Max raises prices for its ad-free plans ahead of 'House of the Dragon' premiere

By Mike Murphy

The price of Max's ad-supported tier will remain the same at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year

It's about to cost more for some Max subscribers to watch dragons fight.

The Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) streaming service is raising prices on its ad-free plans, two weeks ahead of the premiere of the highly anticipated second season of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon."

Max announced Tuesday that the price of its regular ad-free tier will go up by $1, to $16.99 a month, while the annual plan will rise by $20, to $169.99 a year. The "ultimate" ad-free plan - which offers more downloads, 4K resolution and streaming on more devices - will go up by $1 to $20.99 a month, or by $10, to $209.99 a year, for the annual plan.

The price of Max's ad-supported tier will remain the same at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.

The price hike is effective immediately for new customers, but existing subscribers won't see the increase until their next billing cycle, on or after July 4.

Max last raised prices in January 2023, when it was still called HBO Max.

Season 2 of the blockbuster fantasy drama "House of the Dragon" premieres June 16, with new episodes airing every Sunday through Aug. 4.

Streaming prices have surged over the past year or so as companies shift from a strategy of gaining subscribers to one of creating profits. Ad-supported tiers have gained traction, offering cheaper prices for consumers while commercials provide a new revenue flow for streaming companies. There are also an increasing number of bundles that offer multiple streaming services for a cheaper price, while making it more difficult to cancel - or churn - individual services.

In May, Warner and Walt Disney (DIS) announced a new streaming bundle offering Max, Hulu and Disney+, to be available sometime this summer. A price has not yet been announced.

Peacock, the streaming service from Comcast's (CMCSA) NBCUniversal, is set to raise prices by $2 a month starting in July, ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics.

-Mike Murphy

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06-04-24 1644ET

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