Update: Now HBO Max's pre-order $11.99 per month deal is no longer available, the service has added a 7-day free trial option for new subscribers. Original article continues below.

HBO Max is the latest streaming service to release in 2020 - and here's how to get it for free. Launching May 27, the WarnerMedia Entertainment service looks to be the next big streamer competing against the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. At the core will be HBO's premium programming along with original content, WarnerMedia's vast library, and third-party titles.

The plans for a WarnerMedia streaming service was first announced in late 2018. It was initially set to launch the following year with a three-tier service plan. After a few delays, parent company AT&T confirmed that HBO would serve as the anchor and the official title was announced as HBO Max in the summer of 2019. Ahead of the May 2020 launch, WarnerMedia promised that the service would house 10,000 hours of content at the launch date, including over 2,000 films.

Related: Everything Available At Launch On HBO Max

Aside from HBO original titles, documentaries, and specials, HBO Max will include content from TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, DC Entertainment, New Line Cinema, The CW, Adult Swim, and many other networks or brands. The streamer will also be the home of the long-awaited Justice League Snyder Cut, the Friends reunion, and the Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. The normal price for HBO Max subscribers will be $14.99 per month. There are several ways that consumers can get the service for free, but the deal is only available to current HBO subscribers.

A Breakdown Of Who Gets HBO Max At No Additional Charge

HBO Max Shows

A segment of HBO subscribers can get HBO Max at no additional charge depending on their cable providers. Since WarnerMedia is a part of the AT&T family, any AT&T-owned platforms will give customers access to HBO Max at no extra cost. In addition, AT&T had made a deal with other cable providers to include HBO Max for those already paying for HBO's premium network. Here are the current providers that will include a free HBO Max upgrade:

  • AT&T-owned platforms (AT&T TV, DirecTV, U-verse, and AT&T Mobility)
  • Hulu
  • Verizon Fios TV
  • Charter Spectrum
  • Altice
  • Suddenlink
  • Optimum
  • Cox Contour

Those who pay for HBO Now directly through the network will be migrated to HBO Max at no extra fee. The free upgrade is also available to HBO Now subscribers through Apple, Google Play, Samsung, Verizon Fios internet, Optimum, Consolidated Communications, and Liberty Cablevision on various devices. The streamer continues to find new partners so more and more providers will be added to the list, allowing for an increasing number of customers able to receive upgrades at new cost. Other than that, AT&T users with the highest-tiered internet will get HBO Max for free while lower-tiered internet users will get free trials ranging from one month to a full year. It's unclear if the service will open free trials to the public in the near future.

Next: Why HBO Max International Releases Will Be Complicated Until 2024