Best VPN for HBO Max: How to watch HBO’s US streaming service in Germany

German series fans know the pay TV channel HBO primarily from productions such as “Game of Thrones”, “The Sopranos” or “The Undoing”. In this country, Sky and RTL+ are home to numerous HBO productions, but some of the series only appear after a long wait or even not at all.

The streaming service HBO Max from the USA now sounds particularly tempting, because there you not only get HBO productions directly after TV broadcast, but also exclusive films and series. HBO Max is also the streaming service of the film studio Warner Bros., which is why you can expect a considerable film archive.

A notice: HBO Max will be gone by Summer 2023. The service will be discontinued as part of the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger. You can then find the HBO content on the Discovery+ streaming platform.

Stream series and films from HBO Max – Here’s how!

Admittedly, HBO Max doesn’t make it easy for you to access what’s on offer. On the one hand, the streaming service should only be available in the USA, which is why you have to adjust your location using a VPN service.

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• Number of countries: 91
• Available Servers: 9200+
• Number of devices: 7
• Streaming in 4k possible?: ✔ Yes
• Streaming in HD possible?: ✔ Yes

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You then have to register. Here you are faced with the next problem, because HBO Max does not accept German credit cards or PayPal accounts. If you don’t happen to have a US credit card, you now have to dig a little into your bag of tricks. We’ll show you step by step how to stream HBO Max in Germany.

1. Use the right VPN provider for HBO Max

2. Payment via app detour

3. Create an HBO Max account

Use the right VPN provider for HBO Max

You can bypass the country blocking on HBO Max with a VPN. We recommend CyberGhost, but have successfully tested accessing HBO Max with the following services.

Surfshark VPN

• Number of countries: 65
• Available Servers: 3200+
• Number of devices: Unlimited
• Streaming in 4k possible?: ✘ No
• Streaming in HD possible?: ✔ Yes

to offer

CyberGhost

• Number of countries: 91
• Available Servers: 9200+
• Number of devices: 7
• Streaming in 4k possible?: ✔ Yes
• Streaming in HD possible?: ✔ Yes

to offer

NordVPN

• Number of countries: 60
• Available Servers: 5297+
• Number of devices: 6
• Streaming in 4k possible?: ✘ No
• Streaming in HD possible?: ✔ Yes

to offer

ExpressVPN

• Number of countries: 94+
• Available Servers: 3000+
• Number of devices: 5
• Streaming in 4k possible?: ✔ Yes
• Streaming in HD possible?: ✔ Yes

to offer

Tip! In our guide to streaming with VPN, we go into detail about the most important key points that you should consider when choosing a VPN.

Use the VPN provider’s money-back guarantee if you’re not sure whether you want to use a VPN client permanently or just want to watch HBO Max for a short time. The first three offers are great value for money, ExpressVPN is significantly more expensive, but very well suited for streaming.

HBO Max: Payment via app detour

A US credit card is required to sign up via the browser, but alternative payment methods are available if you start your subscription via the iPhone or Android smartphone app.

iPhone users can create a US account for iTunes and download the app directly. If you prefer Android, you will have to search the internet for an APK installation file for the HBO Max app. In both cases, a VPN service must be active as soon as you start the app.

If you want to register now, you can pay for the subscription via iTunes credit or Google Pay. Android users have the advantage that the regular German Google Pay account is also accepted here. On the Apple side, you must first fill the US iTunes account with credit, for which you can buy a gift card for the US iTunes Store, for example on eBay. This cumbersome, but ultimately effective way gives you access to all HBO Max content.

Create an HBO Max account

Of course, you can then log into HBO Max in your browser. Unfortunately, there is no longer a free trial period, so the subscription costs $14.99 per month. Alternatively, you can also set your VPN service to a country in South or Central America. The service is also available there, but costs just under six euros a month in Costa Rica, for example.

As soon as you have seen all the films and series that interest you, you can easily cancel the subscription via the app and renew it later if necessary.

Are VPNs legal for using HBO Max?

In principle, VPNs are legal. However, streaming services need to set up and enforce geographic restrictions. This is due to the licenses for movies and series and it is also the reason why most streaming services prohibit the use of a VPN. You won’t end up in court, but your HBO Max account could be suspended.