Paramount Plus Plans and Pricing: What You Can Expect To Pay and Budget for the Streaming Service Platform in October

What packages does Paramount Plus offer?

Paramount Plus offers you a choice of two packages. The Essential plan is the most affordable option, granting you access to thousands of hit shows and movies on the platform. If you want commercial-free options and don’t mind paying a little more, then the Paramount Plus Premium plan is a great fit. Along with skipping commercials, you’ll be able to download content for offline viewing. 

Paramount Plus’s packages and pricing compared

Paramount Plus Essential 

Essential remains the most affordable way to enjoy CBS and Paramount content. Starting at $7.99 per month, this plan includes thousands of hit TV shows, movies, and nonstop news coverage. 

You’ll also be able to stream UEFA Champions League clashes and NFL games airing live on CBS, plus tune into CBS News programming 24/7. The trade-offs are that you can’t watch your local CBS station and you won’t have the option to download titles for offline viewing. Still, it’s a strong value pick that delivers plenty of entertainment at a low monthly cost. 

Paramount Plus Premium plan (formerly Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME)

The Premium plan expands your library with the full SHOWTIME collection, giving you access to acclaimed series like “Yellowjackets,” “Billions,” and more. Priced at $12.99 per month, this tier also unlocks perks you won’t find with Essential—most importantly, full access to your local CBS station. 

You’ll enjoy most shows and movies commercial-free, with ads appearing only during live TV and select programs. Plus, you can download titles to watch offline. Altogether, the Premium plan is the most complete option, combining live sports, exclusive series, and an ad-light experience at a competitive price. 

Sports on Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus remains a strong destination for live sports. Both plans include NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League matches. In addition, subscribers can stream Big Ten college football games, NCAA men’s basketball tournament action, Serie A soccer, and more. While it doesn’t replace a full live TV service, its mix of marquee leagues and tournaments makes it a compelling choice for sports fans seeking value. 

Paramount Plus free trial and deals

If you’re a new customer, you can try Paramount Plus free for seven days. This is helpful in that it gives you a way to see if the platform has enough content that meshes well with your viewing behaviors. And if you don’t want to keep it, simply set a reminder to cancel before your trial expires. 

Furthermore, if you’re a member of Walmart Plus, you will receive a free membership with Paramount Plus. It works because once you sign up with Walmart Plus, you will have the option to sign up for the Essential plan for free. However, you won’t be able to do the Paramount Plus Premium plan. 

Another option is to receive a discount by being a subscriber of DIRECTV STREAM. DIRECTV STREAM offers their members $6 off the first three months when they sign up for a Paramount Plus Premium plan.

Military members also receive a discount. To qualify, visit Paramount Plus’s desktop website and verify your credentials. Upon doing so, you’ll be able to save 25% off your monthly subscription. This discount applies to both plans, so you have more choices than other incentives. 

Meanwhile, if you have SHOWTIME through another live TV service, such as DIRECTV, Spectrum or Hulu + Live TV, you also have access to Paramount Plus for free. To take advantage of this, visit Paramount Plus’s website and log in with your live TV credentials to verify. Upon verification, you’ll be able to watch everything on Paramount Plus for free. 

Lastly, Paramount Plus offers discounts for AARP and college students. AARP members can save 10% off their monthly subscription costs for life. To sign up for this discount, you’ll need to use the Paramount Plus website. And for college students, you can save 25% off an Essential plan. You’ll just need to verify your credentials through Paramount Plus’s website.

How to watch Paramount Plus

To sign up for Paramount Plus, you’ll want to visit the website. Once there, click on the blue “get started” button to sign up. First, you’ll pick your plan, then you’ll enter your personal details to sign up for an account. The whole process should take a mere few minutes to do. 

After signing up, you can stream content from Paramount Plus on a wide variety of devices. Here is a look at the currently supported devices along with your smartphone or tablet: 

• Fire TV
• Android TV
• Apple TV
• Portal TV
• LG TV
• Roku
• Samsung TV
• Vizio TV
• Xfinity device 
• Xbox
• PS4 and PS5

Is Paramount Plus worth it?

Paramount Plus is an inexpensive service that’s big on entertainment. Whether you want access to news 24/7, a diverse array of live sports choices or to stream hit shows and movies, Paramount Plus packs a lot of content into their platform. On top of that, it’s affordable, with plans starting as low as $7.99 per month. If you’re searching for a budget streaming service, this is one of the best to consider. 

On the other hand, Paramount Plus doesn’t offer a whole lot of live entertainment options, especially with their Essential plan. If you upgrade your plan, you can access your local CBS channel and watch many titles without commercials. Still, that $12.99 can be a sticking point for some, especially if you have multiple services. The best approach is to give the one-week free trial a test drive and see if it works well for you. 

FAQ

Does Paramount Plus have an annual plan?

Yes, you can sign up to pay annually for both of Paramount Plus’s plans instead of making monthly payments. The Essential plan is $59.99 annually while the Paramount Plus Premium plan (formerly Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME) is $119.99 per year. 

How much is a Paramount Plus subscription?

The Essential plan is $7.99 per month. Or you can do Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME for $12.99 monthly. 

What's the difference in Paramount Plus plans?

The Essential plan allows you to watch thousands of shows and movies with commercials. The Paramount Plus with SHOWTIME option allows you to stream many of the same titles without commercials, as well as giving you access to your local CBS station.