By early 2026, if you’re trying to find Discovery+ or HBO Max on your TV, you’ll notice something’s changed. They’re gone. Not because they shut down, but because they merged into one thing: Max. If you’re wondering what happened to your favorite shows from Discovery+, Animal Planet, or TLC, you’re not alone. Millions of viewers hit the same confusion after Warner Bros. Discovery quietly folded Discovery+ into Max in May 2024.
Why Did Max and Discovery+ Merge?
The merger wasn’t random. It was a survival move. Streaming was getting too expensive to run. HBO Max had $1.5 billion in losses in 2022. Discovery+ was growing fast but couldn’t match HBO’s brand power. By combining them, Warner Bros. Discovery cut $3 billion in annual costs and stopped wasting money on two separate apps, two separate marketing teams, and two separate user bases. Before the merger, HBO Max had prestige shows like Succession and The Last of Us. Discovery+ had reality TV like Duck Dynasty, 90 Day Fiancé, and nature docs like Planet Earth. Neither could afford to keep both platforms alive. The math was simple: one app with more content = more subscribers = less financial bleeding.What Changed When They Merged?
On May 23, 2024, Discovery+ stopped accepting new sign-ups. Existing subscribers got automatic upgrades to Max. No extra charge. No action needed. Your Discovery+ login became your Max login. Your watch history, favorites, and profiles? All moved over. The new Max app now has three main content buckets:- HBO Originals: Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Succession
- Warner Bros. Movies & TV: New DC films, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Looney Tunes
- Discovery Content: Duck Dynasty, Deadliest Catch, Gold Rush, MythBusters, and all Discovery Channel, TLC, and Animal Planet shows
What Happened to Discovery+’s Original Shows?
They didn’t disappear-they got promoted. Shows like Gold Rush and Deadliest Catch are now featured on Max’s homepage. Discovery+ used to be the only place to watch new episodes of MythBusters or Building Giants. Now, those same shows are front and center on Max, often with new seasons released weekly. Even better: Max started adding new Discovery-style content. In 2025, they launched Wildlife Rescue: Alaska, a reality docu-series filmed in remote Alaskan towns. It’s the kind of show Discovery+ used to make-and now it’s part of Max’s original lineup.
Is Max Cheaper Than Before?
No. And yes. The basic Max plan with ads still costs $9.99/month. The ad-free plan is $15.99. That’s the same price as Discovery+ was before the merger. But now, you’re getting way more. Before the merger, Discovery+ was $4.99/month. HBO Max was $9.99. If you wanted both, you paid $14.98. Now, you get everything for $9.99 with ads-or $15.99 without. That’s a savings if you used to subscribe to both. For existing Discovery+ users, the upgrade was free. No one lost access. No one paid more. The only change? Your app now has 10,000 more hours of content.What About the Discovery+ App?
It’s gone. The Discovery+ app was removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in June 2024. If you still have it installed, it still works-but you can’t download it on new devices. If you uninstall it, you can’t reinstall it. Warner Bros. Discovery pushed users hard to switch. They sent emails, pushed notifications, and even put banners on Discovery+ shows saying, “Your favorite shows are now on Max.” By August 2024, over 85% of Discovery+ subscribers had migrated to Max.
Is Max Better Than Before?
For fans of both HBO and Discovery? Absolutely. You get the prestige drama of HBO, the bingeable reality TV of TLC, and the educational docs of Discovery-all in one place. No more juggling subscriptions. No more forgetting your login. No more paying twice. But if you only liked Discovery+? You might feel overwhelmed. Max’s interface is cluttered. The algorithm sometimes pushes House of the Dragon over Duck Dynasty. You’ll need to dig a little to find your favorite reality shows. To fix that, Max added a “Discovery Favorites” section in late 2024. It’s a curated row just for non-HBO content. You can also create custom profiles labeled “Reality” or “Nature” to filter what shows appear.What’s Next for Max?
Max isn’t done growing. In 2025, they added live sports: NFL Thursday Night Football, Premier League matches, and WWE pay-per-views. That’s something Discovery+ never offered. They’re also working on international expansion. Max is now available in 40 countries, up from 18 before the merger. Latin America, Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe are getting localized versions with regional Discovery content. The goal? Become the Netflix of general entertainment. Not just for drama lovers. Not just for reality TV fans. For everyone.Should You Still Use Max?
If you liked HBO Max or Discovery+, you should stick with Max. It’s the only place left to watch both. And it’s the only streaming service that combines top-tier drama with binge-worthy reality TV under one roof. If you’ve been waiting to cancel one of your subscriptions? Now’s the time. Max gives you more for the same price-or less if you used to pay for both. The merger didn’t kill Discovery+. It upgraded it. And for viewers, that’s a win.Is Discovery+ still available as a separate app?
No. Discovery+ was discontinued in May 2024. The app was removed from app stores, and existing users were automatically moved to Max. You can no longer sign up for Discovery+ or download the app on new devices.
Do I need to pay more to get Discovery content on Max?
No. All Discovery+ content is included in your existing Max subscription. If you used to pay for Discovery+ alone, your upgrade to Max was free. You’re now getting HBO, Warner Bros., and Discovery content for the same price as Discovery+ used to cost.
Can I still watch my old Discovery+ shows on Max?
Yes. All Discovery+ shows-including 90 Day Fiancé, Duck Dynasty, Gold Rush, and MythBusters-are available on Max. Your watch history and profiles were transferred automatically when you upgraded.
Is Max worth it if I only like Discovery shows?
It depends. Max has over 10,000 hours of Discovery content, but it’s mixed with HBO dramas and Warner Bros. movies. If you don’t care about those, you might feel overwhelmed. Use the "Discovery Favorites" section or create a custom profile to filter content. You’re still getting more value than you would’ve from Discovery+ alone.
What happened to my Discovery+ subscription price?
Your price didn’t change. If you were paying $4.99 for Discovery+, you were upgraded to Max’s $9.99 ad-supported plan at no extra cost. If you were on the $9.99 ad-free plan, you kept that price but now get HBO and Warner Bros. content too.