Paramount Plus 2024: price, free trial, shows, and more explained

Paramount Plus prices logo
(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Many streamers have already raised their prices in 2023, so what about Paramount Plus? Is Paramount Plus' price staying the same? Yes, thankfully. For the time being, the cheapest option comes in at a very competitive $4.99 a month. Not to mention, you can still try Paramount Plus for nothing courtesy of a free trial – a rare offering in this day and age, considering many free trials have been scrapped in recent years.

Not only that, but UK residents now have access to Paramount Plus as of June 2022 with the streamer available for the slightly more expensive price of £6.99 per month or £69.90 per year. Both the US and the UK have annual memberships that will save you some cash, though. 

Something also worth noting is that if you're a Sky Cinema subscriber you'll be able to watch Paramount Plus in the UK at no extra cost. This doesn't apply to Now TV subscriptions as you won't be able to access the full roster of titles, with only some being included in the membership.

Paramount Plus prices

Paramount Plus logo

(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Essentials Plan: $4.99 per month
Premium Plan:
$9.99 per month

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 Ru Paul's Drag Race All Stars, Tulsa King, Star Trek: Discovery, 1923, Spongebob Squarepants, NCIS and The Offer. Paramount Plus is also the only place to watch the Halo TV series, while also providing access to a range of movies and live sports.

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

Paramount Plus price explained

Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone

(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Essential (ads) | $4.99 per month / $49.99 per year 

The Essential plan is the cheapest Paramount Plus subscription, coming in at just under $5 a month. The annual plan then lets you get the same access for 16% cheaper a year. You're picking up all the same channels and getting access to all the standard on-demand content here, but saving some cash by putting up with"limited commercial interruptions" every now and then. It's worth noting that you won't receive live regional CBS broadcasting with this option, though. 

Premium (ad-free)| $9.99 per month / $99.99 per year

You can get rid of those pesky ads by opting for the Premium plan at $9.99 a month or picking up an annual subscription of $99.99 a year. That's a 16% saving. It's also worth being aware that live TV streams will still have ads, and a few shows include "brief promotional interruptions" for upcoming Paramount Plus programming.

Paramount Plus Premium (ad-free) with Showtime | $11.99 per month / $119.99 per year

Get Paramount Plus Premium and Showtime for a total cost of $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year to save 16%. This is a new bundle that makes the Paramount Plus Essential with Showtime bundle redundant considering it's the same price. By signing up for this one, you're getting ad-free for the same cost. 

A handy video from Paramount was uploaded earlier this year. See below: 

Is there a Paramount Plus free trial?

Halo TV Series

(Image credit: Paramount)

A seven-day Paramount Plus free trial 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 the usual amount for that particular tier.

Additionally, Paramount Plus occasionally offers 30-day free trials. The latest was launched in April and required new subscribers to enter "PICARD" via the coupon box with a valid email address. The deal ended on April 30th, so we'll keep an eye out for any new offers.

What Paramount Plus movies and shows are there?

Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in Yellowstone: 1923

(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

The Paramount Plus catalog of films has changed quite a bit since launch, losing some Marvel movies and others but has added newer releases straight out of the cinema like the Sonic the Hedgehog movies and Dungeons and Dragons film starring Chris Pine. It's also increased its original programming with Rabbit Hole starring Kiefer Sutherland and the new Yellowstone spinoffs 1923 with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren making waves. 

A selection of the films available now include: Scream VI, Top Gun: Maverick, Babylon, A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, Smile, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Wrath of Man, Mean Girls, The Lost City, The Breakfast Club, Indiana Jones, Interstellar, Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 and The Wolf of Wall Street. 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. It also has the likes of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Tulsa King, 1883 (another Yellowstone spinoff), Star Trek: Discovery, Ink Master, The Good Fight, Spongebob Squarepants, Halo, and The Offer. 

Its latest big show is Fatal Attraction starring Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan. 

Paramount Plus live sports

NFL on Paramount Plus

(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

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 football (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 offers approximately 30,00 shows from numerous channels comprising 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?

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie

(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

With the number of contenders in the streaming wars continuing to grow, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the myriad platforms on the market right now. Paramount Plus, however, is at the very least an 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 for on-demand + live TV bundles. Alternatively, Fubo TV costs 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.

Regardless, you can give Paramount Plus a try at no cost thanks to its free trial offerings. This option will come in handy should you only want to binge-watch 1923 or stream Top Gun: Maverick now that it's out of the cinema. 


If you want to watch the Snyder Cut of Justice League, The White Lotus, Barry, Succession, you'll be wanting to consider our guide to the best HBO Max prices too. Alternatively, Peacock is another well-priced streaming service that gives Paramount a run for its money. 

Freelance Writer
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