David Zaslav Says HBO Max Is 'Way Underpriced'

Zaslav shared, “The fact that this is quality — and that’s true across our company, motion picture, TV production and streaming quality — we all we think that gives us a chance to raise price. We think we’re way underpriced. We’re going to take our time.” Of course, everyone loves quality. And quality CAN cost money. But just because there is quality doesn’t necessarily MEAN a price hike has to happen. Or at the very least, some assurance that HBO Max price hikes won’t happen forever would be nice.

Here’s what HBO Max’s subscription costs look like at its current “underpriced” state:

• Basic with Ads – $9.99/month or $99.99/year (16% savings)
• Standard – $16.99/month or $169.99/year (16% savings)
• Premium – $20.99/month or $209.99/year (16% savings)

That’s more or less where most streamers are living right now when it comes to prices. Of course, most people have at LEAST three streamers they regularly use, which makes streaming costs look more like $300-600 per year. And with most people struggling to simply pay for rent and groceries, that is a big chunk of change.

And then we have to ask, if HBO Max is currently underpriced as Zaslav suggests, what kind of price hike will rectify that situation? Should HBO Max cost $20/month at its cheapest? $30? $40? And at what point does the cost reflect the quality? How can consumers be sure the quality is continuing to increase as they continue to pay more? Is there ever a place where supply meets demand and the price settles? It feels like we don’t have many questions to these answers.

What we do have an answer to is the question of whether HBO Max will raise its prices. And the answer to that is yes, an HBO Max price hike is coming.