These two streaming services are not a bundle yet — but a corporate mega-merger is actively in progress that could change everything. Right now, Paramount+ starts at $8.99/month and Max starts at $10.99/month. Together at full price that’s $24.98/month — but third-party bundles through YouTube TV and others bring it down significantly. Here is every confirmed price, what’s exclusive to each, how the merger changes things, and exactly who should subscribe to which.
–2027Earliest estimate for a single combined app
Key Answers — What People Are Actually Asking
We spent time with both apps across multiple devices and tracked every pricing move since January. The questions below reflect what comes up constantly — especially around the merger, bundling options, and whether paying for two services at once makes financial sense.
No official direct bundle between Paramount+ and Max exists yet through either company’s own website. The two services are separately owned and still in the process of a corporate merger that hasn’t closed. However, YouTube TV’s Entertainment Plus add-on packages Max, Paramount+ (with Showtime), and Starz together for $29.99/month — saving roughly $14.50 versus buying each separately at their standard prices. That is the closest thing to an official combined offering available in the U.S. right now.
Yes — the intent has been publicly confirmed by Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, who said on an investor call in March 2026 that the plan is to “put the two services together.” The combined platform would have over 200 million subscribers and would include content from HBO, Discovery, Paramount, CBS, Showtime, and more. However, the corporate deal closing (which must come first) has been delayed by U.S. state antitrust litigation. As of October 2026, no confirmed date exists for either app to go away or for a single combined service to launch. Late 2026 or early 2027 is the most realistic window industry observers cite — and even that assumes the deal closes cleanly.
Paramount+ is the cheaper of the two at every tier. Its ad-supported Essential plan is $8.99/month versus Max’s $10.99/month with ads. At the ad-free level, Paramount+ Premium runs $13.99/month while Max Ad-Free is $17.99/month. The gap widens further at the top tier: Max Ultimate Ad-Free (4K, four streams, Dolby Atmos) costs $22.99/month and has no Paramount+ equivalent. Paramount+ did raise prices $1 across both plans in January 2026 — its third consecutive year of increases — but it remains one of the most competitively priced major streamers in the U.S.
In our experience testing both, the content libraries overlap very little — which actually makes adding the second service feel more justified than, say, stacking two similar services. If you have Max and already watch The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, and The White Lotus, Paramount+ fills a completely different gap: live CBS sports, NFL on CBS, Star Trek, South Park, Taylor Sheridan dramas like Yellowstone and 1923, and UFC (new in 2026). Conversely, if you have Paramount+ and want prestige dramas with genuine HBO-caliber production, adding Max makes sense. The question is whether $22–27 per month for both ad-free plans fits your budget — or whether the YouTube TV Entertainment Plus add-on is the smarter math if you pay for live TV anyway.
Yes. Paramount+ Premium — the $13.99/month ad-free tier — includes the entire Showtime content library as part of the standard subscription. This was folded in after Paramount shut down the Showtime standalone app. Shows like Billions, Yellowjackets, Dexter, and the full Showtime back catalog are now included with Paramount+ Premium at no additional charge. The lower-cost Essential plan ($8.99/month with ads) does not include Showtime content. So “Paramount+ with Showtime” is effectively just the Premium tier marketed under a different name.
Max offers 4K UHD streaming — but only on its top-tier Ultimate Ad-Free plan at $22.99/month. The standard Ad-Free tier maxes out at 1080p Full HD. Paramount+ supports 4K for select titles on its Premium tier, though its 4K catalog is considerably smaller than Max’s. If 4K is a priority for you, Max Ultimate is the more compelling option — but you’re paying a significant premium for it. In our testing across a 4K OLED display, Max’s 4K titles (including select HBO originals and Warner Bros. films) looked noticeably sharper than comparable Paramount+ streams, though Paramount+ sports content held up well in 1080p.
Almost certainly yes — eventually. Industry analysts at Parrot Analytics noted in March 2026 that a combined Max/Paramount+ service with 85% of Netflix’s total demand catalog would realistically price around $17–20/month to compete with Netflix Standard. A $19.99/month bundled ad-supported price was floated in Hub Entertainment Research’s June 2026 consumer study, and nearly a quarter of surveyed consumers said they’d find that “a lot more valuable” than two separate subscriptions. The silver lining: if you’re already paying for both services separately at full price ($22.98/month combined at the ad-supported tier), a consolidated service at $19.99 would actually be a savings.
Walmart+ members can get Paramount+ Essential (ad-supported) included in their $12.95/month Walmart+ membership — making it effectively free if you already subscribe for the grocery and shipping benefits. Paramount+ has historically offered 7-day free trials; check the current status at paramountplus.com since trial availability has been changing. For Max, Verizon, AT&T, and other carriers have offered Max at a discount or included with premium wireless plans — check your carrier account. Max does not typically offer a standalone free trial for new subscribers, though promotional access through cable providers has been available.
Current Prices — Both Services, Every Tier
Both services raised prices in 2026. Here is what each tier actually costs right now, what you get, and how the math works when you pay for both.
Premium (ad-free + Showtime): $13.99/mo · $139.99/yr
Raised $1/tier in Jan 2026
Ad-Free: $17.99/mo · $179.99/yr
Ultimate Ad-Free (4K): $22.99/mo · $229.99/yr
If you subscribe to YouTube TV (base plan $72.99/month), the Entertainment Plus add-on packages Max, Paramount+ with Showtime, and Starz together for $29.99/month. Bought separately, Max Ad-Free ($17.99) + Paramount+ Premium ($13.99) + Starz ($9.99) would total $41.97/month — a savings of roughly $12/month through the bundle. This is the closest available combination to a Paramount+/Max bundle without waiting for the corporate merger to close.
If you subscribe to both services without bundling: Paramount+ Essential ($8.99) + Max With Ads ($10.99) = $19.98/month. For both ad-free tiers: Paramount+ Premium ($13.99) + Max Ad-Free ($17.99) = $31.98/month. For the top tier Max + Paramount+ Premium: $22.99 + $13.99 = $36.98/month. Annual billing saves roughly 15–17% across both services — at the ad-free tier, annual billing brings both down to approximately $26.65/month combined.
Side-by-Side — Every Feature That Matters
The two services differ more than most people realize — not just in price, but in what you can do with the subscription. Here is how every meaningful feature stacks up.
| Feature | Paramount+ | Max (HBO) |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-supported entry price | $8.99/mo | $10.99/mo |
| Ad-free price | $13.99/mo (includes Showtime) | $17.99/mo |
| 4K UHD streaming | Select titles on Premium | ✅ Full 4K on Ultimate tier only ($22.99/mo) |
| Simultaneous streams | 3 streams (Premium) | 2 streams (Ad-Free); 4 streams (Ultimate) |
| Offline downloads | ✅ On Premium tier | ✅ 30 downloads (Ad-Free); 100 (Ultimate) |
| Live CBS / local TV | ✅ Yes — live CBS included | ❌ No live broadcast TV |
| Live sports | NFL on CBS, Masters golf, March Madness, UFC (new 2026), Champions League | Some sports via B/R Sports add-on; no major live leagues |
| Showtime content | ✅ Included in Premium | ❌ Not included |
| HBO originals | ❌ Not available | ✅ Full library — House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession, etc. |
| Warner Bros. films | ❌ Not included | ✅ Day-and-date theatrical releases |
| Kids content | PAW Patrol, Clifford, SpongeBob, Nick Jr. | Looney Tunes, DC animated, Cartoon Network, LEGO |
| Reality / unscripted | Survivor, Love Island, The Challenge | 90 Day Fiancé, Discovery content, CNN Max |
| Dolby Atmos audio | Select titles | ✅ On Ultimate tier |
| Walmart+ included | ✅ Paramount+ Essential free with Walmart+ | ❌ Not included with Walmart+ |
| Merger status | Combined app planned; no confirmed launch date as of October 2026 | |
What’s Actually on Each — Content That Makes the Subscription Worth It
The most practical question isn’t which service is “better” — it’s which one has the shows your household will actually watch. These are the titles driving subscriptions and search traffic on each platform right now.
Paramount+ built its identity on two things traditional streaming services couldn’t offer: live CBS including NFL games, and a deep bench of Taylor Sheridan universe dramas. Yellowstone concluded but Dutton Ranch (now streaming), 1923, and multiple other Sheridan-produced series keep that audience locked in. Star Trek fans have nowhere else to go for Strange New Worlds and new Trek series. South Park’s full catalog sits here exclusively. UFC events are now exclusively on Paramount+ after a landmark seven-year, $7.7 billion deal announced in 2026 — a meaningful addition for fight fans who previously paid $80+ per PPV event.
On the film side, Paramount Pictures releases — Top Gun: Maverick, the Mission: Impossible franchise, Transformers, A Quiet Place, and Sonic the Hedgehog — stream here first. The Showtime library folded into Premium adds Billions, Yellowjackets, Dexter: New Blood, and extensive prestige cable drama going back decades. In our experience browsing both platforms regularly, Paramount+ tends to do better with sports-adjacent households and families who want Nick Jr. content alongside adult drama.
Max’s value proposition is concentrated and unambiguous: HBO originals are the reason to subscribe, and nothing else in streaming matches the density of prestige television here. The Last of Us delivered what is widely considered the best video game adaptation in history, with Season 2 landing in 2025 and Season 3 in development. House of the Dragon Season 3 was in its pipeline heading into late 2026. The White Lotus Season 3 (set in Thailand) continued the anthology’s run as one of the most discussed shows on any platform.
Beyond the flagship prestige dramas, Max holds all of Warner Bros.’ theatrical output with day-and-date streaming windows, the full DC Universe film library, all Studio Ghibli films (a unique exclusive in U.S. streaming), and the deep cable library from Turner networks — The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City, Game of Thrones, Curb Your Enthusiasm. Discovery content including wildlife documentaries and reality programming rounded out by CNN Max round out a library that is wide but clearly peaks in high-budget original drama. We found Max to be a stronger choice for households where at least one person actively follows prestige TV or film releases.
Find Your Situation
It depends entirely on what you watch. If live sports (especially NFL), reality TV, family content, or Taylor Sheridan dramas are your household’s priority, Paramount+ Essential at $8.99/month is the better starting point — and if you have Walmart+, you already have it included. If prestige dramas, HBO originals, Warner Bros. movies, or Ghibli films are what you actually sit down to watch, Max is the stronger pick despite costing $2 more per month at the entry tier. Most households we’ve observed default to the one that has the show they’re actively watching — and plan to add the other when a specific show launches. That’s not a bad strategy given the merger timeline.
For most active streamers: yes, easily. The YouTube TV Entertainment Plus add-on at $29.99/month gives you Max, Paramount+ with Showtime, and Starz in a single line item on your bill. Buying those three services separately at their ad-free prices — Max Ad-Free ($17.99) + Paramount+ Premium ($13.99) + Starz ($9.99) — totals $41.97/month. The bundle saves you roughly $12/month, or $144 per year. In our testing, the integration within YouTube TV also makes it easier to discover content across services without switching apps constantly. If you have YouTube TV and don’t have this add-on, it’s the simplest way to get both services at a meaningful discount without waiting for the merger.
The honest answer: the merger timeline is genuinely uncertain. State antitrust litigation was ongoing as of October 2026, and even after any corporate deal closes, building a consumer-facing combined app takes additional months. If you’re comfortably using both services and the combined cost fits your budget, there’s no strong reason to cancel one waiting for a combined product that doesn’t have a confirmed date. If the combined monthly bill feels like too much, consider annual billing for whichever you use more — saving 15–17% — and rotating the second service in during specific release windows (new House of the Dragon season → add Max for two months; new Star Trek season → add Paramount+ for two months). This approach costs more attention but less money over a year.
Start with the Walmart+ angle: if you or anyone in your household already has a Walmart+ membership ($12.95/month), Paramount+ Essential is included at no extra cost — that’s live CBS, NFL games, and the full Paramount+ ad-supported library. For Max access at the lowest price, check your wireless carrier — Verizon, AT&T, and others have offered discounted or included Max tiers with premium wireless plans. If you have neither, Paramount+ Essential at $8.99/month has the broader live content library for the lower price. Max has no comparable ad-supported entry point that comes close in live or sports content, but at $10.99/month its ad-supported tier gives you HBO’s entire on-demand library, which is substantial value for the price.
For younger kids, Paramount+ wins clearly. PAW Patrol, Clifford the Big Red Dog, SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, Blue’s Clues, and the full Nickelodeon library live here — making it the default for households with kids under 10. Max has the full Cartoon Network back catalog, DC animated series, and LEGO content, which trends older (8–14 range). For households where adults and kids share a subscription, Paramount+ Premium covers more ground — it handles younger children’s content, live sports for adults, and Showtime dramas after bedtime. Max is better as a second service when kids are old enough for adventure or superhero animation.
The Merger — What’s Confirmed, What Isn’t
The Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is one of the largest media deals in history and would directly determine the future of both streaming services. Here is what’s been publicly confirmed and what remains open.
On February 27, 2026, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery formally announced the acquisition deal. WBD shareholders approved it in April 2026. Paramount CEO David Ellison confirmed in a March 2026 investor call that the intent is to merge Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming platform. The combined entity would have over 200 million direct-to-consumer subscribers globally — directly competing with Netflix’s approximately 300–325 million. HBO would “operate with independence” within the combined platform, per Ellison’s statements. The expected deal value is in the range of $108 billion.
No confirmed date exists for corporate deal close. U.S. state antitrust litigation caused delays as of July 2026, and the parties agreed to push back the closing timeline. There is no confirmed combined app launch date — the September 30, 2026 date that circulated online refers to a merger agreement milestone, not a streaming app launch. No pricing has been announced for a future combined service. It is not confirmed whether both existing apps will continue separately as distinct tiles within a combined product (similar to Disney+ and Hulu within Disney’s ecosystem), or whether one brand will absorb the other completely.
If the deal completes and the services are fully integrated, the combined catalog would include: HBO originals (The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, Succession, The Sopranos, The Wire), Warner Bros. theatrical output, DC Universe films, Studio Ghibli, Discovery content (Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Animal Planet), CNN Max, Paramount Pictures films, CBS programming with live local TV, the Taylor Sheridan universe (Yellowstone, 1923, Dutton Ranch), Star Trek franchise, South Park, Showtime original library (Billions, Yellowjackets), Nickelodeon / Nick Jr. kids content, and UFC live events. Industry analysts noted the combined catalog as of early 2026 represented 85% of the total content demand of the Disney+/Hulu/Max bundle — a figure that compares favorably with Netflix’s reach.
Prices and features verified as of October 2026. Paramount+ pricing sourced from paramountplus.com — Essential at $8.99/month and Premium at $13.99/month following the January 2026 price increase. Max pricing sourced from max.com — With Ads at $10.99/month, Ad-Free at $17.99/month, Ultimate Ad-Free at $22.99/month. YouTube TV Entertainment Plus pricing sourced from tv.youtube.com. Merger details sourced from Paramount Skydance investor calls (March 2026), Variety, Engadget, Tom’s Guide, and Hub Entertainment Research’s “Rumble in the Bundle” report (June 2026). Content demand data from Parrot Analytics (March 2026). All prices subject to change. This page is independent and not affiliated with Paramount+, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, or Skydance.
Key sources: paramountplus.com · max.com · variety.com · parrotanalytics.com · engadget.com