Paramount Plus: Price, shows & how to try for free

“Not another streaming service” is becoming a familiar refrain amongst cord-cutters, with new options popping up every few months. Paramount Plus, however, isn’t exactly a new service but a rebranded and majorly updated one.

CBS All Access was previously known as the home of Big Brother live feeds, Star Trek: Discovery, and all the NCIS episodes you can stomach while slowly accumulating shows and other content from networks like BET, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, and even the Smithsonian Channel. The content on the service would surprise anyone who believes it solely includes CBS shows, which is why it’s no surprise that the name has now been officially changed to Paramount+.

Source: Paramount

Paramount+ includes all of the content found on CBS All Access and a bevy of new shows and movies for subscribers to enjoy. CBS All Access originals like Star Trek: Picard and The Good Fight are now airing on Paramount+, soon to be joined by Paramount+ sources like The Challenge: All-Stars, Behind the Music, The Real Criminal Minds, and a revival of BET’s The Game.

What is Paramount+?

The refreshed streaming service hosts a media library boasting over 30,000 episodes from networks including CBS, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV, and The Smithsonian Channel.

The platform also includes over 2,500 movies from Paramount, Miramax, and MGM, with plans to release various original series and feature films exclusive to Paramount+, which we’ll discuss below.

How much does Paramount+ cost?

You can join the Paramount+ Limited Commercials plan for just $4.99 per month ($60/year) or upgrade to the No Commercials plan for $9.99 monthly ($100/year). Alternatively, choosing an annual plan can save you over 15% extra on the total cost though you’ll have to pay for the entire year up-front.

It’s important to note that new Paramount+ subscribers on the Limited Commercials plan will no longer gain access to live CBS channels as they did when the service was known as CBS All Access. However, you can still watch some live channels by upgrading to the No Commercials plan at $9.99 monthly.

Are there any Paramount+ deals?

If CBS All Access’ past is anything to go by, we’re not expecting too many deals to appear for Paramount+. However, one way to save on your subscription is by choosing an annual plan instead of the monthly one. The yearly plan saves you more than 15% off the total cost though it must be paid in full when you sign up.

An even better deal is reserved for students. You can save 25% by signing up with student credentials at Paramount+ right now!

In which countries is Paramount+ available?

As of July 2021, Paramount+ is available in the following countries:

• United States
• Canada
• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Denmark
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Finland
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Norway
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Sweden
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

A new version of Paramount+ will launch in Australia with a rebrand and expansion of 10 All Access in late 2021, with additional markets to follow.

What shows can I watch on Paramount+?

Paramount+ features tens of thousands of episodes, hundreds of shows, and exclusive content you won’t be able to watch elsewhere. Fans of networks like BET, MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount Network especially will want to subscribe as the service includes many of those networks’ most popular shows and older favorites that haven’t aired on TV in years. Plus, kids will love the amount of Nickelodeon content, from hundreds of Spongebob episodes to Dora The Explorer, The Loud House, and more.

Popular shows you can find on the service include:

• Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Bar Rescue
• Beavis and Butthead
• Chappelle’s Show
• Daria
• The Fairly OddParents
• Jersey Shore
• Love & Hip Hop Atlanta
• NCIS
• Paw Patrol
• Reno 911!
• RuPaul’s Drag Race
• Teen Mom
• The Real World
• The Talk
• Twin Peaks
• Young Sheldon
• The Young & The Restless

Sports on Paramount+

Like NBC’s Peacock streaming service, Paramount+ confirmed it would provide access to roughly 1,000 live sporting events. This includes selections from:

• The NFL on CBS
• The Masters
• NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship
• The PGA Tour
• The PGA Championship
• The SEC on CBS
• National Women’s Soccer League
• EFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• UEFA Europa Conference League

Paramount+ is also the only digital hub for U.S. soccer fans to watch exclusive English-language coverage of every UEFA club competition match. It plans to expand its exclusive English-language rights in the U.S. with three more soccer properties soon.

What movies are on Paramount+?

Considering this streaming service is named after one of the most iconic movie studios in history, there is no shortage of films to watch. Besides older must-see films like The Godfather trilogy, Paramount has a rotating selection of modern classics, including movie series like Star Trek and Indiana Jones.

Soon, select Paramount films will head to Paramount+ 30 to 45 days after their theatrical release, with others set to appear 90 days after their theatrical release. Blockbusters leading to the streaming platform 45 days after their theatrical release include A Quiet Place 2, Mission Impossible 7, and the Paw Patrol film.

What about original programming on Paramount+?

CBS All Access originals continue on Paramount+, including Star Trek: Discovery and Picard, The Stand, and The Good Fight. Meanwhile, a slate of new showsis, such as Lioness, Behind the Music, The Challenge: All-Stars, The Real Criminal Minds, and reboots of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats and BET’s The Game, are coming soon.

Kids will enjoy the new show Kamp Koral from the world of Spongebob Squarepants and the Paramount+ exclusive film The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run.

Other exclusive shows and films coming to the platform include:

• Dating Naked: VH1 series reboot
• Dora the Explorer: Live-action series
• Fatal Attraction: Series adaptation of the 1987 film
• Flashdance: Series adaptation of the 1983 film
• Frasier: NBC series revival
• From Cradle to Stage: Original Series
• Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies: Based on the iconic musical
• Halo: TV adaptation of the Xbox franchise
• iCarly: Nickelodeon series revival
• Ink Master: Paramount Network series revival
• Inside Amy Schumer: Comedy Central series revival
• Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years: Original Series
• Road Rules: MTV series reboot
• Star Trek: Prodigy: Animated kids’ Star Trek series
• The Real World: Homecoming: New York: MTV Series revival
• The Weekly Show With Trevor Noah: Original Series
• Unplugged: MTV series revival
• Younger: Final season, previously on TVLand

What devices support Paramount+?

Paramount+ is currently available on all devices previously compatible with the CBS All Access app. This includes Apple TV, Android TVs, phones and tablets, Chromecast, and Fire TV. Here’s a complete list of devices that Paramount+ is currently available.

Account limits, profiles, and parental controls

Both Paramount+ subscription tiers offer parental control capabilities and up to six individual profiles; each person assigned a profile on the account can be personalized.

While the parental control feature is OFF by default across profiles, all you need to do is go to settings and click one toggle. Once you do that, you’ll be prompted to create a 4-digit PIN, which will be required to watch any restricted content on that profile moving forward.

New subscriber? Try Paramount+ for free.

If you want to try either of the plans, you must sign up for the seven-day Paramount+ free trial online. Select the Try It Now button on the Paramount+ homepage, pick your project, and create an account. You will receive the first seven days for free, no matter which plans you choose.

After creating an account, you can upgrade, downgrade or cancel your plan at any time. If you decide to cancel before the seven-day free trial is up, you will forfeit whatever amount of time you have left on your trial period.