Is HBO Max available in China?
No. HBO Max is not offered in China.
This is not government censorship. HBO Max has chosen not to offer its service in China, usually because of licensing or sanctions. HBO Max reached over 100 countries in 2026 but is still missing in Canada, India, Japan, South Korea and most of Africa and the Middle East, where HBO shows go to local partners.
The 3 VPNs that fit HBO Max in China
Votes come from visitors in China over the last 14 days.
Picked for heavy censorship: each can disguise VPN traffic.
ExpressVPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Obfuscation is automatic; keep the protocol on Automatic and update the app before you travel.
NordVPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to NordWhisper or obfuscated servers before connecting.
Proton VPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to the Stealth protocol before connecting.
Not sure about these three? See 3 more VPNs Surfshark, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost
Surfshark
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to NoBorders mode before connecting.
Private Internet Access
Doesn't connectNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to the Shadowsocks proxy option before connecting.
CyberGhost
Doesn't connectNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
CyberGhost says its service does not work in China.
We earn a commission if you buy a VPN through our links. It never changes what we report as blocked. How we pick and how we make money
The bigger picture in China
Google, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, Telegram, Signal and Discord are all blocked by the Great Firewall.
Before you connect: Install and test your VPN before you land. App stores in China do not list foreign VPN apps, and provider websites are blocked.
Questions people ask
Is HBO Max available in China?
HBO Max is not offered in China.
Can I use HBO Max in China with a VPN?
HBO Max reached over 100 countries in 2026 but is still missing in Canada, India, Japan, South Korea and most of Africa and the Middle East, where HBO shows go to local partners.
Is using a VPN legal in China?
Legal with restrictions. Only government-approved VPNs are legal. Enforcement against individual tourists is rare, but VPN traffic is actively detected and slowed, especially around political anniversaries.
Seeing something different? Report it on the China page.