HBO Max is an OTT streaming service offered by WarnerMedia Entertainment. Members gain access to Home Box Office (HBO) plus additional content from WarnerMedia along with shows and movies they obtained streaming rights for . The service will officially launch on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020. Want to binge watch Game of Thrones or catch up on the latest episodes of Westworld? All of the great HBO original shows are included. You also gain access to exclusive content including all 12 seasons of Big Bang Theory and Friends. If you plan on being outside the United States then you’ll also want a VPN. If you have an HBO Max account and want to watch outside the US, use a VPN to unblock geo-restrictions.
Prior to the HBO Max launch they are offering a promotion that includes 12 months of access for $11.99 a month. We’re hoping they extends the deal beyond the launch date. Otherwise you can join and gain streaming access for $14.99 a month. Once again you will need to be in the United States or connect to a VPN server in the US. Otherwise geo-blocks will stop you from streaming you favorite movies and shows. By connecting to a US VPN server, you can watch HBO Max from anywhere in the world.
How to Use a VPN to Watch HBO Max
For the quickest and easiest way to watch HBO Max outside the US, follow these steps.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee).
- Open a browser and go to HBO Max and sign up for service. You will want to register while connected to a VPN server in the US as well if you have not already.
- After your purchase, you can watch and enjoy all of the original shows and movies, just make sure you are connected to a US VPN server first.
Here are the best VPNs to help you get around the geo-blocks.
How to Watch HBO Max with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best choice for unblocking popular streaming services and live sporting events. The ExpressVPN team has combined their VPN service with a Smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer. The combination will protect your privacy and unblock access to a wide range of content all over the world. You can run the ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and router. The MediaStreamer service extends support to streaming media devices (Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Kodi boxes, etc.), Smart TVs, gaming consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Switch), and more.
The team at ExpressVPN is currently offering our visitors a discount on their all-inclusive VPN service. You can enjoy unlimited access to both their VPN network and MediaStreamer service for 49% off with 3 months free. In addition, they are offering a 30-day money back guarantee to all new members so you won’t feel rushed while testing the service. You’ll have a month to watch live events, unblock streaming services, and fully experience the advantages of ExpressVPN. You can expect to be quite impressed with the service.
How to Watch HBO Max with NordVPN
NordVPN is a good choice for unblocking live sporting events and streaming services. The VPN will help you unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and many more channels. You still need a subscription for paid services like CBS All Access but NordVPN will help you unblock the geo-restrictions. They are one of the few VPNs that can still access Netflix US from outside the United States. This makes NordVPN a great choice for those who want to stream content from other regions of the world.
As you can see, the NordVPN app is easy to use. You can select a server location from the map or from a list of countries. Unfortunately, NordVPN doesn’t let you choose a specific city in locations like the United States. However, it will pick a server based on your current location. We found this to result in slower speeds than ExpressVPN. At times we had to try a few different servers to find one that offered the performance we desired. Otherwise, NordVPN offers everything you need to unblock your favorite websites.
How to Watch HBO Max with PIA VPN
Private Internet Access, often referred to as PIA, is one of the most popular VPN services in the world. They are headquartered in Silicon Valley and have contributed heavily to the privacy community. You have likely seen PIA in the news as they support a wide range of privacy-related campaigns. From full-page ads to promote privacy bills to support of the open source community, the PIA team is a strong privacy advocate. You will find the VPN service offers everything you need to encrypt your connection and unblock access to many of your favorite web sites.
We have experienced positive results when trying to access Netflix through PIA. You will find that popular streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer are getting good at blocking VPNs. It’s a game of cat and mouse in which the VPNs find ways to stay ahead of the game. In addition to unblocking restrictions, PIA is also very popular in the file sharing community. Torrent users turn to PIA to secure their privacy with sites like TorrentFreak promoting the service. You will find that PIA has a lot to offer for a very reasonable price.
Now that we’ve given you a few VPN options to help unblock the service, let’s look at some of the best HBO Max content to binge watch.
- Game of Thrones
- Westworld
- Watchmen
- Barry
- Insecure
- Euphoria
- Big Bang Theory
- Friends
- Rick and Morty
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
That’s just a quick glimpse of the content available on HBO Max. You can expect new movies each month and HBO original shows continuing on the service. Add shows like Big Bang Theory and you can see why HBO Max is a great value.
About Geo-blocks
Geo-blocks can be annoying. Because of world licensing and broadcasting rights, the media companies block anyone outside of their targeted area. In other words, if you are traveling or want to watch region specific coverage, the blocking software will stop you. Since it can detect IP addresses, it can tell if you are outside of the area it wants you to be in. By connecting to a VPN, you can make the blocking software think you are located someplace else. Of course, you can watch more than just HBO Max when you use one.
Not All VPNs Will Unblock Popular Streaming Services
The truth of the matter is, the community is littered with ineffective VPN products. Though they may help you in other ways, you are removing one of the biggest benefits of a VPN if it does not unblock geo-restrictions. Even some of the more well-known providers do not work well to get you past those blocks. There is no point in trying to access HBO Max if you are having problems with the VPN. That is why we suggest using one of the options we mentioned above.
We have just shown you some ways to unblock HBO Max. Though there are other providers available, we think you’ll be happy with our choices. If you are a fan of the shows on HBO, you should not have to miss out on great options because of where you are located. As long as your goal is to unblock the HBO Max website, you have come to the right place.
