HBO offers Subscriber Video On Demand (SVOD) services in select countries, causing ripples in the entertainment scene with a competitive user experience.
So, whether you are a movie buff, content creator, journalist, movie producer, or a movie business owner, this HBO statistics and facts piece will shed more light on one of the fastest-growing video streaming platforms.
Top 9 HBO Statistics (Editor’s Pick)
- In 2021, 6% of American users preferred using HBO Max to watch TV, series, and movies.
- In 2022, HBO Max had 92.8 million subscribers.
- In 2021, 18% of Danes used HBO Nordic to watch TV and movies.
- In 2022, 11% of Americans with ad-supported HBO Max subscriptions were “very annoyed” by the commercials.
- 92% of ad-supported HBO Max subscribers were satisfied with the platform.
- HBO Max was expected to add 13.8 million new subscribers to its platform by the end of 2022.
- HBO Max/Discovery+ generated a $10.54 Annual Revenue Per User (ARPU) in the US in 2022.
- In 2021, HBO Max made $7.72 billion in subscription revenue.
- The global demand for original HBO max programming was 6.7% in 2022 Q1.
Infographic
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/hbo-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/top-9-hbo-statistics.png" alt="Top 9 HBO Statistics" width="768" border="0" height="1048.96" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/top-9-hbo-statistics-768x1049.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/top-9-hbo-statistics-220x300.png 220w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/top-9-hbo-statistics-750x1024.png 750w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/top-9-hbo-statistics-1125x1536.png 1125w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/top-9-hbo-statistics.png 1200w" sizes="auto"></a>
Key HBO Statistics
1. In 2022, HBO Max had 92.8 million subscribers.
This was a 13.7 million subscriber increase from the 79.1 million HBO Max subscribers in 2021. The number of subscribers is expected to reach 106.1 million in 2023, 114.7 million by 2024, and 122.8 million by 2025.
2. HBO Max was officially launched on May 27, 2020.
The digital streaming service from WarnerMedia debuted with 10,000 hours of content at a $14.99 monthly subscription.
3. HBO Max is available in 74 countries as of January 2023.
This includes 29 European countries, 19 in Latin America, 19 in the Caribbean, and 7 in North America.
4. The HBO Max catalog contained 2,139 movies as of May 2021.
That is in addition to the 1,490 TV shows on the streaming network.
HBO Usage Statistics
5. 24.9% of Americans watched HBO Max in 2021.
In contrast, 62.6% of Americans watched Netflix, 54.2% watched Amazon Prime, and 44% watched YouTube.
Here is the full breakdown of US streaming platforms by usage in 2021.
| Streaming Platform | % of American Users |
|---|---|
| Netflix | 62.6% |
| Amazon Prime | 54.2% |
| YouTube | 44% |
| Hulu | 34.3% |
| Disneyplus | 25.3% |
| HBO Max | 24.9% |
6. HBO Max usage in the US increased significantly between 2020-2021.
HBO Max usage in the USA stood at 18% in 2020, rising to 31% in 2021.
7. HBO Max was the 4th most downloaded mobile app in Q1 2022.
The HBO Max app was downloaded over 11 million times in the US compared to Tiktok (around 19 million downloads) and YouTube (almost 12 million downloads).
8. HBO Max was the 12th most downloaded US Google Play Store app in Q1 2022.
HBO Max app downloads on the Google play store in the US were around 2.5 million, better than Netflix (just over 2 million) but lower than Disney+ (almost 3 million).
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/hbo-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-downloads-ranking.png" alt="HBO Max as 12th Most Downloaded App on US Google Play Store" width="768" border="0" height="284.89470061941" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-downloads-ranking-768x285.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-downloads-ranking-300x111.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-downloads-ranking-1024x380.png 1024w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-downloads-ranking.png 1453w" sizes="auto"></a>
9. In 2021, 6% of American users preferred HBO Max to watch TV, series, and movies.
In contrast, 38% and 17% of Americans preferred Netflix and Amazon Prime, respectively.
10. In 2021, 29% of American internet users had an HBO Max subscription.
Conversely, 64% and 62% of US internet users had Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions, respectively.
Here is a breakdown of the US video streaming platform penetration among internet users in 2021.
| Streaming Service | Penetration |
|---|---|
| Netflix | 64% |
| Amazon Prime Video | 62% |
| Hulu | 42% |
| Disney+ | 41% |
| HBO Max | 29% |
11. In May 2021, 17% of American streamers spent their movie/show-streaming time on HBO Max.
That is compared to 13% in April 2021 and 8% in February or March 2021.
12. In Q1 2022, the HBO Max app was the 3rd most downloaded app in the US Apple App Store.
HBO Max downloads on the Apple App store in the US exceeded 8 million, with the bulk of downloads (slightly less than 8 million) coming from iPhones.
13. Americans spent 1% of their TV time on HBO Max in April 2022.
During the reporting period, Netflix was the most popular, capturing 6.6% of Americans’ total TV time, while YouTube was second (6.1%).
HBO Demographic Statistics
14. In 2021, 18% of Danes used HBO Nordic* to watch TV and movies.
This dropped from 19% of Danish HBO Nordic users in 2020 or 28% who used HBO Nordic for TV and movie streaming in 2019.
* HBO Nordic has now been modified into HBO Max.
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/hbo-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/danes-using-hbo-nordic.png" alt="HBO Nordic Usage Among Danes" width="768" border="0" height="384.89614935823" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/danes-using-hbo-nordic-768x385.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/danes-using-hbo-nordic-300x150.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/danes-using-hbo-nordic-1024x513.png 1024w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/danes-using-hbo-nordic-1536x770.png 1536w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/danes-using-hbo-nordic.png 1714w" sizes="auto"></a>
15. 2% of Danes preferred using HBO Nordic over other streaming platforms in 2021.
Additional data showed that Netflix (44%) was the most preferred video streaming platform in Denmark, followed by TV 2 Play (10%), Viaplay (10%), and DR TV (8%).
16. In 2021, 16% of Danish internet users had an HBO Nordic subscription.
In contrast, 49% of Danish netizens subscribed to Netflix, while 31% chose TV 2 Play. A further 27% and 23% of Danish online users had Viaplay and Disney+ subscriptions, pushing HBO Nordic into fifth place.
17. 19% of Swedes used HBO Nordic to watch TV and stream movies in 2021.
This was lower than the 21% and 27% of Swedes who used HBO Nordic to watch TV and movies in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
18. 16% of the Swedish online audience subscribed to HBO Nordic in 2021.
That compared to the 58% and 30% of Sweden’s internet population who used Netflix and Viaplay, respectively. A further 26% used C More, while 22% had a Disney+ subscription.
19. In 2021, 2% of Swedes preferred HBO Nordic for their movie and TV streaming needs.
In comparison, 45% of Swedes preferred streaming on Netflix, while 10% found a home on SVT Play.
20. HBO Nordic was Norway's 7th most popular TV and movie streaming platform in 2021.
26% of Norwegians used HBO Nordic in 2021, compared to 29% in 2020 and 34% in 2019. Conversely, Netflix (76%) was Norway’s most popular streaming platform during the reporting period.
21. 22% of Norwegian internet users subscribed to HBO Nordic in 2021.
In comparison, 59% had a Netflix account, while 24% subscribed to Viaplay.
Another 22% subscribed to Disney+ and TV2 Play each to match with HBO Nordic.
22. In 2021, 4% of Norwegians preferred HBO Nordic over other streaming platforms.
In comparison, 46% of Norwegians preferred using Netflix, while 10% watched NRK TV. The data further revealed that 7% and 6% of Norwegians preferred using Viaplay and TV2 Play.
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/hbo-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/streaming-platforms-norway.png" alt="Preferred Streaming Platforms in Norway" width="768" border="0" height="477.19953325554" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/streaming-platforms-norway-768x477.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/streaming-platforms-norway-300x186.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/streaming-platforms-norway-1024x636.png 1024w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/streaming-platforms-norway-1536x954.png 1536w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/streaming-platforms-norway.png 1714w" sizes="auto"></a>
23. In 2021, 16% of Finns used HBO Nordic to watch TV series and movies.
The number was 16% in 2020 but slightly higher (24%) in 2019.
24. In 2021, 4% of Finns preferred HBO Nordic over other streaming platforms.
That is compared to 42%, 10%, and 9% of Finns who preferred using Netflix, Yle Areena, and C More instead.
25. 9% of Finnish internet users subscribed to HBO Nordic in 2021.
In contrast, 40% of online Finns subscribed to Netflix, 19% had a C More account, and 17% subscribed to Ruulu.
26. 21% of American adults reported using HBO Max in July 2021.
This was a 5% increase from the 16% of American adults that reported using HBO Max in April 2021.
| Period | % of Adult Americans Using HBO Max |
|---|---|
| 08/2020 | 9% |
| 10/2020 | 12% |
| 01/2021 | 13% |
| 04/2021 | 16% |
| 07/2021 | 21% |
HBO User Satisfaction Statistics
27. In 2022, 11% of Americans with ad-supported HBO Max subscriptions were “very annoyed” by the commercials.
In contrast, 27% of HBO Max users were only “slightly annoyed” by HBO Max’s commercials.
28. In 2022, 20% of Americans using ad-supported HBO Max plans felt commercials on the site were lesser than they expected.
But 17% of users felt that commercials on the site were more than they expected.
29. 41% of ad-supported HBO Max users said that commercials on the platform were repetitive.
18% of ad-supported HBO Max users said that the commercials on the site were varied.
In comparison, 41% of subscribers were unsure if the commercials were repeated in the 2022 survey.
30. 92% of ad-supported HBO Max subscribers were satisfied with the platform.
In comparison, 95% of HBO Max ad-free subscribers were satisfied with the platform in 2022.
HBO Movie & TV Show Statistics
31. The US demand for HBO Max originals was 6% in 2021.
That is compared to the higher demand for original content from Netflix (45%), Amazon Prime (8.8%), and Disney+ (8.1%).
The table below shows the US audience demand for original content from different video streaming platforms in 2021.
| Video Streaming Platform | % Demand for Original Content |
|---|---|
| Netflix | 45% |
| Amazon Prime Video | 8.8% |
| Disney+ | 8.1% |
| Hulu | 7.3% |
| Apple TV+ | 6.1% |
| HBO Max | 6.0% |
32. “Friends: The Reunion” was the most viewed HBO title in Q1 2021.
This movie was viewed 62.7 more times than the average HBO title.
Other popular HBO titles in this period included Godzilla vs. Kong and Wonder Woman 1984.
The table below shows the top five popular HBO titles, and their above-average viewing frequency, in Q1 2021.
| Movie | Watch Frequency |
|---|---|
| Friends: The Reunion | 62.7 times |
| Godzilla vs. Kong | 38.2 times |
| Wonder Woman 1984 | 28.9 times |
| Mortal Kombat | 24.7 times |
| In the Heights | 24.6 times |
33. Demand for HBO Max drama originals in the US was lowest amongst all major video streaming platforms.
In 2021, demand for HBO Max drama originals stood at 3%. Netflix (50.3%), Amazon Prime Video (12.2%), Hulu (10%), and Apple TV+ (7.9%) fared better.
34. In 2021, demand for HBO Max action/adventure originals in the US was 18.7%.
That was compared to a 30.4% demand for Disney+ and a 29.5% demand for Netflix action/adventure originals.
The table below shows the demand for action/adventure originals on selected video streaming platforms.
| Video Streaming Platform | % Demand for Action/Adventure Originals |
|---|---|
| Disney+ | 30.4% |
| Netflix | 29.5% |
| HBO Max | 18.7% |
| Amazon Prime Video | 8.9% |
| Paramount+ | 4.9% |
35. The global demand for original HBO max programming was 6.7% in 2022 Q1.
That contrasted with a 5.4% and 5.1% global demand in 2021 Q4 and 2021 Q3, respectively.
The table below summarizes global demand for HBO Max original programming between Q1 2021 and Q2 2022.
| Period | Global Market Demand |
|---|---|
| Q1 2022 | 6.7% |
| Q4 2021 | 5.4% |
| Q3 2021 | 5.1% |
| Q2 2021 | 4.8% |
| Q1 2021 | 4.1% |
HBO Subscription Statistics
36. HBO Max registered 12% of all new American SVOD (Subscription Video On Demand) users in Q1 2022.
It slumped to 7% in Q2 2022, the same as in Q4 2021.
The table below summarizes HBO Max’s share of new American SVOD users registered between Q1 2021 and Q2 2022.
| Period | % of New SVOD Users Registered on HBO Max |
|---|---|
| Q1 2021 | 14% |
| Q2 2021 | 12% |
| Q3 2021 | 10% |
| Q4 2021 | 7% |
| Q1 2022 | 12% |
| Q2 2022 | 7% |
37. In 2021 Q2, there were 12 million direct HBO Max subscribers in the US.
That was in addition to 31 million HBO subscribers with HBO Max access in their subscription bundle. In contrast, 32,000 HBO TV subscribers were without HBO Max access.
The table below shows the average number of direct and indirect HBO Max subscribers in the US between Q2 2020 to Q2 2021.
| Q2 2020 | Q3 2020 | Q4 2020 | Q1 2021 | Q2 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HBO TV subscribers with HBO Max Access | 24 million | 25 million | 31 million | 31 million | 31 million |
| Direct HBO Max subscribers | 3 million | 4 million | 7 million | 10 million | 12 million |
| HBO TV subscribers without HBO Max | 6 million | 6 million | 197,000 | 55,000 | 32,000 |
38. HBO Max was expected to add 13.8 million new subscribers to its platform by the end of 2022.
In contrast, Disney+ was projected to gain 42.9 million new subscribers, followed by Paramount+ (19.9 million subs), Peacock (14 million), Starz (10.4 million), and Discovery+ (9.6 million).
39. In Q4 2022, there were 55.5 million HBO Max/Discovery+ US subscribers.
This figure represents a 1 million subscriber increase from the 54.5 million HBO Max/Discovery+ American subscribers in Q3 2022. The 2022 report also reveals that the combined HBO Max/Discovery+ users in Q1 and Q2 2023 were 53.3 million and 53 million, respectively.
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/hbo-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-discovery-subscriber-count-1.png" alt="HBO Max Discovery Subscriber Count" width="768" border="0" height="405.50758459743" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-discovery-subscriber-count-1-768x406.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-discovery-subscriber-count-1-300x158.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/hbo-max-discovery-subscriber-count-1-1024x541.png 1024w" sizes="auto"></a>
40. HBO Max/Discovery+ subscribers are expected to total 153.2 million by 2027.
The 2022 research study further revealed that the combined HBO Max/Discovery+ subscriber base will hit 205 million by 2032 and 235.6 million by 2037.
41. By 2025, 9% of global AVOD/SVOD streamers will use HBO Max/Discovery+.
The research data further reveals that the figure will stay at 9% from 2022 to 2025 while other streaming platforms see growths and drops.
HBO Revenue Statistics
42. In June 2021, HBO Max launched an ad-supported tier in the US at $9.99/month.
This was in addition to the $14.99 ad-free tier launched in the US in 2020.
After the initial US launch, HBO also rolled out the service to 39 Latin American and Caribbean territories in June 2021.
43. HBO Max/Discovery+ generated a $10.54 Annual Revenue Per User (ARPU) in the US in Q2 2022.
The combined streaming platform averaged $3.69 ARPU from global SVOD/AVOD users in the reporting period.
44. In June 2022, HBO Max generated $51.69 million in in-app purchases.
Other notable streaming app mentions in the period were Tencent Video ($61.52 million), iQiyi ($46.22 million), Netflix ($23.73 million), and Youku ($23.62 million).
45. In 2021, HBO made $7.72 billion in subscription revenue.
This figure improved from the $6.09 billion and $5.81 billion subscription revenue that HBO Max generated in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Max Out Your HBO Experience!
Look no further than HBO with its arsenal of award-winning shows, movies, documentaries, and other content to enjoy a seamless streaming experience.
But if you are in a region where the HBO Max service is unavailable, you may be unable to enjoy its impressive offerings. You can unblock the service anywhere with these HBO Max VPNs, bypassing regional content library restrictions.
- HBO Max viewers worldwide 2025 | Statista
- HBO Max Sets Official Launch Date – Variety
- HBO Max | Find out where HBO Max is available to stream.
- Sensor-Tower-Q1-2022-Data-Digest.pdf (sensortower.com)
- THE-STATE-OF-STREAMING-2021_pdf.pdf (pisf.pl)
- Streaming climbs to new heights again in April despite a dip in total TV viewing | Nielsen
- The leading SVOD platforms in the United States 2021: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV+ and more | Parrot Analytics
- More Than Half Of All Tv Viewers Prefer Ad-supported Streaming Says New Study From Future Today And Variety – Future Today Inc
- Audienceproject_study_tv_streaming_2022.pdf
- Spotlight-on-the-Ad-Supported-Experience.pdf (whipmedia.com)
- Variety VIP
- Global IAP revenues of selected popular streaming apps 2022 | Statista
- HBO: subscription revenue 2021 | Statista
