HBO Max
Ads $10.99 / Ad-free $18.49 / Premium $22.99 per mo
Disney+
Ads $11.99 / Premium $18.99 per mo
HBO Max leans on prestige HBO dramas, Max Originals, and recent Warner films for adults. Disney+ is family-first franchises: Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney. They cost about the same. HBO Max wins for grown-up prestige TV; Disney+ wins for families and franchises.
Pick HBO Max if you want prestige adult TV and recent Warner movies, and a dedicated 4K tier.
Pick Disney+ if you have kids or love the Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar franchises in a family-safe app.
HBO Max and Disney+ are both mid-priced streamers, but they aim at very different households. HBO Max is grown-up and prestige-led: HBO's acclaimed dramas, Max Originals, and Warner Bros. films after their theatrical run. Disney+ is family-first, built around Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, and kept safe for all ages.
Pricing is close. HBO Max is $10.99 with ads, $18.49 ad-free, and $22.99 for 4K Premium. Disney+ is $11.99 with ads or $18.99 ad-free, with 4K included on the ad-free plan. So they land within a dollar of each other; the real question is who is watching.
We compare content focus, price, originals, family-friendliness, and which to keep.
| Quick facts | HBO Max | Disney+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | Ads $10.99/mo | Ads $11.99/mo |
| Ad-free plan | Ad-free $18.49/mo | Premium $18.99/mo |
| 4K | Premium $22.99/mo | Included on ad-free |
| Content focus | Prestige + Warner films | Family + franchises |
| Best for | Adults | Families |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | H HBO Max | D Disney+ |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-supported tier | Yes | Yes |
| 4K HDR | Premium | On ad-free plan |
| Prestige adult originals | Best-in-class | Limited |
| Family / kids-safe | Has mature content | Excellent |
| Recent theatrical films | Warner films | Disney films |
| Franchise libraries | DC, Warner | Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar |
| Offline downloads | Yes | Yes |
| Library breadth | Curated | Curated, franchise-led |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed June 2026.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
HBO Max skews adult and prestige; Disney+ skews family and franchise. The "better" one depends on who is watching.
Prices are within a dollar, so cost is rarely the deciding factor between these two.
Households with both kids and adults often end up wanting both, or rotating them seasonally.
The average person juggles a dozen subscriptions and forgets at least one. Subkept is a privacy-first subscription tracker: add HBO Max, Disney+, and everything else, then get renewal reminders, price-hike alerts, and a clear monthly total, with no bank connection, ever. Free for up to 5 subscriptions, no time limit.
See how the price has moved