HBO Max has really made a name for itself in the short amount of time it’s been on the market. According to data from Kantar, the service gained 14.4% share of all new streaming subscriptions in Q1 2021, making it the fastest-growing service for two quarters in a row. Amazon Prime Video came in second with 13.2% share.
It’s worth noting that HBO Max secured the top spot again even as two new streaming services entered the market. Discovery+ launched at the beginning of this year while CBS All-Access rebranded and expanded itself as Paramount+ in March. The latter pulled in 11.8% share of new subscribers landing it in third place, with Disney+ following close behind with 11.6% share. From there, Hulu had 10.6%, Netflix 8.5%, Discovery+ took 7.7%, Apple TV+ 5.6%, and Peacock 4.7%.
HBO Max isn’t just raking in subscribers who see it as something to try out and then cancel. Viewers are sticking around thanks to lucrative deals like the WarnerBros same-day movie release arrangement bringing box office hits like Wonder Woman 1984, Judas and the Black Messiah, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Godzilla vs. Kong, and more straight into living rooms at the same time they hit theaters. The streaming service went from ranking 10th on the Net Promoter Score last spring (meaning, subscribers who are likely to recommend the service) to now ranking 2nd in Q1 2021. Kantar reports that customers say their jump in satisfaction is largely due to HBO Max’s new releases.