How to watch The Last of Us TV series online for less

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us HBO TV Show
(Image credit: HBO Max)

As arguably the most anticipated video game adaption for television in history, The Last of Us had some big shoes to fill when competing with its 2013 counterpart – and thankfully, it's done the name more than justice. Naturally, as a result, everyone wants to know how to watch The Last of Us online for less. 

Developed by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann (creator of The Last of Us game series) for HBO Max, the production was reported to be the largest TV production in Canadian history with a budget of around $10 million per episode. That figure is shown with quality sets, quality actors, and a faithful adaption that has the world talking.

HBO Max quick links

HBO Max logo

(Image credit: HBO Max)

HBO Max with ads (US): $9.99 per month

HBO Max ad-free (US): $15.99 per month

Starring Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Joel and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie, fans around the world were curious to see how two of the most iconic video game characters would be portrayed in the post-apocalyptic drama, with the results being nothing but overwhelmingly positive. The Last of Us series one consisted of nine episodes that rolled out on a weekly basis, starting on January 15th and ending on March 12th, 2023. We've even now got a second season confirmed and a potential third on the way too.

As HBO Max is only available in the US, Mexico, Latin America, the Caribbean, and certain parts of Europe. we've broken down exactly how to watch The Last of Us at the cheapest price, whether you are in the US, UK, Canada, or Australia. You'll find a full list of available regions via the official site.

Not to mention, you can now watch The Last of Us episode 1 for free via Sky, HBO Max, or YouTube. A great way to see if the show is right for you. 

How to watch The Last of Us for less - US

HBO Max with ads | $9.99 per month

HBO Max with ads | <a href="https://www.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lqSFc/pubref:hawk-custom-tracking/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2F" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" target="_blank">$9.99 per month
As The Last of Us is exclusive to HBO Max in the US, the cheapest way to watch the show is via the streaming platform. Its lowest tier is available for under $10 a month with a limited number of ads included too. You can also save 16% with a yearly subscription <a href="https://www.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lqSFc/pubref:hawk-custom-tracking/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2F" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" target="_blank">for $99.99.

HBO Max ad-free | <a href="https://www.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lqSFc/pubref:hawk-custom-tracking/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2F" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" target="_blank">$15.99 per month
If you wish to go without ads, HBO Max offers an ad-free version of the subscription platform for a higher rate of $15.99 per month. You can also save 21% with a yearly subscription <a href="https://www.prf.hn/click/camref:1011lqSFc/pubref:hawk-custom-tracking/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2F" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" data-link-merchant="hbomax.com"" target="_blank">for $149.99.

Episodes debut in the US on HBO Max at 6PM PST/9PM EST.

How to watch The Last of Us for less - UK

NOW TV (Entertainment) | £9.99 per month

NOW TV (Entertainment) | <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=11006&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nowtv.com%2Fchoose-your-entertainment-membership" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"" target="_blank">£9.99 per month
As HBO Max is not available in the UK, how to watch The Last of Us at the cheapest price is via a monthly NOW TV Entertainment Pass. This can be canceled at any time. A bundle package with a NOW TV Entertainment and Cinema Pass <a href="https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=11006&awinaffid=103504&clickref=hawk-custom-tracking&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nowtv.com%2Fchoose-your-entertainment-membership" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"" target="_blank">for £12 a month is also available. Anyone with a <a href="https://sky.digital-tv.co.uk/providers/sky?et=katdtv126&li=&__ukwm=q:KW|v:2|t:w|s:G|a:0|c:19496186557|g:147884085991|k:sky|kt:b|d:c|dm:|ad:643927047819|ap:|st:S|n:g|t:|ce:|p1:|p2:|p:|loc_p:2826|loc_i:|end:1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtvSdBhD0ARIsAPf8oNkVsmtcxxMJpXTQCrVf-61bgYOwOWYaZPCz0feR8Ohttwj8MR5shuoaAvCBEALw_wcB" data-link-merchant="sky.digital-tv.co.uk"" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"" target="_blank">Sky subscription will also be able to watch The Last of Us via Sky Atlantic.

We've also detailed the full <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-release-schedule-hbo-sky/" data-link-merchant="gamesradar.com"" data-link-merchant="sky.digital-tv.co.uk"" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"" data-link-merchant="nowtv.com"">The Last of Us release schedule surrounding HBO and Sky.

How to watch The Last of Us for less - Canada

Crave (Mobile)|&nbsp;$9.99 per month

Crave (Mobile)| <a href="https://www.crave.ca/en" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" target="_blank">$9.99 per month
How to watch in Canada? Crave will be the exclusive home of The Last of Us. The cheapest way to watch the show will be via a monthly Crave Mobile subscription that allows you to watch all of its content library via your mobile device. You can also save $19.98 if you take out an annual subscription <a href="https://www.crave.ca/en" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" target="_blank">for $99.90.

Crave (Total) | <a href="https://www.crave.ca/en" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" target="_blank">$19.99 per month
A Crave Total subscription will allow you to watch The Last of Us across all devices, so if you want that big-screen experience, this is the one for you. You can also save $39.98 by opting for an annual subscription <a href="https://www.crave.ca/en" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" data-link-merchant="crave.ca"" target="_blank">for $199.90.

How to watch The Last of Us for less - Australia

Binge |

Binge | <a href="https://goto.binge.com.au/c/338476/767630/11099?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbinge.com.au%2F%23products" data-link-merchant="binge.com.au"" target="_blank">AU$10 per month
Those in Australia will have the choice of Foxtel and Binge to watch The Last of Us, with the latter offering a much cheap entry point of $10 per month. The subscription is ad-free and lets you cancel at any time.

The only real negative against the streamer is how to watch HBO Max content outside of the US with ease, due to the platform still not being available in all territories. That and the platform decided to increase its non-ad subscription by a dollar just before the launch of The Last of Us. 

While an HBO Max free trial might not be available anymore, there are, at least, other alternatives and bundles to get access to the streaming platform. We've even got all the latest HBO Max prices and deals, all surrounding how to stream the TV shows and moves everyone's talking about. 

The Last of Us episode reviews

The Last of Us

(Image credit: HBO)

Is HBO Max worth it?

HBO Max

(Image credit: HBO)

The short answer is yes. We're big fans of HBO Max and The Last of Us is the hottest must-watch TV show right now. Reviews have been universally positive with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score earned from critics. We've even got the fourth and final season of Barry hitting HBO on April 16th, 2023. 

Aside from this, HBO Max boasts the best series around such as Barry, Euphoria, Succession, Peacemaker, Doom Patrol, Chernobyl, Game of Thrones, True Detective, Vepp, The White Lotus, The Flight Attendant, Big Little Lies, Watchmen, Lovecraft Country, Boardwalk Empire, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and many, many more fantastic shows. It by far offers the best bang for your buck in terms of value of content.

Don't forget to check out our The Last of Us ending explained, which answers all of your biggest questions from the season one finale. We've even discussed how The Last of Us finale featured a huge Part 2 cameo in a very deliberate moment as well as who fans are dream casting for a major character in season 2.

Matt Poskitt
Deals Editor

Matthew is the Deals Editor for GamesRadar, keeping up with everything in games and constantly searching the web for the best deals on offer. Prior to this, Matthew headed up the games and entertainment section at T3 with his work also found across TechRadar, IGN, Tom's Guide, Fandom, NME, and more. In his spare time, Matthew is an avid cinema-goer, keen runner and average golfer (at best). You can follow him @MattPoskitt64.