HBO Max launched for sale and streaming in Israel on Tuesday, and HOT Group unveiled its pricing for the service following a partnership with Warner Bros Discovery.
For existing customers and new subscribers, HBO Max on HOT will be offered with six months free. From the seventh month, the price will be 25 shekels a month, instead of 49.90 shekels.
Want premium? No free ride
Customers who want the premium plan, which includes higher video quality, viewing on more devices and more downloads, will pay 15 shekels a month during the first six months, instead of 64.90 shekels a month. This differs from yes, which offers both plans free for six months. After the introductory period, premium subscribers via HOT will pay 40 shekels a month.
The advantage of yes is that both plans are free for six months. At HOT, as noted, the premium plan carries a charge during that period. After six months, HOT’s prices are lower than yes, which offers six months free and then charges full price. However, unlike yes, HOT requires an additional mandatory payment for HOT VOD in order to access HBO Max.
Any HOT customer who wants HBO Max must subscribe to the VOD service, a requirement not imposed by other TV providers. While most HOT customers already have VOD, it comes at an additional cost. Unlike yes and its competitors, HOT prices VOD separately, at 39.90 shekels a month. As a result, the effective monthly cost of HBO Max via HOT after six months is 64.90 or 79.90 shekels, not including additional VOD libraries beyond the basic package, which carry extra monthly fees of 19.90 to 32.90 shekels. In that sense, HOT is more expensive than yes.
HBO Max can also be subscribed to independently, not only through HOT and yes, via the service’s website or app.
Service launches in Israel
The streaming service went live in Israel on Tuesday, alongside seven additional European markets: Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Greece. It offers two subscription plans.
The standard plan costs 49.90 shekels a month. When joining via HOT or yes, it is free for six months, and afterward costs 25 shekels a month on HOT. The plan allows streaming on two devices in HD quality and includes up to 30 downloads, subject to content restrictions.
The premium plan costs 64.90 shekels a month. When joining via HOT or yes, it is free for six months, and afterward costs 40 shekels a month on HOT. It allows streaming on four devices in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos sound where available, and includes up to 100 downloads, subject to content restrictions.
The content library includes the full slate of HBO series, among them The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City, Succession, House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones, Veep, True Blood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Last of Us, Mission and The White Lotus. It also features Warner Bros content such as the Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts and the planned Harry Potter series, DC titles including Superman and Batman, and content from Warner, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, including Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Rick and Morty and Peacemaker. Documentary offerings include John Lennon and Yoko Ono and the true-crime series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.
New releases will also be available, including the Golden Globe-winning film Dune: Part Two and series such as Welcome to Derry, Heated Rivalry, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (premiering January 19), the fourth season of Industry and the second season of The Pitt.
Sports content, available for an additional 20 shekels a month and including advertisements, will feature the Winter Olympics in February, as well as the Australian Open, Roland Garros, the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta.