the services’ official pages on October 4, 2026. HBO Max says taxes are additional; third-party billing may differ.

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Service and plan Monthly price Annual price shown Listed features
HBO Max Basic with Ads $10.99 $109.99 Ads; 2 concurrent streams; Full HD 1080p
HBO Max Standard $18.49 $184.99 2 concurrent streams; Full HD 1080p; 30 downloads; select live sports
HBO Max Premium $22.99 $229.99 4 streams (2 for sports); select 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos; 100 downloads; select live sports
Paramount+ Essential $8.99 Annual option advertised; amount not stated on the retrieved official page Ad-supported; up to 3 concurrent streams; CBS sports and entertainment offering
Paramount+ Premium $13.99 Annual option advertised; amount not stated on the retrieved official page On-demand content is ad-free with exceptions; live TV has ads; SHOWTIME Originals; downloads; select 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR10

Sources: HBO Max plans and prices and Paramount+ official service page. Paramount+ advertises savings with annual billing, but the annual amounts were not exposed in the retrieved page text.

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What the price gap means

Paramount+ lists the lower monthly price at both the entry level ($8.99 versus HBO Max Basic with Ads at $10.99) and the top tier ($13.99 versus HBO Max Premium at $22.99). That does not make the plans equivalent: HBO Max Premium lists four streams and select Dolby Atmos, while Paramount+ Premium lists SHOWTIME Originals and select Dolby Vision and HDR10. Choose based on the features you will use, not just the tier names.

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What kind of shows and movies are on each service?

HBO Max: HBO and Warner brands

HBO Max describes its library as HBO series and movies, Max Originals, and selected content from Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, the Turner Library, Looney Tunes and Adult Swim, among others. An official HBO Max help page describes its plans as offering “13,000+ hours of entertainment”; it gives no separate publication year for that figure. The same page describes HBO Only as “4,000 hours of entertainment.” Those figures use hours, not a comparable title count, so they do not establish which service has the larger catalog. HBO Max’s HBO Only and catalog information

Paramount+: CBS, cable networks and SHOWTIME

Paramount+ promotes thousands of episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and more. Its Premium plan also includes SHOWTIME Originals and movies. The service highlights original series, recent movies and family programming. These are broad service descriptions, not an audited inventory of every available title. Paramount+ official service page

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Neither service’s cited page provides a shared, current title-by-title inventory or a complete overlap count. Catalogs change, and title availability can vary by territory. Before subscribing for a particular series or film, search for it in the service’s app or current catalog.

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Which service has the sports you watch?

Sports rights are a practical reason to choose one service over the other, but a listed sport does not guarantee that every event, season or local broadcast is available to every subscriber. Check the current schedule, your market and the plan terms before paying.

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Service Sports highlighted on its official page Plan or access note
HBO Max MLB, NHL, NCAA Men’s March Madness, U.S. Soccer and premier cycling Select live sports are included with Standard and Premium
Paramount+ NFL on CBS, UFC and UEFA Champions League The service describes Premium as providing more sports on a local CBS station

Sources: HBO Max plans and prices and Paramount+ official service page.

Ads, streams, downloads and picture quality

Advertising

HBO Max Basic with Ads is explicitly ad-supported. Paramount+ describes Premium as ad-free for on-demand viewing, with exceptions such as trailers and sponsorships; its Live TV has ads. Do not interpret that Premium description as an ad-free experience across every kind of programming. Paramount+ official service page

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Simultaneous streams

HBO Max Basic with Ads and Standard list 2 concurrent streams; Premium lists 4, with 2 for sports. Paramount+ advertises up to 3 concurrent streams. If several people in your household watch at once, compare these limits with your routine rather than assuming the premium-sounding tiers match.

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Downloads and video formats

HBO Max Standard lists 30 downloads and Premium lists 100. Premium also lists select 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos. Paramount+ Premium includes downloads and select 4K UHD, Dolby Vision and HDR10; the service says availability depends on the title, internet service and compatible device, and download restrictions apply. Full HD 1080p is listed for HBO Max Basic with Ads and Standard. Feature availability can depend on the program and equipment, so check the service’s terms for a specific device or title. Sources: HBO Max plans and prices and Paramount+ official service page.

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Which should you subscribe to?

  • Consider HBO Max if HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network or Adult Swim titles are the priority, or if you value its listed Premium allowance of four streams and select Dolby Atmos.
  • Consider Paramount+ if its CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon or VH1 programming is a better match, or if you want its listed lower monthly prices, NFL on CBS, UFC or UEFA Champions League coverage.
  • Compare the exact plan before choosing if you need ad-free on-demand viewing, downloads, a particular stream count or a specific picture format. The services package these features differently.
  • Verify must-watch titles and sports locally before subscribing: the official descriptions do not establish a complete shared catalog or guarantee every event in every market.

Prices and features in this comparison refer to U.S. direct-to-consumer plans checked October 4, 2026. Annual offers, promotions, taxes and third-party billing can change the amount charged.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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