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By Kate Nwachukwu 

Netflix and HBO max are both subscription services which offer content on demand. They are a part of the new wave of video streaming services that are rapidly replacing cable television. If you are considering purchasing either subscription, this is the article for you. In this article I will systematically break down most attributes of the subscription services, which you as a student can consider when making the choice between HBO MAX and Netflix. 

Netflix is a is a streaming service that has been around since 1997. It originally operated as a movie rental service for sending movies to people by mail, however with a change in the business model- which was implemented later- there was a switch to a ‘subscriber-based model.’ Soon enough, Netflix put businesses such as blockbusters out of business, and rose to be the most popular streaming service today.

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HBO max is a subscription service founded in 2020 by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is one of Netflix’s biggest competitors after Disney Channel. The service is developed and organised around HBO, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros, and their accompanying brands. However, it is worth noting that HBO (Home Box Office Inc) is not the same as HBO max. HBO previously referred to as HBO NOW and HBO GO, was founded in 1972 by Time inc. It was originally a cable service delivered by satellite, and after its merger with Time Warner (1990) and subsequent merger with AT & T in 2016, the streaming platforms HBO max and Warner media were born. HBO still operates as a subscription service available with a live TV package, however HBO max displays all the same shows and more on their streaming service. 

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They are two streaming services which represent the dawn of a new streaming era.  

As of 2022, Netflix has a monthly-subscriber count of 220 million, over 17,000 titles globally, 5,879 titles available in the US, and a total of 5062 titles accessible in Hungary. In contrast, HBO max has a monthly-subscriber count of 81.2 million, 2,000 or more movies and 580 TV shows in their catalogue. What is available to stream on HBO max depends on the region or country you are in, but not enough data was found to specify what that composes of. 

Netflix has 3 subscription plans that come with their own benefit. With 2,490 Huf/month(price),, one can purchase a basic plan which entails a resolution of 720p, good video quality, and the opportunity to watch videos on one screen at a time. The second and third subscription plans are the standard plan and premium plan, these entail a resolution of 1080p and 4K+HDR, good and better video quality, and the opportunity to watch videos on two and four screens at a time, respectively. The standard plan costs 3490 Huf/month and the premium plan costs 4490 Huf/month (price), 

On the contrary, HBO max has only 2 subscription options, these consist of the 2390 Huf/month or 18 990 Huf/year (price)in Hungary. With the same account, up to five profiles can be created, but the number of devices that can play content simultaneously is limited to three. Resolution is determined by the download of one’s internet connection, and if it is lower than 25 Mbps, the video won’t stream in 4K(shows are streamed in 4K).  

As described by some viewers, Netflix can be a ‘a little pushy about its recommendations and algorithm’ and finding ‘menus sorted by genre’ can be taxing but finding something to watch is easy. Fast-forwarding and rewinding is straightforward, and if one starts a TV show or movie, it is easy to jump back in. 

On the other hand, the app of HBO max is can work well-enough, but not too smoothly.  It is sometimes frustratingly imprecise, and tedious when attempting to find the right spot, or rewind and fast-forward. 

Recently, Netflix has announced plans to limit sharing of an account with “individuals beyond your household,” and plans to restrict password sharing. This might create disgruntled, dissatisfied customers, who might want to access their accounts outside their homes. 

HBO max limits sharing to “members of your immediate family or household,” and is seen as more lenient (when compared with Netflix) with their stipulation. 

Where the contrast between these two services becomes the most striking is in their titles. They both host multitudes of shows which are distinct to each platform.  

Netflix’s top originals as of December include Wednesday, 1899, ‘The crown’,‘ Dead to me’, ‘Elite’, ‘Blood & Water’, ‘Inside Job’, ‘Warrior Nun’ and One of Us is lying. Their Most watched original series are ‘Squid Game, ’‘Stranger things, ’‘Money Heist,’‘Bridgerton, ’‘Lucifer, ’‘All of us are dead, ’‘The Witcher, ’‘Inventing Anna,’‘13 reasons why’ and ‘Ozark.’ The most watched Netflix movies are; ‘Red notice, ’‘Don’t look up, ‘Bird box, ’‘The gray man, ’‘The Adam project, ’‘Extraction, ’‘Purple hearts, ’‘The unforgiveable, ’‘The Irishman’ and ‘The kissing booth.’ Lastly their “Oldies but goodies, and classics” are; ‘The Walking Dead, ’‘Vikings, ’‘Breaking Bad, ’‘Seinfeld, ’‘Girlfriends, ’‘The Magic School Bus, ’‘Clueless, ’‘Mean Girls, ’‘Gilmore Girls, ’Moesha, ’‘Stargate SG-1,’‘The Parkers’ and many more(especially if you use a VPN). 

HBO’s top originals as of December include: ‘the Sex Lives of College Girls, ’‘Supernatural ’‘Don’t worry darling, ’‘All American, ’‘The Winchesters, ’‘House of the dragon, ’‘The White Lotus, ’‘Abbot elementary, ’‘Elvis’ and ‘Garcia!’ Their Most watched original or affiliated series and movies are ‘Game of Thrones,’ Euphoria,’ Rick and Morty, ’‘Big Little Lies, ’‘Westworld, ‘Succession’ and ‘Chernobyl.’ They also own the rights to ‘The BigBang Theory, ’‘South Park, ’‘Young Sheldon, ’‘Seinfeld’ and ‘The Office. ’Lastly, some of the “Oldies but goodies and classics” are: ‘Watchmen, ’‘Game of Thrones, ’‘Westworld, ’‘True Detective, ’‘Friends, ’’South Park, ’‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’‘The Sopranos, ’‘The Wire’ and ‘Band of Brothers’ (especially if you use a VPN!) 

So, you keep your eyes peeled for more, because entire new seasons are dropped all at once on both Netflix and HBO max, Enjoy! 

 

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