8 Ways to Get Free HBO

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HBO is known as a premium channel for good reason — it's constantly releasing highly rated content, from TV series to movies and even hard-hitting documentaries. However, that premium content also comes with a premium price tag, and the costs can really add up over time — especially if you're subscribed to several different services.

Fortunately, if you're interested in checking out HBO before committing, there are a few ways to go about doing so. Curious about how to get HBO or HBO Max for free? Then read on to see all ways you can take advantage of free trials. We also go over services that may include HBO at no additional charge, plus offer tips for accessing free HBO content.

What to Know Before Signing Up for a Free HBO Trial​

While HBO and HBO Max are technically separate things, you can sign up for an HBO Max plan that includes "everything HBO" as well. These plans are $9.99 per month for HBO Max with ads or $14.99 per month without ads. Annual plans are also available, and they run $99.99 per year with ads or $149.99 per year without. Considering these costs, HBO free trials can really come in handy.

If you do find a free HBO trial to take advantage of, keep the following in mind before you sign up:

• You'll have to provide a method of payment. Most often it'll probably be a credit card or debit card, but either way, you'll have to enter in payment info in order to complete the sign-up process. You'll need to cancel before the end of your trial period to avoid being charged.
• A free HBO trial is probably only going to be open to new subscribers. However, there may be certain cases where a returning customer can take advantage of a special offer. It may be possible to sidestep the new-subscriber requirement if you provide a new email address, too.

That's basically all you have to worry about! If you're still on board with diving into free HBO trials, read on for more information on where to find them.

8 Ways to Watch Free HBO​

Sign Up for an HBO Free Trial on Hulu​

As far as streaming giants go, Hulu has been around longer than most. And if you're interested in subscribing to this service, the good news is you can add HBO Max to your subscription — for an extra charge, of course. Choose your base plan — they start at $6.99 per month — and then add on HBO Max. You'll score one week of the premium service for free. After that, you'll have to pay $14.99 per month in addition to your Hulu subscription cost to keep the service.

SEE ALSO: When Is the Best Time to Buy a TV?

Purchase a Chromecast Bundle From Google​

New subscribers can redeem an offer for three months of free HBO Max when they purchase the Chromecast with Google TV and HBO Max bundle, which has a $64.99 list price. Shoppers must purchase the bundle by December 31, 2022; be new HBO Max subscribers; and be U.S. residents who are 18 or older in order to redeem this offer.

Sign Up for a Special Samsung Offer​

This Samsung offer requires a bigger investment, but if you're already planning to purchase a TV, free HBO might be a nice bonus. What you'll need to do is buy a qualifying Samsung QLED TV from BJ's Wholesale Club, Costco, or Sam's Club before October 31, 2022. Then, sign up for the Samsung 2021 "Your Choice" Club Bundle Offer; go to the Samsung Promotions page and register. You'll have to provide a receipt as proof of your Samsung TV purchase, so you'll want to make sure you have that handy. Once you've completed all the steps, you'll receive four months of HBO Max for free.

Note that you'll only receive the coupon code for the free HBO Max if your TV purchase qualifies. Additionally, you can expect to receive the code in your email within one week after completing the registration process.

Check Your Subscription Boxes​

If you subscribe to boxes like FabFitFun, be sure to check the cards tucked into them for special offers. You may get lucky and find a card to redeem a free HBO Max trial lasting two weeks. That's not a lot of time, but it'll still be enough to let you see if you're interested in signing up for the service long term.

Call Your Cable or Satellite Provider​

If your household still utilizes traditional cable or satellite setups for your viewing entertainment, then you may be able to find a great deal on HBO. Maybe you're noticing that new subscribers in your area are receiving free HBO. Then you can simply call your provider and (politely) ask if you can receive the same deal. You may need to stretch the truth a little bit, though: if the provider isn't willing to extend the offer to you, you may be able to persuade them by noting your package is too expensive or you're considering switching companies. Again, though, remember to be polite and don't push your luck too much.

If your cable or satellite provider is offering free HBO to new subscribers, you may be able to talk them into giving you the same deal.​

In some cases, you may find deals that allow you to receive free HBO for up to three months. For instance, DirecTV is offering three months of HBO Max with two of its plans, although its most expensive plan just outright includes it.

And if you're looking for HBO via cable? If you're able to take advantage of a trial, the cost is typically around $15 per month once the trial ends. Remember, though, that this is usually in addition to the cost of the cable, so don't expect to get cable and HBO Max for the same price as a Netflix subscription.

Use Select AT&T Unlimited Plans​

If you're an AT&T customer, you may already have access to free HBO Max and not even know it! Wireless and internet users with the following plans receive the streaming service at no additional cost:

• Internet 1000
• Unlimited Elite
• Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Plus Enhanced
• Unlimited Choice, Unlimited Choice II, and Unlimited Choice Enhanced
• Unlimited &More Premium (if you selected HBO as your premium option)

Additionally, select TV packages are also eligible for HBO Max at no additional charge, including:

• DirecTV Stream: Premier and Max
• DirecTV: Premier and Lo Maximo
• U-verse TV: U400, U450, and U450 Latino

Watch Free Episodes on HBO​

HBO offers a good taste of content for free on its website. Unfortunately, it's mostly just premiere episodes of different series. That's enough to whet your appetite for HBO Max and get you hooked, thereby encouraging you to sign up. But it could be a good first step to seeing if you want to sign up for a trial, and then from there go all in.

SEE ALSO: How to Get the Best Discounts Throughout 2022

Watch Free Clips on YouTube​

Okay, so this isn't really getting free HBO, per se. But you can watch decent portions of your favorite shows for free. HBO posts a lot of show clips to YouTube. Of course you'll find various trailers and previews, but you can also find select talk show segments that are completely free. For example, shows like Last Week Tonight with John Oliver post segments to YouTube, and while you won't find full episodes, you'll usually be able to catch the best moments.

Are Free Trials of HBO Disappearing?​

Maybe it's free trials in general, or maybe it's just HBO, but it seems like these offers have dwindled in recent years. For instance, Prime Video on Amazon used to offer a full back catalog of HBO shows. Then that arrangement ended, but Prime Video users could still add on HBO Max for an extra cost, plus get a 7-day free trial. Unfortunately, that option has also ended, which means HBO is just no longer available through Amazon Prime, period.

Need a new TV to go with your new subscription? Check out the best TV deals available right now!

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