HBO GO vs. HBO NOW

You have always felt embarrassed while watching those off the track scenes from movies while sitting with your parents especially those that seem to go on for a long time. However, the scenario has changed today as the premium cable television subscriptions are available via the streaming service. Now, everyone can watch their favorite movies and shows from the mobile phone and laptop without mingling with each other. Whether it is to consciously maintain the balance of competition or to maintain the corporate entity, the entry of HBO Go in 2010 took the viewers by storm.

On the other hand, with more and more people trying to cut the cord every year, to choose the streamlined services and the less expensive options, the second streaming option of HBO Now in 2015 facilitates them to watch the same movies and the television shows, and enjoy the experience of solo watching without having to pay the entire amount of cable subscription. You may ask when both these streaming services have similar content, which one shines out from among them? Although the options appear pretty similar on the face, there are some key differences between them you must know, before choosing the right streaming service. With two different ways of steaming the desired content from the library of HBO, viewers may wonder what the differences are before choosing an option. Fortunately, there are more similarities between them you may not know. The following points may clarify your doubts easily.

See also: Advantages and disadvantages of Netflix

The content of the services

Every television series, comedy show, and the films that are available in both the services are similar, whether you choose HBO Now or HBO Go. Moreover, the contents are available at the same time and the interfaces of the apps are a lot more similar making it easy for the viewers to navigate through the contents they are keen to watch. You can figure out the content as there are sections that display the new releases along with the featured contents. Both of them provide access to everything that HBO has to offer, right from the live broadcasts to the back catalog of the movies you are yet to watch and the recent hits.

HBO NOW

Checking the pricing

With a flat rate of $15 per month, HBO Now offers a single package which implies that you would not need a cable subscription for the viewership. On the other hand, HBO Go is available free with the subscription, but it is the only way for the viewers to access it. To put it simply, you must have HBO through the cable subscription to enjoy watching HBO Go. However, a few providers offer access to HBO to those customers with an internet connection so that the viewers can enjoy watching the content online. Even then, a majority of the users still watch HBO Go through the cable subscription and the monthly rate can vary according to the plan and package they avail. Often, special offers allow the customers to reduce the price of the package. The HBO subscription can drop down to about $5 every month although you have to pay more for the package on top of what you are paying for the cable.

HBO NOW package offer

Availability and the devices

Although HBO Now was not so widely available when it was launched in 2015, the other option HBO Go could be accessed through a robust list of devices. HBO Now was only available on devices such as iPhone, Apple TV, and iPad. Since the expiry of the deal in the middle of 2015, the company has added this service to several devices. It is not the device that creates the difference in the compatibility, but the version that determines the change.

HBO Now Apple TV

Limitations of the services

There are not many differences as both the services can be accessed through a multitude of devices. In this order, HBO Go is a little complicated as you have to ensure the authenticity of the service through a cable service provider. Although it appears a bit daunting, initially, there is no restriction on the number of devices you need to use to view the programs.

With HBO Now, you get unlimited access to the device without going through the subscription of the cable. All that you have got to do is to sign in with the credentials of HBO and get ready to stream the content you love to watch. The service providers of both will restrict the number of videos that the viewers access at the same time primarily for security reasons. A message might pop on the screen when you access the same video through different devices forcing you to sign out.

Choosing another option

There is another option for the viewers willing to watch the content available on HBO Now and HBO Go if they don’t want to spend on the subscription. To watch the HBO produced options, you can choose the other streaming services and the prime subscribers can access the contents even though it may not be in the same volume as you can get in HBO Now and HBO Go.

HBO Now restriction

Making the final choice

When it comes to making the final choice between HBO Go and HBO Now, you have to think deeply about the services, weigh the pros and cons, and then decide the right fit. While HBO Go is the choice if you want to retain the cable subscription, you have to remember that when you are already paying for the satellite television subscription, you have access to HBO Go. If you have the cable television subscription without HBO, HBO Go is certainly the more logical option as you get a wider base of devices to support the viewership. However, you may not get a low-priced package at $15 if you have cable without HBO.

On the other hand, if you are planning to cut the cord in the future or want to part ways with your cable subscriber, HBO Now is undoubtedly the better of the two. When you are using the internet and the provider sells HBO to those with the internet connection, HBO Now is the only choice you have to enjoy viewing all the contents. As the devices supporting the availability of HBO Now have caught up with its counterpart, the differences between the two are purely based on the decision the viewers make. If you are the one to watch a huge variety of some of the best films, HBO is certainly the place to be. With a few differences between the services of HBO Go and HBO Now, you have to decide which subscription to choose to enjoy watching the best shows and films through an array of devices.

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