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How Do The Streaming Services Compare?
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HBO has long been the home of top-quality television, with awards-season darlings and critical favorites among the network’s offerings. With fan favorite “Game of Thrones” finishing up its final season and new series like “Euphoria” and “Watchmen” joining the roster, it’s an exciting time for HBO subscribers.
Of course, if you’re not a subscriber yet, there are plenty of ways to sign up, whether you have cable or not. That distinction will determine which of two HBO package options you can choose: HBO Go or HBO Now.
How and What You Can Watch on HBO Go and HBO Now
Both HBO Go and HBO Now allow subscribers to stream content on the go, keeping track of where you last stopped watching, so you can jump back in even if you’re using a different device. On that note, you’ll be able to stream on a wide variety of devices, including phones, tablets, laptops and TVs, so you can make your viewing experience as portable as it needs to be.
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If you have multiple HBO fans in your household, you’ll be able to use either choice to stream on multiple devices at once, so no fighting over the remote is required. There’s also no limit to how much you can stream in a month, so even if you power through multiple seasons of “Sex and the City” and “Westworld” each month, you won’t have to worry about running out of screen time.
There’s no difference in the content offered between the two. Whether you’re watching TV series like “Big Little Lies” or movies like “Crazy Rich Asians,” you’ll find the exact same lineup in both HBO Go and HBO Now, and new titles are being added all the time. You can even find older series, such as “The Wire,” in the apps’ streaming libraries. In addition, you can watch live episodes, so you don’t get anything spoiled by missing their original airtime.
One important thing to note, however, is that both services are currently only offered to subscribers in the United States, so you won’t be able to stream outside the country. If you want to watch HBO outside the U.S., you’ll need to find a local option to tune in.
Cost Differences Between HBO Go and HBO Now
In many ways, the two subscription types are similar. However, there’s one key difference – whether or not you have cable. For cord-cutters, the decision is simple. HBO Now, the network’s standalone option, is available for $14.99 a month, and is the closest you can find to an a la carte HBO option right now. If you’re not sold, you can try it free for a week.
If you’re a cable subscriber, cost gets a little more complicated. HBO Go, the network’s add-on subscription type, comes free when you subscribe to HBO within your cable package. However, cable plans charge different prices for HBO, so if you decide to go this route, check to see how much you’ll pay for the network and the attached HBO Go perks. Some providers also offer promotional runs of HBO, with free trial options available, so check with your provider to see if you can try it before subscribing.
Subscribe to HBO Through a Streaming Service
Cord-cutters and cable subscribers alike can find ways to grab HBO, but beyond HBO Go and HBO Now, there’s a third subscription option. For TV fans who have Amazon Prime, DirecTV Now, Hulu or Playstation Vue, HBO can be added on similarly to how you’d add it on to a cable package. This digital subscription allows streaming subscribers to add HBO to their live streaming options. However, as with cable plans, prices and trial periods will vary depending on which service you’re subscribed to, though it will usually cost you around $15 a month.
This digital subscription, like the others on this list, offers unlimited streaming of HBO’s offerings, as well as simultaneous streaming on multiple screens.
At the end of the day, how you get access to HBO depends on how you already watch TV. For cable subscribers, HBO Go provides the best option to tune in, while those with streaming subscriptions to some of the most popular services can add it on using a digital HBO subscription. TV viewers looking for a standalone option can choose HBO Now. No matter how you choose to subscribe, HBO has an option for you.
