Watch HBO Max from Anywhere with a VPN

The video below shows you how to use a VPN with HBO Max. We’re using ExpressVPN here, but the process is identical for other VPNs:

If you want to stream HBO Max but you’re outside the US, you’ll need two things: a good VPN, and access to a US payment method.

Sadly, you can’t get HBO Max for free and there’s no free trial.

If you don’t have a US payment method, we’ll walk you through other ways to get HBO Max.

Here’s how you stream HBO Max from anywhere in the world:

1. Sign up for and download a VPN. We strongly recommend you subscribe to one of the VPNs the work best with HBO Max.
2. Open the VPN app and connect to a US server, or a dedicated HBO Max server if there is one.
3. Head to the HBO Max American website and create an account.
4. You can pay directly if you already have a US payment method. If you don’t have a US payment method, see how to get one here.
5. Once your account is created, keep your VPN on and log in as normal to stream HBO Max. You’ll have to use your VPN every time you want to use the service. If the US server you selected isn’t working, try a different one.

How to Pay for HBO Max Outside the US

Even if you don’t have an American payment method, you can still sign up for an HBO Max account from the UK, Canada, Australia, or any other country.

You need a US payment method to subscribe to HBO Max.

There are four easy ways to pay for HBO Max from outside the US:

Method 1: Use an HBO Gift Card

The easiest way to subscribe to HBO Max from outside the US is to purchase a HBO gift card. You can buy one from any country.

Follow these steps to get a HBO Max gift card:

1. Buy an HBO gift card from MyGiftCardSupply. You’ll then receive a redemption code.
2. Use a VPN to connect to a US server.
3. Redeem your HBO gift card on the HBO Now website by submitting your redemption code.
4. Go to the HBO Max website and sign in using your HBO login details.

That’s it. It’s an incredibly simple way to get HBO Max from anywhere.

To learn more about redeeming HBO Now gift cards, read this helpful article.

Method 2: Use a Third-Party Card Service

Another easy way to sign up for HBO Max is to use US card payment services like StatesCard or USUnlocked, which have guides for HBO Max specifically.

For a small fee these payment card services provide US payment details and US zip codes that can be used to register for HBO Max.

Method 3: Create a US Apple ID

Getting a US Apple ID and paying for HBO Max isn’t as easy as just changing your region in App Store settings.

You need to start from the bottom up and pay with a US gift card. You also need an Apple computer, like an iMac or MacBook.

Follow these steps to do it:

1. Connect to a US server with your VPN.
2. Open iTunes and sign out of your account if you already have one.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the iTunes window and select the option Country or Region in the bottom right corner.
4. Now create a completely new Apple ID account. Select the United States as your Region/Country if it hasn’t automatically changed already.

   Choose the United States as your country when creating a new Apple ID.

5. It’s essential that you do not include any payment information as part of your new account. Select None when asked to include payment information and insert a random US address.

   Make sure to select ‘None’ as a payment method.

6. With your new US Apple ID registered, purchase a US gift card for iTunes – enough to cover the cost of HBO Max. We recommend that you use Best Buy or My Gift Card Supply.
7. Once purchased, open the Apple App Store, head to the bottom of the window, and select the Redeem option. Sign in with your new US account if you haven’t already. In the screen that follows, enter the code of the gift card you purchased.
8. With credit now tied to your account, you can use your VPN to connect to a US server and sign up for HBO Max, paying with your iTunes gift card.

Method 4: Create a US Google Account

If you don’t use Apple devices, you can also get HBO Max on Android devices by setting up a US Google account.
Follow these steps:

1. Connect to a US IP address through a VPN installed on your Android device.
2. Now you need to create a new US Google account. To do this, go to your Android Settings.
3. Select Google and tap the arrow beside your current account.
4. Tap Add Another Account and fill out the details. Do not add any information that could reveal your real whereabouts.
5. Once completed, you need to go and purchase a US Google Play gift card. These can be bought at Amazon.com.
6. The gift card code will be sent to the email of your new account. Copy the code and paste it into the Google Store to redeem it. The Redeem gift code option is found under Payments and subscriptions. If asked to, enter a random US ZIP code.
7. Now that you have a US Play Store account and a gift card cashed in, you can search for and install the HBO Max app.
8. Download the app and register for a HBO Max subscription using your gift card balance.
9. Now you can stream HBO Max from wherever you like just as long as you are connected to a US server. You can use the same login for any device you want to stream HBO Max on.

The best way to watch the latest HBO Max blockbuster like Mortal Kombat or The Suicide Squad is via your home cinema setup.

You can do this by installing HBO Max onto your Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, or Roku device. If you’re in the US, you can do this as you would normally.

If you’re outside the US, you’ll need a VPN that has a Fire TV Stick app or Smart DNS feature. The VPNs we recommend all come with good Fire TV Stick apps and Smart DNS tools.

At the least, your VPN should be compatible with routers. But this process is more complicated than installing a bespoke app.

Use Smart DNS for HBO Max

Smart DNS works by spoofing your online location so that you can fool HBO Max into thinking you’re in the US.

Unlike a VPN, it doesn’t encrypt your traffic or change your IP address. Instead, it changes the DNS server that your traffic is routed through, enabling you to access geo-blocked websites on devices that lack VPN applications, like Smart TVs, Apple TV, and games consoles.

Smart DNS is a useful tool for streaming movies on larger-screen devices, as it accesses HBO Max content reliably and with fast speeds.

You’ll need a VPN that has a Smart DNS feature if you want the big-screen experience. You can activate your Smart DNS via your VPN provider’s website.

We list the VPNs that have Smart DNS in our HBO Max VPN comparison table.

The installation process is different for every VPN service, but they all follow the same principles. In this example, we did it with Surfshark.

Here’s how to set up Smart DNS for HBO Max:

1. Login to your VPN provider’s members area via its website and head to its Smart DNS tool. Some providers give its Smart DNS feature bespoke names. ExpressVPN calls it MediaStreamer, for example.

   Surfshark Smart DNS tool.

2. Click the Get started button. Surfshark will then automatically detect your IP address. You can see below that our London office IP address is detected.

   Surfshark’s Smart DNS automatically detects your IP address.

3. Click the Activate Smart DNS button. This automatically takes you to a page that generates alternative DNS addresses. You can only activate Smart DNS on one IP address.

   Surfshark’s Smart DNS generates alternative DNS addresses (redacted as this is a premium feature).

4. With Smart DNS now activated, you can now set it up on your various devices. Surfshark has tutorials for multiple devices. Generally speaking, as part of your network settings your device allows you to manually configure your DNS server.
5. Simply insert the DNS server address provided by Surfshark when your device prompts you.
6. Restart your device after you’ve manually changed your DNS server. You’ll now be able to stream HBO Max from the US on your TV.

How to Get HBO Max on Amazon Fire TV Stick

To install HBO Max on your Firestick from outside the US, it’s not as simple as changing your IP address with a VPN. You’ll need to register a US Amazon account.

Even with your VPN on, if your Fire TV Stick is linked to an Amazon account registered in the UK, for example, HBO Max won’t appear in your Amazon App Store searches.

To fix this, create an Amazon profile with a US address.

Once this is done and linked to your Fire TV Stick, you can find HBO Max in the app store search bar.

However, this means you will lose access to region-specific apps, like BBC iPlayer.

Switching between US and UK Amazon accounts on your Fire TV Stick isn’t an instant process, either. You’ll have to repeat the process in reverse each time.