HBO Max is a new streaming service that was released in the United States in May 2020. Essentially, it’s a replacement and an enhancement of the company’s previous streaming solutions HBO Go and HBO Now, which are being progressively phased out. HBO Max aims to compete with rivals such as Netflix by not only producing original movies and shows, but also offering a much greater library beyond HBO’s standard programming. In addition to that, content from various WarnerMedia properties (including DC Comics, CNN, etc.) is also available.
The service costs $14.99 per month, but users who are already subscribers of previous HBO streaming platforms can use it at no extra cost. However, the service is U.S.-exclusive until it expands to Latin America and Europe throughout 2021, which means a VPN is needed to access it from abroad.
Best VPN Services for HBO Max 2024
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Recommended VPN Services for HBO Max
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of our top choices when it comes to streaming. The name of the service says it all – it’s one of the fastest and most consistent VPNs on the market and doesn’t impose any bandwidth limits. ExpressVPN offers a handful of useful features as well, such as split tunneling, a kill switch, options for private DNS on every server, and much more. Speaking of servers, this is yet another of ExpressVPN’s strong points, since its network reaches 160 different locations in 94 countries. The United States is obviously a large part of that map, and there’s a wide variety of VPN protocols to choose from. While ExpressVPN isn’t exactly the most affordable, the excellent service is worth the price.
Atlas VPN
In some cases, the more popular a VPN provider gets, the easier it is for streaming services to block its IP addresses. Therefore, it’s always good to have a backup alternative, preferably one that is not as common so that it’s easier to fly under the radar. Something like Atlas VPN, an American provider that only debuted in 2020, but it has a service that already demonstrates a lot of potential to compete with the bigger names. Simplicity and great user interactivity are two of its main attributes, along with very attractive pricing and a server network that while quite small, includes the most popular countries. Connections are fast and consistent enough to ensure undisturbed streaming, particularly when opting for the American servers.
CyberGhost VPN
It’s not by chance that CyberGhost VPN has become one of our favorite providers. The company keeps growing and growing, and the continuous improvements of its service speak for itself, placing it among the strongest contenders in the vast VPN world. Flawlessly unblocking streaming services is one of CyberGhost’s best qualities, proved by the intuitive app that automatically links the most suitable servers to the most popular streaming services. And thanks to the vast server network of over 80 countries, there’s plenty to choose from – with every option providing unlimited bandwidth, different connection protocols, and consistent speeds. CyberGhost VPN also offers great prices, and there’s even a special promotion for Best Reviews readers.
Watching HBO Max From Abroad
During the 2020 Web Summit online conference, Andy Forssell, head of HBO Max Global, said that the plan is to expand HBO Max to up to 190 countries starting with Latin America and Europe during the second half of 2021. “It’s just a matter of how fast we can do that” he noted, adding that since the release of the service in the U.S. – which happened as people were quarantined during the coronavirus pandemic – HBO has seen a 60% increase on a per-user basis.
Until then, HBO Max is still a U.S. exclusive. Therefore, the service is only available within American borders and a couple of U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, which means that everyone who doesn’t fancy waiting for months and wants to access its extensive library must connect to a VPN.
Using a VPN With HBO Max
Just like with any other geo-restricted service, a VPN can help overcome this problem and access HBO Max outside the United States. When a user connects to a VPN server, on top of protecting their connection with military-grade encryption, they’re also disguises their real location with an IP address corresponding to another country. This means that while you may be outside the United States, you can make it seem that you’re actually there and, therefore, access American-exclusive content.
For that, you only need a VPN that offers servers in the U.S., which is something very easy to achieve. But since we’re talking about streaming, it’s also advisable to opt for a VPN service that doesn’t impose bandwidth limits, ensures trustworthy DNS leak protection, and has good connection speeds.
Best VPN Services of 2024
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Editor's Choice 2024
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