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How To Watch HBO Max In The UK
HBO Max is one of the newer video streaming platforms on the scene in the US, and the quality of the shows on offer are making some UK-based TV fanatics quite jealous. So, is it possible to watch HBO Max in the United Kingdom?
HBO Max has distinguished itself as one of the leading streaming platforms on the market since its inception in 2020. While initially, most people assume it’s just an on-demand service for HBO, it’s soon clear that it is much more than just that.
HBO Max combines the content of several of WarnerMedia’s most well-known brands into a single bundle that can be found almost everywhere HBO is accessible. Originally launched in the US alone, it is now available in the Nordics, as well as Spain and Andorra.
The service, which contains all of HBO’s heritage programming as well as series from throughout the WarnerMedia universe, launched on May 27, 2020. It’s accessible almost everywhere that HBO is now offered, and it costs the same.
Many residents of the United Kingdom have been asking “what about us” – but they’ll simply have to wait, as Sky currently have a contract with the company to air shows exclusively for the next few years. After this contract is up, though, it’s very likely that the service will become available in the UK.
So, what can those living in the UK do until then? Can they access HBO Max at all? Let’s find out…
Can UK Residents Access HBO Max?
While HBO Max is not currently offered to UK residents as a result of their contract with Sky TV, it is technically possible to use the video streaming platform in the UK with the help of a VPN.
The four-year contract between HBO and Sky was signed in 2019, so we still have a few years until a potential UK release of HBO Max, but until then some of the top VPN services are very good at convincing the platform that its users are in one of the permitted locations in the US or Europe.
The only issue with this is that to be able to access HBO Max with a VPN that connects seamlessly in high quality, you’ll probably have to pay for a VPN in addition to paying for HBO Max itself.
What Is The Best VPN For HBO Max?
VPNs are virtual private networks that provide you with an alternative IP address, allowing you to browse the internet as if you were in that particular alternative location of your choosing. Furthermore, they protect your personal information and surfing history.
So, you can see where we’re going with this… by convincing HBO Max that you’re in, for example, the US, you’ll be able to log into your account and watch your favourite shows without HBO, or anybody else, knowing any different.
Below, we’ve compiled a selection of the top VPNs for streaming HBO Max currently available. If you’d want to learn more about how to watch HBO Max outside of the whitelisted areas using a VPN, check out our complete, tried-and-true tutorial.
1. Express VPN
Express VPN is one of the pricier VPN services, but it’s well worth the money, consistently ranking in first place at all the VPN ranking and comparison sites.
For the money you pay, you get excellent video streaming capabilities, the best encryption and security, utmost privacy and access to a vast range of servers across a multitude of locations around the world.
As well as HBO Max, Express VPN is great at unblocking the likes of Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and many more of the most popular video streaming services.
2. Nord VPN
Nord VPN is one of the most popular VPN services used around the world. It’s not as expensive as Express VPN, but you get pretty much the same deal when it comes to features. The only downside in comparison to Express VPN is that you do not get quite as many servers although there are still plenty available.
Nord VPN is one of the most trustworthy VPN services owing to how transparent they are with everything they do and the information they keep. This shouldn’t matter too much to you, though, as you’re simply just trying to access geo-restricted content.
What does matter to you is that it will cost just £2.89 per month if you’re happy to commit to a two-year plan with the service.
3. Surfshark
Surfshark is the VPN service I use personally in order to get access to content not available in the UK that needs to be reviewed, as well as to get hold of information not accessible here for articles just like this one.
Not only does it have countless servers from across the globe, including the United States, it also has an ad-blocker and a “MultiHop” option for enhanced privacy. You may also use it on an infinite number of devices.
It’s one of the cheapest VPNs on the list, with costs beginning at $2.49 per month for a lengthy subscription.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is the greatest choice for people looking for a flexible server, since it is accessible on a variety of platforms, including as a browser plugin. It’s a wonderful option if you’re new to VPNs since it’s really straightforward to use.
Again, we’re getting fewer available servers as we go down this list, but the features that are available for your security, privacy and video streaming services are more or less the same.
5. IPVanish
IPVanish is a little bit more basic than the options above, but it is still a perfectly good option when simply trying to unblock HBO Max from the United Kingdom.
If you’re happy to commit to a 12-month plan, you’ll be paying as little as $3.75 per month, although this is paid in a lump sum of $44.99 upfront.