HBO Max’s Upcoming Password Sharing Rules Mean Your Free Ride’s Over

Subscription prices are already reaching a point of frustration for consumers, and it seems like the companies are not ready to back down anytime soon. During the Warner Bros Discovery Q3 earnings call, the company’s CFO, Gunnar Weidenfels, said that Max will be cracking down on password sharing in the coming months with further progress in 2025.

As reported byThe Verge, the move will begin with “a soft messaging” about the change,followed by stricter actions. If this sounds similar, then it is the same set ofpassword sharing rules used by NetflixandDisney+recently. It’s where these services sent out emails to existing customers before tightening on their subscription.

Gunnar Weidenfels asks members who have not signed up, or multi-household members, to “pay a little bit more“. He also called password sharing “a form of price rises”. Gunnar hinted that Max’ssubscription price could also increase soon. The company considers, there’s “a fair amount of room to continue to push a price we’ve been judicious about”.

Note that Max last increased their prices for the ad-free and Ultimate tier back in June of this year. This isn’t the first time Max has expressed the desire to limit password-sharing, following the successful attempt made by Netflix. And it doesn’t seem like these price hikes are going away anytime soon as people continue to pay for them. I am guilty of that too.

Max is home to some of the most cherished TV shows like the Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and The Sopranos. Plus, it holds a catalog of all Warner Bros movies, which is why I feel that the company’s crackdown on password sharing will be a successful attempt to gain more subscribers. Currently, it has a user base of 110.5 Million users, which may increase after the coming changes.

Anshuman Jain

As a tech journalist, I dive into the ever-evolving tech landscape with a particular interest for smartphones, apps, and gaming. With a passion for sharing insights, my articles blend expertise with a friendly touch—think of me as your friendly neighborhood tech support.

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