HBO is one of the top rivals of the popular streaming service, Netflix. After Game of Thrones ended, HBO saw a drop in subscriber count. Yet, it’s no secret that HBO Go vs HBO Now are still offering many new series and films for its customers.
Unlike Netflix, HBO offers several different services. Get the movies list for every finance major should add to their watch list.
Do you often confuse HBO Go vs HBO Now and vice versa? Do you feel that you’re paying for an HBO service that doesn’t suit your needs? Here’s a quick rundown on the differences of HBO Now HBO Go
To someone who isn’t too keen on looking into it, it can look that they’re all the same. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at two popular HBO services. Read on below to learn more:
Table of Contents
HBO and Its Many Services
Founded way back in 1972, HBO or Home Box Office is a network owned by WarnerMedia Studios and Networks. It began as a pay television network. Now, it’s one of the top TV video-on-demand platforms.
Try not to confuse HBO, Inc. with HBO. The former is the parent company, which also owns HBO Go and HBO Now. The latter is the network that you use and browse on your TV.
If you don’t want to go streaming but still want to catch up with shows and movies, HBO is the choice for you. You can go to cable companies like Comcast or Charter to subscribe to HBO. You can also use virtual cable providers like Hulu with Live TV or YouTube TV.
You can also use Satellite Services like DirectTV.
Digital subscriptions are also available if you prefer them. While it often varies between $5 and $20, the usual price for an HBO subscription is $14.99.
It’s also important to note that WarnerMedia owns HBO. This is why you’ll see Warner Entertainment movies appear on HBO from time to time. The company also releases its Warner Entertainment cartoons and TV shows on HBO sometimes as well.
The Academy Awards also premiere on HBO annually. The show goes live on HBO first before it shows anywhere else.
What is HBO Go?
HBO Go was the on-demand and streaming version of HBO. It came out in 2010 with a collection of HBO’s original programs. It also premiered feature films as well as some talk shows.
As its name suggests, HBO Go was the on-the-go app version of HBO. It came with an existing cable TV subscription or Amazon Prime subscription. In essence, you could use this freebie streaming app whenever you weren’t at home. It was a useful feature for those who liked to keep watching their favorite shows on-the-go.
However, on July 31, 2020, WarnerMedia discontinued the HBO Go app. The company instead urged their clients to switch to HBO Max. When this announcement occurred, most cable and satellite let users switch to HBO Max at no extra cost.
What is HBO Now?
HBO Now is a lot like HBO Max. It’s a standalone streaming service for HBO clients and an app for those who don’t have a cable or satellite TV subscription. If you are a previous cable subscriber then this is what you have.
HBO Now saw the highest usage on its platform in March 2020.
Ever since the launch of HBO Max, however, the company now referred to HBO Now simply as HBO. It’s the most basic cable subscription, after all. It’s still available but if you want more bang for your buck, you should go with HBO Max.
HBO Go vs HBO Now: What Are the Differences?
The biggest difference between HBO Go vs HBO Now is the cable TV subscription. If you had an HBO Go subscription, it meant that you were a customer who had a cable TV connection. If you used HBO Now, you were the customer who had a streaming subscription but no cable TV.
Despite the HBO Now vs HBO Go debate, you can’t get any of the two services anymore. Both were discontinued and instead merged and rebranded as HBO. However, this only grants you access to the HBO catalog.
However, you can still subscribe to the HBO Now HBO Go services. HBO Max is where you’ll get content beyond the usual HBO programming.
HBO vs HBO Max
We already discussed HBO Go vs HBO Now. What about the other HBO Now services?
As we mentioned, HBO is the cable or satellite TV subscription. That means you need a cable or satellite TV to subscribe. This one offers the entire HBO catalog plus HBO live.
HBO Max is the highest upgrade or package that you can get from HBO. It offers the best streaming experience. You don’t only get access to HBO’s complete catalog but also to new Max Originals and more.
Why You Need HBO Max
Now, the better choice between HBO Max and HBO is the HBO Max subscription. You don’t only gain access to HBO Max Originals. HBO Max added content from Adult Swim, CNN, and TBS.
If you have an HBO Max subscription, you can watch:
- Rick & Morty
- Conan
- Lord of the Rings
- Justice League
- Looney Tunes Cartoons
- Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Those are only some of the extra content you get when you subscribe to an HBO Max package.
This includes all of the WarnerEntertainment movies and shows. You’ll gain access to movies like the DCEU films, including Justice League: The Snyder Cut and Joker. Doctor Sleep, the Harry Potter franchise, and Mad Max: Fury Road are also under the HBO Max umbrella.
Pick the Right HBO Subscription Service for You
Sticking to HBO Now HBO Go is a good idea if you want to continue to get access to their content.
Do you want to see more helpful entertainment content like this? We’ve got more. Feel free to explore and check out our other technology guides right here, right now!
