Hulu offers live TV access with 75+ channels plus Disney+ and ESPN+ bundled, making it ideal for traditional TV viewers, while HBO Max focuses on premium HBO series and theatrical releases with a content-first approach. Both compete on price, originals quality, and library depth, with Hulu excelling in sports/live content and HBO Max in prestige drama.
Hulu vs HBO Max — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Hulu is superior for viewers seeking live TV, sports, and bundled family content at competitive prices, while HBO Max excels for those prioritizing prestige dramas and premium movie content. The choice depends on whether you value traditional television access (Hulu) or curated premium storytelling (HBO Max), with both platforms delivering strong 2026 original content.
On-demand streaming service with original content, movies, and optional live TV add-on.
Premium streaming service featuring HBO programming, Warner Bros. films, and exclusive originals.
Structured comparison data for Hulu vs HBO Max with 254 attributes.
Recommended Bundle Price (All Services, No Ads)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)
Maximum Simultaneous Screens (Base Plan)
Original Series Critical Quality (Avg Rotten Tomatoes)
Maximum Simultaneous Streams (Standard Tier)
Hulu vs HBO Max — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Hulu vs HBO Max.
It depends on viewing preferences. Max is better for: HBO prestige dramas (The White Lotus, House of the Dragon, Succession, Euphoria, The Wire, The Sopranos), Warner Bros. theatrical films, DC content, and users who prioritize depth of critically acclaimed television. Hulu is better for: broad entertainment variety (next-day ABC, NBC, Fox network shows), FX originals (The Bear, Shogun, What We Do in the Shadows), adult animation, live TV (Hulu + Live TV replaces cable), and family-accessible content. Max is the choice for serious drama viewers; Hulu is the choice for households that want broader entertainment access and cord-cutting.
Yes. Warner Bros. Discovery rebranded HBO Max as simply "Max" in May 2023. The rebrand added Discovery+ content (reality TV, nature documentaries, food network programming) to the platform alongside the existing HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and CNN content. The "Max" branding reflects the expanded content scope beyond HBO originals, though HBO remains the platform's prestige flagship. The Max app replaced HBO Max on all devices; previous HBO Max subscribers automatically transitioned to Max. The new name caused some confusion among subscribers, but the core HBO catalog and original content remain unchanged.
No. HBO content (Succession, The Wire, The Sopranos, House of the Dragon, Euphoria, Chernobyl, Game of Thrones, The White Lotus) is exclusive to Max in the United States. Hulu does not carry HBO series — this is one of the primary reasons to subscribe to Max specifically. Warner Bros. Discovery licenses HBO content to international streaming platforms in some markets, but in the U.S., Max is the only streaming home for HBO programming. Hulu carries FX content (both entities are Disney-owned), which is a different premium cable network brand.
No. Max does not offer a live television package — it is an on-demand streaming service only. For live TV, Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month) is the major streaming bundle option that includes 95+ live channels (ESPN, ABC, NBC, Fox News, CNN, local stations, sports networks). If you need both HBO content (from Max) and live TV, you would need to subscribe to Max separately and Hulu + Live TV — though Hulu + Live TV already includes Disney+ and ESPN+ in the bundle. YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream are also live TV streaming alternatives if you want live channels without Hulu.
Max plans: With Ads $5.99/month, Ad-Free $15.99/month, Ultimate Ad-Free (4K, 4 streams) $19.99/month. Hulu plans: With Ads $7.99/month, No Ads $17.99/month. Max's ad-supported tier ($5.99) is the cheapest major streaming ad-supported option in 2026. Hulu's ad-supported plan ($7.99) is slightly higher. For ad-free access, both are similarly priced ($15.99 Max vs $17.99 Hulu). For 4K streaming, Max Ultimate ($19.99) includes it; Hulu does not offer 4K at any tier. The best combined value is the Disney Bundle: $14.99/month with ads covers Disney+, Hulu (with ads), and ESPN+ — though Max requires a separate subscription.