Pluto TV vs HBO Max
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pluto TV
Stream thousands of free movies and TV shows on demand, plus live channels for news, sports, and entertainment. Enjoy a vast library of content across various genres, all accessible on any device without any cost.
- Free live TV streaming channels
- Thousands of free movies and TV shows
- Local and national news updates
- Live sports coverage
- On-demand content
- Personalized Favorites List
- Kids Mode profile
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Zillions of movies & shows for free is what you get when you download Pluto TV. Get the app and watch movies and shows on demand at your pace, or flip to live TV for news, sports, and exclusive channels. No wonder Pluto TV is the best free streaming entertainment app. Stream now. Pay never. Your free premium streaming experience has your favorite entertainment anytime, anywhere, on any device. Revisit the movies you grew up with, or finally get around to the classics you've been meaning to watch. Less work. More TV. Watch what you want, when you want. Pluto TV's on-demand library gives you instant access to blockbuster films, binge-worthy shows, and hidden gems, at no cost. Prefer the feel of real TV? Pluto TV has that too. Flip to free live TV anytime with hundreds of channels — no antenna, no cable box required: - Exclusive free channels covering sports, crime, comedy, anime, and more. - Breaking news and local headlines, around the clock. - Live sports including UFC, NFL, NBA, MLB, and classic games. - New channels added regularly, so there's always something on. Something for every mood. Browse thousands of hours of entertainment across: - Action - Anime - Comedy - True Crime - Sci-Fi - Reality - Romance & Drama - Sports - Family Favorites Check back often so you don’t miss the new movies and TV shows we add to our library daily. Free streaming for TV networks and top content providers, including: - Paramount - NFL - BET - CBS - Comedy Central - MTV - NBC - Nickelodeon - SHOWTIME - And more! Life doesn't pause, and neither does Pluto TV. Whether you're on a long commute, winding down after a long day, or just filling the background, the app is ready for your every moment. Free movies and live TV in your pocket, always ready — no subscription required. Built for how you actually watch: - Save live TV channels to a personalized Favorites list. - Add movies and shows to your Watchlist to find them fast. - Browse curated hubs to discover your next watch without the scroll. - Pick up exactly where you left off, on any device when you register for free. Watch & stream all your favorite free movies, live TV shows and video on demand everywhere, 100% free and legal. Download the Pluto TV app today, and watch like everyone is watching.
HBO Max
Stream thousands of popular TV shows and movies from HBO, DC, and more. Enjoy exclusive award-winning series, family-friendly entertainment, and live sports. Download content for offline viewing and create personalized profiles for the whole household.
- Thousands of TV shows and movies
- Exclusive award-winning series
- Live sports streaming
- Offline downloads
- Personalized household profiles
- Multiview live sports
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The most talked about shows and movies featuring the worlds of HBO, the DC Universe, Adult Swim, A24, and beyond. With HBO Max you'll get: • Access to thousands of TV shows and movies. • Exclusive, award-winning series that everyone's talking about — like the HBO Originals The Last of Us, Succession, The White Lotus, and House of the Dragon. • The latest hits from HBO, Harry Potter, DC, Warner Bros., ID, Adult Swim, A24, and more. • Stream select live sports from your favorite leagues and teams. Availability varies by plan and by subscription provider. • Iconic favorite TV shows like Friends, Rick and Morty, Gossip Girl, 90 Day Fiancé, Looney Tunes, and more. • Family-friendly entertainment for the whole household. • Fascinating documentaries and true crime series. Features: • Enjoy your favorite shows and movies at home or on the go. HBO Max is available on select TV, web browser, mobile, tablet, and gaming console devices. • Catch even more sports action with the live Multiview experience — stream up to 3 games at once during select events. • Browse or search with ease across HBO, movies, series, genres, and brands. • Download shows and movies you love to watch on the go with select plans. (Download limits vary by plan.) • Personalized profiles for the entire household with customizable ratings, profile PIN protection, and kid-proof exit. • Pick up episodes and movies where you left off across your favorite devices. • Keep up with everything you love, all in one place with My Stuff. • Watch on multiple devices at the same time. (Limits vary by plan.) • Stream with high-quality video and surround sound on select plans. Content and feature availability on HBO Max may vary by region. Some titles and features shown above may not be available in your country. Language availability varies by country. You can manage or cancel your subscription by visiting Settings > Subscriptions in your HBO Max account. HBO Max is only available in certain territories. Purposes disclosed in the App Privacy label may vary based on features or services that may not be available in all regions. HBO Max is only available in certain territories. Terms of Use: https://hbomax.com/terms-of-use
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Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pluto TV at none against HBO Max's 12. HBO Max's advantage is chart position (#4 vs #32) and ratings volume (5.7M vs 1.6M). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. HBO Max sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Pluto TV asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Pluto TV against 4.9 for HBO Max. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6M and 5.7M respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Pluto TV's written reviews are positive against 60% of HBO Max's.
Pluto TV ships an update every 2 weeks, HBO Max fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Pluto TV | HBO Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.6M ratings) | 4.9 (5.7M ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 54.0% of reviews | 60.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.6M | 5.7M — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #32 | #4 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 127 MB | 243 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Pluto.tv | WarnerMedia Global Digital Services, LLC |
Customer experience
Pluto TV
HBO Max
User reviews
Pluto TV
From 1.6M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎉 Excellent free streaming service
- 👍 Wide variety of content
- 🕰️ Retro TV shows and movies
- 💻 Easy to use app
- 🔍 Diverse channel selection
Room to improve
- 🔁 Repetitive ads and content
- 🔀 Inconsistent episode order and continuity
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 🔧 Technical issues like freezing and buffering
- 📺 Limited live TV controls (pause, rewind, etc.)
HBO Max
From 5.7M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 🔍 Extensive content library
- 👍 Intuitive navigation
- 🤩 Improved user experience
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔀 Disorganized content navigation
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🔒 Login and account issues
Bugs and requests
Pluto TV
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes and freezes
- Playback issues with rewinding and skipping
- Inconsistent channel and episode order
- Syncing problems between app and Chromecast
- Unreliable live TV streaming
Requested features
6 requests- Add more recent and popular TV shows and movies
- Implement search and better navigation
- Improve live TV controls and playback
- Reduce repetitive ads and content
- Expand international and foreign language content
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- Add user accounts and customization options
HBO Max
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to resume playback from last watched position
- Subtitles not syncing properly during ad breaks
- Rewind and fast-forward functionality not working as expected
- Streaming freezes and playback issues during commercials
Requested features
4 requests- Restore custom profile pictures
- Improve search and filtering options
- Add native Apple TV integration
- Provide more granular content organization
In-app purchases
Pluto TV
No in-app purchases
HBO Max
- Standard Monthly$5.991 Month
- Basic With Ads Monthly2 variants$10.991 Month
- Standard Monthly2 variants$18.491 Month
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Premium Monthly$22.991 Month
- Max With Ads Yearly$99.991 Year
- Basic With Ads Yearly$109.991 Year
- Standard Yearly3 variants$184.991 Year
- Premium Yearly$229.991 Year
