Best Streaming Video · head-to-head
Hulu vs HBO Max
A sourced, side-by-side comparison for streaming video. HBO Max has the lower entry price. Every figure links to the vendor's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Price: Hulu $11.99/mo vs HBO Max $10.99/mo — HBO Max is cheaper to start.
- Free tier: Hulu No; HBO Max No.
- HIPAA: Hulu —; HBO Max —.
Side by side
| Hulu | HBO Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $11.99/mo (Hulu (With Ads)) | $10.99/mo (Basic with Ads) |
| Free tier | No | No |
| HIPAA (BAA) | — | — |
| SOC 2 | — | — |
| GDPR | — | — |
| Best for | Cable-cutters who want live local broadcast TV | Premium prestige TV viewers (HBO originals, The Wire, Succession, etc.) |
Sources — Hulu: dealnews.com (verified 2026-06-13). HBO Max: dealnews.com (verified 2026-06-13).
Key features
Hulu: Unlimited Cloud DVR with 9-month retention (Live TV plans); 95+ live channels including local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX affiliates (Live TV plans); Next-day access to current-season network programming; Hulu Originals library; Disney+ and ESPN content accessible within Hulu app (Live TV bundle); Add-on channel packages (HBO, Showtime, Starz) available; Student discount — $1.99/mo on With Ads plan
HBO Max: 4K Ultra HD + Dolby Atmos (Premium only); 35,000+ hours of content including HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, DC Universe, Discovery content; 300+ live sports games — NHL, MLB, NBA, U.S. Soccer, March Madness (Standard and Premium); Offline downloads (30 titles on Standard; 100 titles on Premium); Parental controls; Content from HBO, Max Originals, Warner Bros., DC, Discovery, CNN, TNT, TBS