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3.0

Overall Score

Author: Kaitlyn Short

LAST UPDATED: December 27th, 2023

HBO Now is a stand-alone TV streaming service for people who do not currently pay for cable TV. This is different from HBO Go which is included with a cable TV subscription. Subscribers to HBO Now have unlimited access to all of HBO's content at any time from anywhere. It provides higher quality movies and TV without a cable TV contract. 

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The Good

  • High Quality Movies and TV Series
  • Parental Controls
  • Variety of Devices Available
  • HBO Original Series

High Quality Movies and TV Series

HBO has done a great job of making their past and present content available online. HBO Now currently has over 650 high-quality movies and almost 100 TV series. In addition to an on-demand library of content, HBO Now gives you access to stream live episodes and watch big premieres as they air on TV. Some of HBO's most popular content includes: Big Little Lies, Game of Thrones, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Parental Controls

Parents have the ability to filter new releases, but there are some bugs editing out some of the older television shows and movies.

Variety of Devices Available

HBO Now is available on the following devices:

  • iPad
  • iPhone (iOS app)
  • Apple TV
  • Android phones and tablets
  • Android TV
  • Amazon Fire tablets
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick
  • Web Browser (HBONow.com)
  • Google Chromecast
  • Roku
  • Play Station Four
  • Xbox One

HBO Original Series

In addition to licensed content, HBO Now also has several highly ranked original series. HBO Now has over 125 original series for subscribers to enjoy. These series are exclusive to HBO and will not be available through any other streaming tv service. Overall, HBO Now is a great alternative for someone interested in HBO content but doesn't want to subscribe to cable. It can be streamed on a wide variety of devices and is reasonably priced for high-quality content. Subscribers have unlimited access to all of HBO anywhere (not including all live TV) without a TV provider contract.

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The Bad

  • Price
  • Library Selection and Variety
  • Streaming Issues

Price

HBO Now costs $14.99 per month. This is a little more expensive than other streaming services, but HBO Now offers high quality of movies and TV series.

Library Selection and Variety

With HBO Now, subscribers are only going to get access to HBO-driven content. HBO Now doesn't offer the same high volume as other streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. However, they do offer over 650 movies and almost 100 TV series to choose from.

Streaming Issues

HBO Now is known to have streaming issues at peak times. In some cases, users may have to restart the app, their device, or even uninstall and reinstall the app altogether.

Customer Reviews

HBO Now reviews from customers often report that they had a difficult time canceling their service. Some even say that they got charged for their free trial and that HBO's customer service wasn't helpful in resolving the issue. Other reviewers complain that HBO Now often stops to buffer when you are watching a show. 

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The Bottom Line

If you don't have a current HBO subscription, and you want access to a great deal of HBO content, HBO Now is a great option to satisfy that need. HBO Now is a great way to extend your current cable subscription if you want to drop HBO from your current cable provider. Also, HBO Now can be streamed on a large variety of devices, but the services are not the most competitive if you are looking for a large library of movie options. Though HBO does feature some content that it seems like everyone's talking about, the poor customer reviews speak for themselves. For more information, read some HBO Now customer reviews below. We recommend reviewing the top rated companies before making a final decision.

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Star Rating

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2.1

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217 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

16%

4 grade

11%

3 grade

4%

2 grade

4%

1 grade

65%

Sentiment Criteria

Value

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Quality

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Trustworthiness

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Janet A.N. Hinckley Pismo Beach, CA

Love the sound quality and movie selection. However, every movie we watch on this app buffers several times througgout movie. Very disruptive. Would have canceled if we didn't get refund. PLEASE FIX STREAMING QUALITY. We will cancel if not resolved soon.

7 years ago

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Chloe Magleby Provo, UT

I only had HBO Now for the free month trial but I thought it was way too expensive for what it is worth. I would pay a way smaller amounth like I do for hulu or other streaming services but this one isnt worth it.

6 years ago

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Michael Omaha, NE

$14 a month is a little high for just non live shows, the best would be shows they show live but you have to wait a day to see those!

9 years ago

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Dasha Directo Provo, UT

HBO has a wide variety of movies that you can access when you pay for it. All the HBO television series are available too, so there's always something to watch.

6 years ago

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G M Houston, TX

Expensive and has a terrible sci-fi/fantasy selection. Will turn off as soon as my broken leg heals.

3 years ago

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Shawn American Fork, UT

Not the easiest App to use. I think it’s getting there. I want to watch GOT on there and it is tough to get to. Too many steps.

6 years ago

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Autumn Kallunki Provo, UT

I love HBO and they have great movies available. I typically enjoy the movie selection compared to Netflix

6 years ago

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Shari Evers Lehi, UT

I feel like HBO now is just a teaser to what's really available out there. Needs more viewing options!

6 years ago