Paramount Plus: prices, free trials, shows, and more explained

The Paramount Plus price is one of the more affordable numbers in the streaming game right now, coming in at just $4.99 a month for the essentials plan. However, it’s worth noting that the service is one of the few still offering trial periods, which means you can also score a seven day Paramount Plus free trial to get you going as well. 

Not only that, but UK viewers finally have some good news. Paramount+ will be launching across the pond on June 22, with plans starting at £6.99 a month and the same seven day free trial available. However, if you’re a Sky Cinema subscriber you’ll be able to watch Paramount Plus in the UK at no extra cost – right from launch. However, it’s worth noting that if you’re currently subscribing via Now TV you won’t be able to access the full roster of titles, with only some being included in the membership. 

Paramount Plus prices

Essentials Plan: $4.99 per month (opens in new tab)
Premium Plan:
$9.99 per month (opens in new tab)

Taking over from CBS All Access in 2021, the Paramount Plus price now encompasses a massive range of channels and content. Of course, Paramount Pictures and CBS are both included in the package, but you can also get access to the likes of Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and more. Between them, you’ll be able to stream heavy hitters like Star Trek: Discovery. Paramount Plus is also the only place to watch the Halo TV series right now. On top of that you’re getting access to a range of movies and live sport as well.

Paramount Plus prices are split across three tiers; Essential, Premium, and Paramout+ / Showtime. You’ll find all their details (and how to score a Paramount Plus free trial) just below.

Paramount Plus price explained

Essentials | $4.99 per month / $49.99 per year (opens in new tab)

The Essentials plan in the cheapest Paramount Plus subscription, coming in at just under $5 a month. You’re picking up all the same channels and getting access to all the standard on demand content here, but saving some cash by letting ads in every now and then. It’s worth noting that you won’t receive live regional CBS broadcasting with this option, though.

Premium | $9.99 per month / $99.99 per year (opens in new tab)

You can get rid of those pesky ads by opting for the Premium plan at $9.99 a month there’s a considerable price jump here, though. 

Paramount Plus + Showtime | $12 per month (with ads) / $15 per month (no ads) 

Bundle up on Paramount Plus and Showtime for a total cost of $12 a month with a few ads thrown in, or $15 a month for distraction-free viewing. 

Is there a Paramount Plus free trial?

A 7-day Paramount Plus free trial (opens in new tab) is available to new subscribers for either tier. Make sure to cancel before the trial period is up if you don’t wish to purchase a subscription as your credit card will be charged.

What Paramount Plus movies and shows are there?

Halo TV Series

(Image credit: Paramount)

The Paramount Plus catalog of films is quite impressive thanks to an agreement with MGM subsidiary EPIX. At launch, Paramount Plus subscribers were able to stream the James Bond films, the Hunger Games movies, and The Godfather trilogy among other notable franchises. 

Some of the earlier films in the Marvel Universe, such as The Avengers and Thor, will be on Paramount Plus. Although the Marvel Universe is clearly the property of Disney nowadays, Paramount Pictures distributed the first phase of MCU movies – hence their presence on Paramount’s new streaming platform. Our guide to the best Disney Plus bundles is your best bet if you want to binge through the Marvel collection.

Paramount Plus-exclusive films include remakes of Paranormal Activity and Pet Sematary, as well as original movies based on Beavis & Butthead, Workaholics, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Meanwhile, the selection of television series on Paramount Plus features CBS All Access carryovers like Cheers, Reno 911!, Perry Mason, I Love Lucy, and the NCIS franchise, However, Paramount Plus will augment the CBS All Access television library with a spate of Paramount Plus Originals – many of which are reboots or revivals of existing properties.

The Criminal Minds reboot has also been picked up by Paramount Plus, and you can catch the new Halo TV Series here as well. 

Paramount Plus live sports

Paramount Plus will broadcast over 1,000 live sports events from around the world ranging from regular-season matches to playoff and championship games. 

Perhaps the most notable of Paramount Plus’ live sports offerings are the NFL on CBS and the Emmy-winning series Inside the NFL, which is moving from Showtime.

Paramount Plus has also secured exclusive English-language rights to international soccer leagues in the UEFA, Concacaf, Argentina’s Liga Profesional de Fútbol, and Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.

Other live sports on Paramount Plus include NCAA March Madness, the PGA Tour and The Masters, and the National Women’s Soccer League.

Paramount Plus channels

Paramount Plus channels comprise on-demand hubs based on ViacomCBS brands like Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET,  MTV, and The Smithsonian Channel.

News channels on Paramount Plus will consist of 24-hour news service CBSN, CBS Sports HQ, ET Live, and live streams of local CBS affiliates.

Where can I watch Paramount Plus?

Paramount Plus is supported by the same devices as CBS All Access:  Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, PlayStation and Xbox, and select Smart TVs.

Is Paramount Plus worth it?

Michael C. Hall in Dexter

(Image credit: IMDb)

With yet another contender entering the streaming wars, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the myriad platforms on the market right now. 

However, Paramount Plus appears to be a true upgrade over CBS Access since it maintains the same competitive pricing but with thousands more shows and movies, highly-anticipated original content, recent theatrical releases, and live sports events from around the world. 

One area where Paramount Plus falls short is live TV, which is limited to local CBS affiliates plus a handful of niche offerings. If access to live TV is a must before cutting the cord, consider perusing the best Hulu prices (opens in new tab) for on-demand + live TV bundles. Alternatively, Fubo TV costs (opens in new tab) include over a hundred live TV channels plus a broader range of live sports. Of course, you’ll be paying much more for Hulu or Fubo TV than Paramount Plus – but still less than traditional cable in all instances. Ultimately, it comes down to your preferences.

If you’re keen to add Paramount Plus to your ever-growing list of streaming services, we recommend you do it sooner rather than later to take advantage of pre-launch deals and legacy plans. The upcoming price change in June will knock a dollar off the cheapest plan but remove live TV in the process. For just a dollar more, you may as well avail yourself of everything Paramount Plus has to offer while you can, even if you have to sit through a few extra ads.

Fortunately, you can give Paramount Plus a try at no cost thanks to its 7-day free trial. This option will come in handy should you only want to binge-watch the Fraiser revival or watch A Quiet Place Part II right after it leaves theaters.


If you want to watch the Snyder Cut of Justice League later this month (and then Mortal Kombat and Godzilla vs Kong later this year), you’ll be wanting to consider our guide to the best HBO Max prices too.

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