BET Plus and HBO Max are not folding into Paramount Plus, but their content is moving there

BET Plus and HBO Max remain separate services with their own apps and subscription fees. However, Paramount has been moving content from both services into Paramount Plus as part of a larger strategy to consolidate its streaming offerings. If you subscribe to any of these services, you will keep using the same app you use now — nothing is forcing you to switch.

The confusion comes from real changes Paramount has made. In 2023, Paramount combined Showtime and Paramount Plus into a single app and service. Around the same time, Paramount began licensing HBO Max content (owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a separate company) and adding it to Paramount Plus. BET Plus, which Paramount owns, has also seen some of its content appear on Paramount Plus. But the apps themselves have not merged, and you are not required to move your subscription.

Key Takeaways

  • BET Plus and HBO Max continue to operate as separate services with their own apps and login credentials.
  • Paramount Plus now carries some content from both BET Plus and HBO Max, but this does not mean those services are closing.
  • Paramount merged Showtime into Paramount Plus in 2023, which is a different change from what is happening with BET Plus and HBO Max.
  • Your current subscription to any of these services will continue to work in its existing app unless the service officially shuts down.

What Paramount has actually done with its streaming services

Paramount owns both Paramount Plus and BET Plus. In May 2023, Paramount combined Showtime (another service it owned) directly into Paramount Plus. Subscribers to Showtime were moved to Paramount Plus at the same price tier, and the Showtime app was retired. This was a full merger of two services Paramount controlled.

BET Plus has not undergone the same change. The app still exists, you can still subscribe to it separately, and it still has its own content library. However, Paramount has licensed some BET Plus content to appear on Paramount Plus as well. This means the same show or movie might be available on both services, but BET Plus itself has not closed.

HBO Max is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, not Paramount. Paramount does not own it and cannot merge it into Paramount Plus. What Paramount has done is license certain HBO Max titles to appear on Paramount Plus. This is a content-sharing agreement, not a merger. HBO Max remains a separate service run by a different company.

Why Paramount is putting content from other services on Paramount Plus

Streaming services make money by keeping subscribers. The more content available in one place, the more reasons a person has to keep paying. By adding HBO Max and BET Plus content to Paramount Plus, Paramount is trying to make Paramount Plus more attractive without having to produce all that content itself.

This strategy also helps Paramount compete with Netflix and Disney Plus, which have large libraries. Instead of waiting years to build original content, Paramount can license existing shows and movies from other companies and add them to its service. For you as a subscriber, this means Paramount Plus has more to watch — but it does not mean BET Plus or HBO Max are going away.

What happens to your current BET Plus or HBO Max subscription

If you pay for BET Plus, your subscription continues to work exactly as it does now. You log into the BET Plus app, and you see the content BET Plus offers. The fact that some of that content also appears on Paramount Plus does not change your BET Plus access or cost.

If you pay for HBO Max, the same applies. You keep your HBO Max subscription and app. Some of the content you can watch on HBO Max is also available on Paramount Plus if you subscribe to that service, but HBO Max itself has not changed.

You do not need to switch services, and you will not be forced to. If you prefer to watch BET Plus content only on BET Plus, or HBO Max content only on HBO Max, you can do that. The apps are not going anywhere in the near term.

The difference between a merger and content licensing

A merger is when two services combine into one. Paramount Plus and Showtime merged in 2023 — the Showtime app closed, and all Showtime subscribers moved to Paramount Plus. That is a full consolidation.

Content licensing is when one service pays another to show some of its content. HBO Max content appearing on Paramount Plus is a licensing deal. Warner Bros. Discovery (which owns HBO Max) gets paid, and Paramount Plus gets to show those titles. Both services continue to exist separately.

Right now, Paramount is using licensing to add content to Paramount Plus, not merging BET Plus or HBO Max into it. That could change in the future — Paramount could decide to merge BET Plus into Paramount Plus the way it did with Showtime. But that has not happened yet, and there is no announced plan to do so.

Will BET Plus or HBO Max shut down in the future?

There is no official announcement that either service will close. Streaming strategies change often, and companies sometimes retire services or merge them. Paramount could decide to merge BET Plus into Paramount Plus at some point, the way it did with Showtime. But as of now, both services are operating normally.

If Paramount did decide to merge BET Plus into Paramount Plus, it would likely give subscribers notice and offer them the option to move to Paramount Plus at a comparable price. That is what happened with Showtime subscribers. However, this is speculation — no such plan has been announced.

HBO Max is even less likely to close because Paramount does not own it. Warner Bros. Discovery controls HBO Max and makes its own decisions about the service. Paramount can only license content from it.

How to know if a service is actually closing

Streaming companies announce service closures or mergers directly to subscribers through email and in-app notifications. If you receive an official notice from Paramount, BET Plus, or HBO Max saying the service is closing or merging, that is when to take action.

Until then, rumors and speculation about mergers are not the same as official news. Tech news websites sometimes report on industry trends or possibilities, but those are not confirmations. Check the official apps and websites for BET Plus, HBO Max, and Paramount Plus if you want to know what is actually happening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to subscribe to Paramount Plus to watch BET Plus content?

No. BET Plus content is available on the BET Plus app if you subscribe to BET Plus. Some of that content also appears on Paramount Plus, but you do not need a Paramount Plus subscription to watch BET Plus. You can use either service independently.

If I subscribe to Paramount Plus, will I get HBO Max content?

Some HBO Max content is available on Paramount Plus through a licensing agreement, but you will not get full access to HBO Max. If you want the complete HBO Max library, you need to subscribe to HBO Max separately. Paramount Plus includes only selected titles from HBO Max.

Is Paramount Plus getting rid of its own original shows to make room for BET Plus and HBO Max content?

No. Paramount Plus continues to produce and air its own original series and movies. Adding licensed content from other services does not mean Paramount is stopping its own productions. The service is expanding its library, not replacing it.

What if I want to cancel BET Plus but keep watching its shows?

If some BET Plus shows are available on Paramount Plus, you could watch them there if you have a Paramount Plus subscription. However, not all BET Plus content is on Paramount Plus, so you may lose access to some titles. Check Paramount Plus to see which BET Plus shows are available before you cancel.

Could Paramount Plus, BET Plus, and HBO Max eventually merge into one service?

Paramount Plus and BET Plus could merge since Paramount owns both, similar to what happened with Showtime. HBO Max cannot merge into Paramount Plus because a different company owns it. However, Paramount could continue licensing HBO Max content without a full merger. Any major changes would be announced officially.