Quick answer: Yes, HBO Max really offered its Basic with Ads plan for $2.99 a month during Black Friday 2025. The promotion covered the first 12 months for eligible new and returning U.S. subscribers and ended December 1, 2025. As of August 18, 2026, no official 2026 version of that offer has been announced in the cited HBO Max or Warner Bros. Discovery material. Black Friday 2026 is November 27, so any repeat remains unconfirmed until HBO Max publishes new terms.
What the 2025 $2.99 deal included
| Detail | Verified 2025 terms |
|---|---|
| Plan | HBO Max Basic with Ads |
| Promotional price | $2.99 per month |
| Duration | First 12 months |
| Regular price cited in the announcement | $10.99 per month |
| Eligibility | Eligible new and returning subscribers |
| Location | United States |
| End date | December 1, 2025 |
| Taxes | Additional applicable taxes |
| Ad-free viewing | Not included |
Warner Bros. Discovery announced the promotion on November 24, 2025. Its official announcement described it as a 70% discount on Basic with Ads. It was a temporary rate, not a new standard subscription price.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Google Play gift code | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Paramount+ $25 eGift Card - Standard | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Amazon eGift Card - Amazon Logo - Classic | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Netflix Physical Gift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Is the $2.99 offer available now?
No. The verified offer expired on December 1, 2025. Do not treat a current deal listing or an old headline as proof that the price is still available. HBO Max has not been cited here as announcing the same promotion for 2026. If a new offer appears, compare the live checkout terms with the 2025 terms rather than assuming the price, duration or eligibility will be identical.
How much did the promotion cost?
Twelve months at $2.99 totaled $35.88 before tax. Using the $10.99 monthly comparison price in the 2025 announcement, 12 months at the regular rate would have totaled $131.88, making the nominal first-year difference $96 before tax. The $2.99 figure should not be confused with the current standard price.
#1 Best Overall
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- New finds, old favorites, one card. Choose a unique gift card design featuring your favorite games or apps. This card can also be used for anything else on Google Play. There’s something for everyone, so find what’s yours. Go Play.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift code, you never have to worry about expiration dates or fees.
HBO Max’s current U.S. direct-billed Basic with Ads listing shows $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year, excluding taxes. Prices can change, and a subscription billed through Apple, Google Play, Roku, Amazon or another partner may display different terms. See the official plan and pricing page for the current listing.
What Basic with Ads gives you
- Full HD (1080p) streaming.
- Two simultaneous streams.
- Access to HBO programming, Max Originals and selected Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, Turner, Looney Tunes, Adult Swim, HGTV, Food Network, TLC and related programming.
- No offline downloads listed for this tier.
The promotion did not include 4K, Dolby Atmos, ad-free viewing, premium-plan download allowances or the higher-tier sports benefits. The exact catalog and feature availability can change, so check the current plan comparison before subscribing.
The advertising trade-off
HBO Max says Basic with Ads carries approximately six minutes of advertising per hour during shows and movies. Ads may run before or during programming and cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded while they play. Promotional trailers for HBO Max titles are separate from commercial breaks, and live events may contain advertising regardless of plan. Details are in HBO Max’s ad-experience guide.
Rank #2
- Watch over 40,000 full episodes on demand from hit series like Survivor, NCIS, Big Brother and more
- Get hooked on subscriber-only originals
- Make every night a movie night with blockbuster hits and fan-favorite films
- To Redeem: Go to paramountplus.com/redeem
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
What happens after the first 12 months?
The discounted period ends after 12 months. Unless you cancel, the subscription can continue at the then-current price under the applicable billing terms. The current direct-billed Basic with Ads listing is $10.99 monthly or $109.99 annually, but future prices are not guaranteed.
- Check the renewal date as soon as you subscribe.
- Save the confirmation email or a screenshot showing the promotional period and renewal terms.
- Set a reminder several weeks before the first full-price renewal.
- Cancel before renewal if the regular price no longer represents good value.
- If another company bills you, cancel through that company rather than assuming an HBO Max website cancellation will stop billing.
HBO Max’s subscription-management guidance explains how to identify the billing provider and check the next billing date.
Who was eligible?
The announcement said “eligible” new and returning subscribers, not every HBO Max account. An active subscription, an existing annual term, a third-party billing relationship, account history or another promotion could affect eligibility. Partner availability also varied. Existing subscribers should verify the offer on the official checkout page instead of creating a duplicate account or canceling an annual plan without checking what happens to the remaining access.
Rank #3
- Amazon.com Gift Cards never expire and carry no fees.
- Multiple gift card designs and denominations to choose from.
- Redeemable towards millions of items store-wide at Amazon.com or certain affiliated websites.
- Available for immediate delivery. Gift cards sent by email can be scheduled up to a year in advance.
- No returns and no refunds on Gift Cards.
Where was the offer available?
Warner Bros. Discovery listed HBO Max’s website, Apple, Google Play, Roku, Samsung, Xumo and additional select partners. Amazon Fire TV was listed for new HBO Max customers only. Direct signup generally makes the displayed eligibility, billing and cancellation information easiest to verify, but availability and terms still depend on the live offer.
How to verify a future Black Friday offer
These steps are for a future promotion; they are not a way to claim the expired 2025 price.
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- Open the official HBO Max website or the provider’s official offer page.
- Confirm that the page explicitly names the price, says Basic with Ads, gives the promotional duration and states the end or renewal terms.
- Read the eligibility language, including whether current, returning or partner-billed subscribers are excluded.
- At checkout, verify the promotional rate, taxes, first billing date and post-promotion price.
- Save the confirmation and set a renewal reminder.
If the promotion does not appear, sign out and revisit the official page, check which company bills the account, review the new-or-returning-subscriber requirement and contact HBO Max support if checkout contradicts the published terms. Do not cancel an existing annual subscription until you know whether access continues through the paid period.
Rank #4
- Unlimited movies, TV shows, and more. Watch anywhere. Cancel anytime.
- Give the gift of entertainment so your friends and family can stream unlimited films and Netflix original series. Whether your loved one already has a Netflix account or they will be creating a new account, they can use a Netflix gift card toward their membership.
- No credit card is required to redeem a gift code.
- Codes are applied to your account as a gift balance. Gift codes can be added to any plan, regardless of the amount.
- Redemption: Online
Is it a good fit?
Choose a deal like this if you
- Want HBO Max for a specific series or film slate.
- Can tolerate roughly six minutes of ads per hour.
- Only need Full HD and two streams.
- Do not need downloads, 4K or Dolby Atmos.
- Will monitor the renewal date.
Skip it if you
- Require ad-free shows and movies.
- Need offline viewing while traveling.
- Want 4K, Dolby Atmos or four simultaneous streams.
- Need the higher-tier live-sports benefits.
- Already receive HBO Max through a phone, internet, television or bundle provider.
- Are likely to forget a full-price renewal.
Current alternatives
Standard and Premium
HBO Max’s current direct-billed comparison lists Standard at $18.49 monthly or $184.99 annually, with two streams, up to 30 downloads and no ads during shows and movies. Premium is $22.99 monthly or $229.99 annually, with four streams (or two for sports), up to 100 downloads and 4K where available. Live events may still contain ads. Confirm current prices and features on the official comparison page.
Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle
The official bundle lists $19.99 per month with ads for Disney+ Basic, Hulu with Ads and HBO Max Basic with Ads, or $32.99 per month without ads for Disney+ Premium, Hulu No Ads and HBO Max Standard. Each service uses its own app and must be activated before streaming. The bundle information page is a better starting point for households that genuinely want all three services; it costs more than the historical HBO Max-only promotion for someone who wants just HBO Max.
Student pricing
HBO Max lists a student rate of $5.49 per month for up to 12 months, subject to U.S. college enrollment verification through UNiDAYS. See the official student information. It is a year-round eligibility-based option, not proof that the Black Friday promotion is active.
Bottom line
The $2.99 HBO Max price was genuine, but it belonged to the U.S. Basic with Ads promotion that ran from November 24 through December 1, 2025. It delivered a very low first-year cost in exchange for advertising, no downloads and entry-level features, followed by renewal at the then-current rate unless canceled. As of August 18, 2026, wait for an official HBO Max announcement before treating any $2.99 Black Friday 2026 claim as real.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
