HBO Max launches cheaper subscription tier with limited ads

HBO Max wants you to pay and stay. The one-year-old streaming service fresh off a highly anticipated Friends reunion special will now offer two tiers of subscription: One with ads, and one without.

HBO Max is currently $14.99/month with no ads, but will now offer users an option for $9.99/month with ads. New and returning subscribers can now also pay per year to save 15% ($99.99/year with ads or $149.99/year without).

In a press release, HBO Max promised no more than four minutes of ads per hour of programming, (industry standard is closer to 20). HBO originals will still play without ads, and all ads will become more personalized over time.

While it does include access to HBO Max's entire, extensive library, the ad-supported tier will cap video quality at 1080p and restrict users from downloading content. Same-day theatrical releases will be exclusive to ad-free HBO Max, but available to all users within months of their release.

“Advertising is a time-tested way to reduce the cost of great entertainment and reach a wider audience,” said HBO Max EVP & General Manager Andy Forssell in a press release. “We’ve worked hard to create an elegant, tasteful ad experience that is respectful of great storytelling for those users who choose it, and which we’re confident will deliver for our advertising partners as well.”

Tiered subscriptions roll out on HBO Max on Wednesday.