If you’d heard the news that Wonder Woman 1984 was landing on HBO Max the same day as theaters, you might have considered signing up for the one-week free trial and then canceling your membership.
Unfortunately, that’s no longer possible. HBO Max have removed its free trials, meaning you need to becoming a paying member if you want to access any of its content.
HBO Max Remove Free Trials
Free trials have long been a staple of the streaming world, but HBO Max are the latest company to remove it.
You could previously sign up for a one-week free trial, which gave you full access to the HBO Max catalog. Now, that’s no longer possible, and there’s no way to test the service before buying.
In speaking to CNET, HBO Max confirmed that the free trial offer has finished. In a brief statement, the company said:
We frequently update and iterate our offers to provide flexible ways for potential subscribers to access all that HBO Max has to offer.
Of course, it’s no coincidence that free trials have been removed only weeks before Wonder Woman 1984 is due to land on HBO Max.
Wonder Woman 1984 is the much-anticipated sequel starring Gal Gadot in the titular role. Originally the film was due to launch only in movie theaters, but the coronavirus pandemic caused it to be delayed constantly.
Eventually, distributor Warner Bros. have relented and chosen to launch it simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, a streaming service it owns through AT&T.
Not only are HBO Max are banking on Wonder Woman 1984 being a big draw, but Warner Bros. recently announced that its entire 2021 slate of films will be debuting on HBO Max the same day as theaters. Removing free trials stops people signing up just to watch a big release film and then ditching.
Have Other Services Removed Free Trials?
HBO Max aren’t the first to remove free trials, as Netflix and Disney+ both removed the offer in 2020.
While Netflix does still offer ways to watch some content for free, the 30-day free trial that had been long available came to a close.
Disney+ also removed its free trial, just a few weeks before Hamilton came to the service. In the five-week period after that, three million new members signed up—chances are, a good number of those would have taken a free trial and then walked away.
If you’re looking for a streaming service that offers a free trial, there’s still lots available for you: Peacock, Hulu, and Shudder to name a few.
