Read as our resident Paramount+ expert reviews the streamer
Read as our resident Paramount+ expert reviews the streamer
Hear the thoughts of one Paramount+ subscriber if you’re thinking about diving into the streamer.
On-demand streaming has changed the way that American audiences consume media forever. Streaming services give viewers access to their favorite TV shows and movies anytime they want, either at home or on the go with the use of a mobile device.
Paramount’s streaming service began its life in 2014 as CBS All Access, then rebranded as Paramount+ after a significant 2021 expansion. Now, the streamer has a wide selection of sports, as well as next-day streams of primetime titles from CBS, Paramount movies, and more.
If you’re still trying to evaluate your streaming choices, keep reading to check out our comprehensive review of Paramount+. We’ll tell you everything you need to know to get a true feel for Paramount+ before you commit part of your entertainment budget to the streamer.
The Streamable’s review of Paramount+
What is Paramount+?
Paramount+ is an on-demand streaming service that allows viewers to watch its TV shows, movies, and live events with a subscription. The streamer has multiple price tiers, with different features available on each tier.
Viewers can pick monthly or annual subscriptions with Paramount+, and a monthly plan can be canceled at any time. This gives viewers more flexibility, but subscribers who opt for a Paramount+ annual plan are more insulated against sudden price increases.
How much is Paramount+?
| Paramount+ plan | Price | Ads? | Full Paramount+ library? | Live sports access? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ Essential | $9 per month $90 per year |
Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paramount+ Premium | $14 per month $140 per year |
No | Yes, plus Showtime library | Yes, including all events on CBS |
Is Paramount+ available in any bundles?
Paramount+ is one of the few streaming services not to join any soft bundles so far, though now that it’s under the control of Paramount Skydance, that could change. We already know that Paramount plans to merge Paramount+ and HBO Max when it has control of both services, and more bundles are likely on the way.
Viewers can get a free Paramount+ subscription as an add-on to other subscription services. Walmart+ offers viewers the choice between a Paramount+ Essential or Peacock Premium subscription as a benefit; Walmart+ starts at $13 per month.
Subscribers can also get Paramount+ Essential on T-Mobile with a subscription to the company’s All-In Home Internet plan. Spectrum TV Select customers get free Paramount+ and several other free streamers with their channel package.
Does Paramount+ include live TV channels?
Viewers can watch some free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels with a Paramount+ Essential subscription, including the sports-focused Golazo Network, CBS News 24/7, and CBS Sports HQ, as well as channels built around favorite programs on the streamer
Paramount+ Premium subscribers get access to these channels as well, and more. Premium customers get a live stream of their local CBS station, as well as Paramount+ with SHOWTIME East and West feeds with their premium content.
How is the ad experience on Paramount+?
When we tested Paramount+ last year, we found that the streamer showed around six to eight minutes of ads per hour during playback, on the higher end of the streaming services we tested. So, if you hate streaming with ads, you may want to consider upgrading to the ad-free tier on Paramount+.
What’s in Paramount+’s content library?
Paramount+ is built around two main programming segments: its own original TV shows and next-day streams of primetime shows from CBS. Popular Paramount+ originals include Taylor Sheridan-created shows like “1923” and “Tulsa King.”
CBS titles like “Ghosts” and “Tracker” are incredibly popular selections on Paramount+, and “Criminal Minds” shifted platforms from linear TV to streaming-only on the service.
Movies from Paramount Pictures stream on Paramount+ once they’re no longer exclusive to theaters and premium video-on-demand (PVOD) platforms. Most Paramount titles become available on Paramount+ between 45 and 120 days after debuting in theaters, depending on box-office performance and other factors.
Viewers will also see on-demand content from Paramount-owned cable channels like BET, Comedy Central and MTV in the Paramount+ library. “South Park” is the crown jewel of the collection, but there’s a lot more to browse. The streamer also offers a robust catalog of kids’ shows from Nickelodeon.
Paramount+ is very much a general entertainment streaming service, and it knows its strength is its lineup of CBS primetime titles. It has at least a show or two in every genre under the sun, and viewers who sign up for the Premium tier also get the SHOWTIME library, with titles like “The Chi” and “Yellowjackets.”
What sports are available on Paramount+?
Paramount+ has an impressive selection of live sports available with both of its plans. The Essential plan has Sunday afternoon NFL games, all UFC numbered events, UEFA Champions League soccer, and other soccer leagues, and Zuffa Boxing events.
The Premium plan unlocks all programming available on the CBS broadcast network live on Paramount+ as well, including:
- NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games
- Big Ten football
- The Masters and other PGA events
- NWSL games
- WNBA games
What are Paramount+’s key features?
Paramount+ will allow viewers to stream on up to three devices simultaneously, whether they’re using the Essential or Premium tier. Premium subscribers can use video formats like 4K UHD, HDR 10, or Dolby Vision while watching Paramount+, and can also enjoy Dolby Atmos sound with many titles on the streamer.
Paramount+ also offers a vertical video feed on its mobile app that allows users to swipe through relevant content, just as they can on creator-driven platforms. Premium subscribers can download shows and movies to watch offline with a Paramount+ subscription, as well.
| Paramount+ plan | 4K video | Premium audio | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ Essential | No | No | No |
| Paramount+ Premium | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What devices can you watch Paramount+ on?
Customers can watch Paramount+ via its app on all the most-used smart TVs and streaming devices in the United States, including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Roku, Samsung, VIZIO, and more. The service’s app can also be downloaded on Android and iOS devices, and is available on all of the top web browsers in the U.S. as well.
One subscriber’s perspective of Paramount+
I preserve access to Paramount+ for one reason: Star Trek. Anyone who has read my work regularly knows that I’m a chronic re-watcher, and the Star Trek franchise has essentially limitless potential in that regard. I even liked newer titles in the series like “Starfleet Academy,” which is a glorious return to the franchise’s roots in a lot of ways.
There are a lot of other reasons to sign up for Paramount+, though; sports fans will love the amount of access they get to premium events like NFL games and UFC fights at no extra cost with Paramount+, and upgrading to the Premium plan gets you all sports on CBS as well.
If and when Paramount+ merges its library with HBO Max, the streamer will get one programming segment it’s been mostly lacking until now: prestige TV. Combining that with all the programming from CBS that’s available on the streamer will give it a potent catalog of premium titles, as well as plenty of shows for the everyman.
The biggest issue I can identify with Paramount+ is the quality of its app. I have harped on the buggy, inconsistent nature of Paramount+’s user interface for a long time, and will continue to do so until the streamer gives any kind of attention to the issue.
All in all, Paramount+ delivers a good breadth of content and is middle-of-the-road when it comes to price. Its library is popular for a reason, and those considering a subscription should definitely take the plunge if they see content they like on Paramount+.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.