ExpressVPN not working with HBO Max? Here’s some EASY fixes you can try! (September 2023)

If you’ve been watching HBO Max with ExpressVPN and you suddenly cannot play any content on the streaming service, HBO Max has been able to block all of ExpressVPN’s IP addresses.

This has happened because ExpressVPN is no longer able to get around HBO Max’s VPN blocking techniques.

To fix ExpressVPN not working with HBO Max, go through these simple fixes in order. If one doesn’t work, move on to the next one until you can watch HBO Max with a VPN again.

See also:

• How to watch HBO Max outside the US
• HBO Max not working with VPN? There’s an EASY workaround!

ExpressVPN not working with HBO Max: Simple fixes

Why does HBO Max block ExpressVPN?

HBO Max tries to block all VPNs from accessing its service. 

It does this to protect itself from potential copyright and licensing issues. 

HBO doesn’t have the rights to broadcast all of its content worldwide. Some content can only be broadcast in certain geographic areas. This is because HBO has a content distribution agreement with content creators that stipulates where the content can be broadcast. For example, the US HBO Max library differs from the UK library due to these agreements. 

Because VPNs are a good way to watch HBO Max libraries outside of their broadcast zones, HBO tries to block them. If it didn’t, it could breach its content agreements and face financial punishments. 

This is why ExpressVPN is no longer working with HBO Max.

How does HBO Max block ExpressVPN?

HBO Max blocks ExpressVPN by monitoring for and blocking IP addresses provided by Express connecting to its service.

ExpressVPN is a large VPN, and because of that, it has more customers than IP addresses. It struggles to keep up with the demand of its customer base, and so customers are forced to share IP addresses. 

Usually, only a household of connections will access HBO Max via the same IP address. When HBO Max see an abnormal amount (more than an average household) of connections coming from the same IP address, it knows it’s an IP address provided by ExpressVPN, and it blocks it. 

Does HBO Max still work with VPNs?

Yes, HBO Max will still work with a VPN, but you need to use a VPN that has IP addresses that are still compatible with the service. That means you need a VPN that hasn’t had all of its IP addresses blocked by HBO Max and that can stay ahead of HBO Max’s blocks. 

To fix the problem, you need a VPN that plays a game of cat and mouse with HBO Max. You need a VPN like Private Internet Access ($2.03/month)

When HBO Max identifies and blocks an IP provided by Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), it will close that IP and open a new one. This will allow you to reliably watch HBO Max from anywhere in the world, and it will help to prevent the errors you’ve run into from happening again.

The best VPNs to watch HBO Max

1. Private Internet Access 🥇

The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!

Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.

This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.

If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.

From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).

2. NordVPN 🥈

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.

It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.

Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.

3. Ivacy 🥉

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.

This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.

The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.

For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.

4. CyberGhost

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.

From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.

That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.

Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.

Is watching HBO Max with a VPN legal?

In most countries, using a VPN is legal. There are only a handful of countries (spot the authoritarianism link) where using a VPN is illegal; these are: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.

If you’re outside these countries and are using a VPN, you’re legally allowed to do so. However, it’s important to know that using a VPN with some streaming services may breach that service’s terms of use.

The HBO Max terms of use state, “to subscribe to the Platform: (a) reside within one of the fifty (50) states of the United States of America (“U.S.”), the District of Columbia or certain U.S. territories” and “You may only access the Content on the Platform in your Service Area. Restrictions may be enforced according to the location from which you are accessing the Platform.”

This means, HBO Max can stop your subscription and ban you from the streaming service if you try to access its content with a VPN turned on.

However, given the wide-spread use of VPNs, plus the many legitimate and legal use cases for VPNs, it’s fair to suggest that banning customers for using a VPN would be a heavy-handed and financially costly policy for HBO Max (and other streaming services) to enforce.

If you’re trying to watch HBO Max outside the US, you risk having your account banned. In theory. However, the best VPNs for HBO Max use military-grade encryption it is impossible for streaming services to trace where you’re physically accessing its content from.

There’s one final thing to note on the subject: HBO Max has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.

For more information you can check out our article answering Is streaming with a VPN legal?