How Many Subscribers Does HBO Have? [21 Stats for 2024]

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In case you didn’t know, HBO stands for “Home Box Office.” It’s a premium cable and satellite television network launched in 1972. And the company’s headquarters are in New York City. 

Now:

You might be wondering how many subscribers does HBO have now? According to HBO statistics from 2017, HBO had 142 million subscribers worldwide. 

Do you want to know even more about HBO?

Then you’re in for a treat!

This might come as a surprise, but HBO is owned by the multinational media conglomerate Time Warner.

Little did HBO founder Charles know when he wired lower Manhattan with cable and founded HBO’s predecessor that HBO will turn into the premium cable today, best known for the production and broadcasting of many popular and critically acclaimed television series, such as Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, and True Detective

The company also produces and shows original TV films, sports events, and documentaries, among other things.

Today, we’re going to tell you all about HBO, answer some of your questions concerning this topic, such as how many users HBO Now has and how many users on HBO Now are keeping their subscription for more than 18 months.  

Let’s dive right in.

Fascinating HBO Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

  • In Q4 2020, HBO and HBO Max together had 41.5 million subscribers in the US.
  • About 49% of all HBO subscribers in 2016 were located in the United States.
  • In 2019, HBO earned approximately $5.81 billion from subscription revenue alone.
  • HBO had record-breaking 137 Primetime Emmy nominations in 2019.
  • The last episode of Game of Thrones was watched by 19.3 million viewers. 
  • The number of weekly HBO viewers rose from 677 million in 2016 to 726 million in 2017
  • Allegedly, HBO paid $40 million to get the broadcasting rights for Ghostbusters.
  • HBO Max expects to have 50 million US subscribers by 2025 and at least 75 million globally.

Basic HBO Stats and Facts

1. HBO is the oldest pay-TV network in the US.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Founded in 1972, HBO is the oldest pay-TV network in the United States. HBO has also offered services to several other countries and created spin-off channels such as HBO 2 and HBO Latino. Additionally, HBO Now and HBO Go allow subscribers to view their content with increasing flexibility. 

2. HBO is licensed in 150 countries.

(Source: WarnerMediaGroup)

Now that you know how many people have HBO, you probably wonder where all these millions of subscribers are located. HBO content is licenced in 150 countries. On the other hand, there are 70 countries where HBO Go subscribers can pay to use this service.

3. HBO collected a record-breaking 137 Primetime Emmy nominations in 2019.

(Source: Variety)

In addition to screening pay-per-view sporting events, comedy specials, and feature films, HBO produces many of its own original series and documentaries. The network has produced some of the most popular and critically acclaimed shows in TV history, such as Game of Thrones and The Sopranos

So, it should come as no surprise that HBO has earned hundreds of Primetime Emmy nominations in recent years and often ranks at the top of the awards list. Of the record-breaking 137 nominations in 2019, HBO finally took home 34 awards. A year earlier, HBO received 108 nominations.

You might be wondering:

How Many People Subscribe to HBO in the US?

4. As of Q4 2020, HBO and HBO Max together had 41.5 US million subscribers. 

(Source: Statista)

In 2019, 43 million of HBO’s subscribers were located in the US. The amount of revenue that HBO generated throughout 2019 was $6 billion

Among HBO services, there are premium cable and satellite television networks. HBO has become more and more popular throughout the years, winning four Golden Globe Awards in 2020. 

5. The 12.6 million activations of HBO Max had 36% more engagement in November 2020.

(Source: Deadline)

Some of the series, such as The Undoing and The Flight Attendant, have been responsible for the long hours that customers have spent on HBO, including the high engagement rate. HBO was satisfied with the success of 2020

6. HBO’s global subscriber base peaked at 142 million subscribers in 2017.

(Source: Statista)

When it comes to how many subscribers does HBO have, the global subscriber base grew steadily from 2010 to 2014, when it reached 138 million subscribers. As of December 2016, HBO had an estimated 134 million subscribers worldwide. In 2017, there were 142 million HBO subscribers worldwide.

7. About 49% of all HBO subscribers in 2016 were located in the United States.

(Source: Statista)

How many people have HBO, and how many subscribers does HBO now have?

In 2016, when HBO had 134 million subscribers worldwide, just shy of half of all subscribers were in the US. 

How many subscribers does HBO have in the US?

Of the total number of subscribers in 2017, 54 million, were based in the US. According to a major survey conducted in 2017, 31% of respondents in the United States indicated that they subscribed to the network.

8. In 2019, HBO earned approximately $5.81 billion from subscription HBO revenue alone.

(Source: Statista)

HBO generated approximately $5 billion in subscription revenues in 2016, a slight increase over 2015 when the company reported revenues of $4.75 billion

As a result of the company’s continued global success, HBO subscription revenues reached $5.5 billion for the first time in 2017. This success comes at a price, though, as the company spent nearly $2.26 billion on programming costs in 2017.

Which begs the question:

How much is HBO worth?

In 2019, HBO earned around $5.81 billion from subscription revenues alone.

These figures are difficult to compare directly with those of previous years due to recent changes in the ownership structure of the company and the way it reports. HBO is a division of WarnerMedia Entertainment (formerly Time Warner WarnerMedia Entertainment, which was acquired by AT&T in 2018).

HBO Now Statistics

How Many Subscribers Does HBO Have

9. The number of HBO Now subscribers rose from one to eight million between March 2016 and February 2019.

(Source: Statista)

HBO offers not only high-quality cables but also a wide range of services. Today, for example, HBO Now is the over-the-top subscription video-on-the-demand service. The service was launched by the television network in April 2015 and competes with streaming providers such as Netflix and Hulu. 

HBO Now is now no longer tied to a television subscription and is offered as a stand-alone service. The number of HBO subscribers in 2017, HBO Now that is, was two million. The number of HBO subscribers increased from 800,000 in December 2015, a couple of months after its release, to five million in February 2018.

10. Consumers stated that they were willing to pay an average of $2.58 for access to HBO.

(Source: Statista)

The HBO numbers of weekly viewers in the US increased from 677 million in 2016 to 726 million in 2017. As a result of the growing number of viewers, revenue from HBO subscribers by year rose from approximately $3.77 billion in 2011 to $5.54 billion in 2017. In addition, HBO led the list of cable channels TV that US consumers were most willing to pay for in Q4 2017.

11. 20% of HBO Now subscribers stated that they would cancel if a specific program ended. 

(Source: Business Insider)

How many HBO subscribers have canceled their subscription after Game of Thrones ended? 

A survey showed that users of HBO Now are twice as likely as users of other streaming services to cancel their subscription when a particular broadcast ends. 

However, analysis of HBO Now subscription numbers shows that HBO did not suffer any immediate loss of subscription revenue after the end of the hugely popular series. Clearly, the average HBO subscriber sees HBO as a necessary part of their TV offering.

12. More than 20% of US adults aged 65 and over have never heard of HBO Now and HBO Go.

(Source: Statista)

You’re probably wondering who is and who isn’t watching HBO. According to the latest HBO demographics analysis, HBO Now and HBO Go are most popular among the younger generations, with 12% of 18 to 29-year-olds and 16% of 30 to 44-year-olds stating that they had a current subscription. 

At the same time, only 6% of those over 55 said the same, and more than 20% of adults aged 65 and over had never heard of the platforms. In comparison, in 2018, 41.6% of the Americans who stated that they watched HBO in the last month were aged 18 to 29.

13. The average number of daily HBO Now app downloads is 16,000.

(Source: Expandedramblings)

HBO Max is number two among the “free” applications in the App Store, behind Zoom, but ahead of YouTube, Netflix, TikTok, and Disney+. It’s estimated that HBO Now and Max have been downloaded by 33 million people since launching in April 2015. The average number of daily HBO Now app downloads is 16,000. No wonder HBO subscription numbers are rising.

HBO Max Statistics

14. HBO Max was downloaded by nearly 87,000 new users across Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

(Source: Tech Crunch)

Before we check out the HBO subscribers number after the launch of HBO Max, we have to answer the most important question: 

Is HBO Max the same as HBO?

HBO Max is a deluxe version of HBO’s other existing services.

Now:

Although there are no official figures from WarnerMedia, HBO statistics say that HBO Max was downloaded by approximately 87,000 new users from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

The HBO subscriber numbers may not seem that high compared to other streaming launches, but this figure does not include people who simply updated their old HBO app.

15. 55% of surveyed Baby Boomers answered that they were not likely at all to sign up to HBO Max.

(Source: Statista)

The likelihood of subscribing to HBO Max in the US varies by generation.  A survey shows that the generation least likely to purchase a subscription to the service were Boomers. In contrast, only 29% of Generation Z responded that they are not likely to subscribe. But the generation that is most likely to subscribe is Millennials, with 8% very likely to purchase a subscription.

16. HBO Max expects to have 50 million US subscribers by 2025 and at least 75 million globally.

(Source: Deadline)

HBO Max is available at retail for $15 per month and $12 in the first year for new users. The price is similar to the cost of HBO Go subscription and includes all existing HBO content and 10,000 hours of other movies and TV titles. The  HBO Max monthly subscription cost is different from similar concepts that range from $5 to $15 for different versions.

17. HBO provided nearly 500 hours of top programming for a limited time free of charge on HBO NOW and HBO GO for streaming – without a subscription.

(Source: CNET)

As part of HBO’s #StayHomeBoxOffice campaign, which encourages people to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, HBO made nearly 500 hours of top-quality programs available for streaming free of charge on HBO NOW and HBO GO for a limited time, without a subscription. 

Since many cities and countries have imposed lockdowns, and major events have been canceled or postponed, people are encouraged to work from home.

In addition to the groundbreaking content, the company has also rapidly updated its platform to meet the changing needs of consumers.

18. Movie viewing on HBO was up by 70% during the lockdown.

(Source: Statista)

SVoD markets around the world may potentially benefit from the many streaming fans in the US and around the world who are self-isolating at home. In fact, movie viewing on HBO was up by a whopping 70% from its four-week average. Also, the audience increased by over 50% for one of the popular shows. 

US audiences were daily binge-viewing multiple episodes more than before. So, watching three or more episodes per day increased by 65% from the average.

19. The last episode of Game of Thrones was watched by a record 19.3 million viewers.

(Source: CNN)

The reason why HBO is so popular is due to the variety of original programs, which makes it stand out from other subscription services. The most famous series that aired on HBO is Game of Thrones, based on a series of fantasy novels by George R.R. Martin.

Here’s how it all went down:

The number of viewers per episode increased from 2.51 million in Season 1 to 7.72 million in Season 6. The number of viewers of the Season 7 finale in 2017 reached about 12.1 million, almost five times the number of viewers per episode in Season 1.

The eighth and final season aired in 2019, and it had 19.3 million viewers. In addition, 13.6 million people watched the 9 pm show on HBO alone, breaking the record for the greatest single broadcast in HBO history. The previous record-holder was the Season 4 premiere of The Sopranos in 2002, which attracted 13.4 million viewers.

HBO Nordics

number of hbo subscribers

20. Only 3% of Norwegian respondents watched HBO daily in Q4 2018.

(Source: Statista)

In a 2019 survey of weekly streaming among the Nordic countries, approximately 60% of Norvewigan respondents said they streamed or downloaded television content such as movies or series. SVOD services in the Nordic market include HBO Nordic, Netflix, Viaplay, and C More.

In Q4 2016, Netflix was the leader in the market (46%) of the SVOD service. After the launch of Amazon Prime in the Nordics, the competition between the subscription video-on-demand services intensified.

21. Almost 70% of the respondents in Denmark rate the range of movies and series available on HBO as either good or very good.

(Source: Statista)

On the other hand, 7% of Danish respondents state the range of films and series on HBO Nordic is poor or very poor. In a survey, 53% of Danish respondents said they streamed or downloaded television content such as movies or series. 

What’s more:

80% of Danish respondents answered that their experience was either good or very good. Only 5% of the respondents had a poor or very poor experience when streaming HBO Nordic.

Conclusion

In addition to offering groundbreaking content, HBO has also rapidly updated its platform to meet the changing needs of consumers. 

Recently, the company introduced HBO Max. Even if you were surprised by how many subscribers does HBO have now, the company’s expectations for 2025 still seem manageable. 

Bottom line:

HBO statistics are looking good. The company continues to go from strength to strength, as more and more people decide to cut the cord and sign up for different streaming services. 

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