HBO Max has become the fastest streamer to surpass 1m UK subscribers after hitting the figure in less than a week in operation, according to data from Ampere Analysis.
The flagship Warner Bros Discovery hit 1.5m subs in its first five days since launching in the country, Ampere said, basing its data on scaled estimates of sign-ups and service activations.
Ampere predicts there will be further significant growth for the streamer, “particularly driven by TNT Sports content”, which is available on the service.
The data shows that Sky, with whom WBD has had a long-standing partnership which was refreshed in late 2024, has proved central to early HBO Max sign-ups, with 77% of activations coming from existing Sky or Now TV households. Historically, the pay-TV giant had exclusive rights to HBO content and portions of WBD’s film library in the UK and Ireland and though this has ended, Sky remains a key partner.
Ampere has forecast HBO Max will hit six million activated subscribers in the UK by the end of 2026, making it the fourth-largest streaming service in the country.
HBO Max launched carrying key HBO and WBD titles such as breakout medical drama The Pitt, Euphoria, Friends and Game of Thrones, and will be the home of the upcoming Harry Potter TV series. It has four tiers which begin at basic with ads at £4.99 a month and extends to premium at £14.99.
Around 12% of HBO Max subscribers cancelled at least one service in March prior to signing up, mostly from fellow streaming competitors rather than Sky and Now, according to the data. Instead, Disney+ and Prime Video accounted for the largest share of switching at 36% and 17% respectively.
“HBO Max is experiencing strong early uptake,” said Ampere senior analyst Mayssa Jamil. “Most users are adding it to their existing mix of streaming services rather than replacing other subscriptions.
“Switching activity remains relatively limited, suggesting this is largely incremental growth rather than substitution. At the same time, Sky’s bundling strategy is reinforcing its continued role as a key distribution partner and is serving as a template for how pay TV operators can stabilise their customer bases in an era of cord cutting.”