Max vs. Disney Plus: What's the Difference?

Choosing between Disney Plus and Max (formerly HBO Max) will mostly come down to who will be watching. Both have great content catalogs, but Disney has the edge on what would be family-friendly. There could be more to it for you, however, so we'll look at both services to help you decide.

Overall Findings

Disney Plus starts at a lower price and is quite family-friendly. Max costs more, but thanks to its HBO history, it has a huge catalog of originals (much of which is not particularly great for kids).

Both services support several platforms and different devices as well as 4K/HDR streaming and Dolby Atmos (although this doesn't apply to all content on either service). However, you will end up paying twice the price for Max as you will for Disney Plus. All told, there are strong reasons to consider either service, but what you opt for will come down to what you want personally.

Pricing: Very Cheap or Rather Expensive

As with content, Disney Plus and Max exist on the extremes of the market. Max is one of the most expensive streaming services charging $20 a month. At the same time, Disney Plus is arguably the best streaming deal, starting at just $10 a month. You can get a bundle of ad-free Disney Plus, ad-free Hulu, and ESPN Plus for $20. If pricing is your main criterion, Disney Plus is the winner.

Catalog: Robust Niche or Big Variety

While Max is the more expensive service, you get a streaming library with far more variety than Disney Plus. Not only will you enjoy critically-acclaimed HBO exclusive shows and movies, but there's a much bigger difference in the types of films offered. Max has blockbusters to indie joints, and TV shows in its catalog such that just about everyone in your household can find something to their taste.

On the other hand, Disney Plus is much more focused on building out a specific niche. If you like Marvel, Star Wars, or Disney movies and shows in general, there's tons of love on Disney Plus, but if you're more of a DC fan or prefer something grittier and more adult, you're going to struggle to find a huge swath of different things to watch.

Features: Very Similar Setup for Both

In general, Max and Disney Plus offer a familiar suite of features you'd likely expect from mainstream streaming services. For one, you can stream in up to 4K/HDR/Dolby Atmos, depending on your chosen content and your subscription tier with Max. You also get a large variety of device support across both services, so you can watch however you want.

Max allows you to stream on multiple screens simultaneously, going up to four screens simultaneously with its premium $19.99/month subscription tier. In contrast, Disney Plus allows you to watch on up to four simultaneous screens regardless of your subscription tier. As you might expect, both services let you create user profiles for different folks in a household, too.

Unfortunately, neither service offers a free trial to try before you buy; however, Disney Plus has offered free trials in the past, so there may be one again someday. Max and Disney Plus have around the same features, but the ability to bundle Hulu and ESPN Plus with Disney Plus certainly gives you a ton of extra value and versatility.

Final Verdict: What Do You Want to Watch?

Comparing Disney Plus and Max is a study in contrast: Sure, their functionality is similar, but their content and cost couldn't be more different.

In a way, it makes choosing straightforward. If you're looking for a cheap, family-friendly streaming service you can also bundle with other subscriptions like Hulu and ESPN, Disney Plus is an excellent choice. However, Max will offer you significantly more variety if you don't mind spending a little more or don't particularly care for the Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars universes.