Is Peacock worth a subscription?
Is Peacock worth a subscription?
I’ve had a Peacock subscription for years, and I’ll discuss whether the streamer is worth keeping below.
One of the biggest questions consumers have to ask themselves when considering a new streaming service is whether or not it’s truly worth it. Seemingly, all streamers are raising prices on a whim these days, and viewers need to know they’re getting good bang for their buck when they choose a new one.
NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock is likely one that routinely ends up on the chopping block for a lot of streaming customers. The service offers a great selection of TV shows and movies, including nostalgic favorites and original releases, plus great features like a live stream of NBC on its Premium Plus tier, but it has not yet separated itself into the must-have category for a large segment of the cord-cutting population.
So who is Peacock for? Will the average customer think of the streamer as a good value, or will most find that Peacock doesn’t justify its cost? As streaming experts and longtime Peacock subscribers, we have evaluated every aspect of the service to help you figure out if Peacock is a good fit for your streaming needs.
Is Peacock worth it?
What’s on Peacock?
Peacock has a large inventory of TV shows and movies, most sourced from broadcast or cable channels owned (or once owned) by NBCUniversal, such as NBC and Bravo. Next-day streams of primetime programming from both of these channels are available on Peacock, and the service has a large archive of past titles such as “Community,” “The Office,” and “Parks and Rec.”
The streamer also carries original series in just about every genre, including comedy, drama, and even adaptations of beloved video games. Peacock has a strong true crime library as well, with original docuseries and movies in plenty from that category, as well as titles from REELZ such as “On Patrol: Live.” Recent highlights from Peacock’s original release slate include “The Office” follow-up series “The Paper,” and the Sarah Snook-led drama “All Her Fault.”
Universal movies also call Peacock home. Animated titles like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and live-action features such as the Oscar-winning “Hamnet” stream on Peacock first when they leave theaters. Oftentimes, they then move on to other streamers such as Netflix before eventually returning home to Peacock.
Peacock also offers a selection of always-on channels dedicated to its top titles and programming. These channels remove the need for Peacock viewers to choose which episode they’ll watch next, since they automatically start a new show or movie once the current one ends.
Does Peacock have live sports?
Yes, live sports have been one of the main draws for the streamer in recent years. Peacock has a large selection of live sports to enjoy on its Premium and Premium Plus tiers. The streamer offers its full complement of sports to users of both plans, including the following events:
- Big Ten and Big East basketball
- Horse racing
- Cycling
- All events of the Olympics during even-numbered years
- Rugby
How much are Peacock’s plans?
| Plan | Ads? | Sports | Monthly price | Annual price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peacock Select | Yes | No | $8 | $80 |
| Peacock Premium | Yes | Yes | $11 | $110 |
| Peacock Premium Plus | No (most titles) | Yes | $17 | $170 |
How’s the ad experience on Peacock?
We tested Peacock's ad experience last year, and found that the streamer delivered around five to seven minutes of ads per hour of content — fairly standard as far as most streaming services go. Netflix has fewer ads, but Hulu and Paramount+ both have significantly more.
What do I like most about Peacock?
For me, Peacock access is all about sports and re-watches, with the occasional new movie release sprinkled in. I love to watch shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Rec” on repeat when I don’t have a new title to stay distracted with, and Peacock is the place to go for these.
On the sports front, I often find myself watching “Sunday Night Football” on my phone if the Denver Broncos aren’t playing that night. Having Peacock gives me a convenient way to stream such sports, including NBA games, and the Olympics in even-numbered years.
Since Universal is still one of the top studios in Hollywood, I often find myself wanting to watch the studio’s new releases, but I never find time to get to the theater. Having Peacock there to offer them after a few months is really helpful, and a huge reason why I maintain access to the service.
What are the worst aspects of Peacock?
The underdeveloped content library is Peacock’s worst aspect. The streamer has had some interesting originals in its time, but after more than five years in existence, its most well-known title is probably “Yellowstone” — a show that was licensed from Paramount.
That isn’t to say that Peacock isn’t trying to deliver a breakout original hit; it just hasn’t quite succeeded yet. It has had a number of very solid offerings, but nothing that has become a focal point of the broader pop culture conversation. The service relies too heavily on its library, as well as sports and Bravo titles, to keep its audience engaged, in my opinion. Maybe that will change once Taylor Sheridan begins his development deal with NBCUniversal in 2029.
So, is Peacock worth it?
For most customers, the answer is probably no. Many viewers likely get NBC as part of a live TV streaming service like DIRECTV or YouTube TV, and if that’s the case, there’s no real reason to keep Peacock just to stream live sports and primetime programming. Viewers who can watch this content with their existing subscription can already stream it on their mobile device, so a Peacock subscription isn’t necessary.
Viewers who casually watch NBC programming probably won’t need to maintain a Peacock subscription at all times, either. The streamer is best suited for those who don’t have a live TV streaming service, but do enjoy the sports found on NBC, as well as current and past NBC primetime programming.
Only you can ultimately determine if Peacock is worth a subscription or not. If you love the NFL or NBA, or get nostalgic for old NBC comedies a lot, Peacock is definitely worth it. Otherwise, you might want to keep shopping as you seek out a new streaming service.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.