Paramount Plus offers an impressive collection of hit TV shows, blockbuster movies, original programming, and so much more. It’s the go-to platform for NFL games, the UEFA Champions League, 24/7 live news from CBS News, and content from Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Showtime. And that’s just scratching the surface. Since its rebranding from CBS All Access in 2021, Paramount Plus has worked tirelessly to cement its status as one of today’s best streaming services.
With so many streaming options available, choosing the right platform can feel overwhelming. To make it easier, take a look at our Paramount Plus review, detailing our first-hand experience with the platform. Or read on, as we’ve created this comprehensive guide covering everything you need to know about Paramount Plus to help you decide if it’s right for you. From how to watch and subscription plans to pricing and what must-watch TV shows and movies you’ll find on the service.
Where can I watch Paramount Plus?
Fortunately, for anyone living in US and Canada, you can easily sign up to Paramount Plus. To do so, simply head to paramountplus.com and follow the on-screen instructions to create an account, pick your subscription tier, and more.
How much does Paramount Plus cost?
The 'Paramount Plus Essential' plan price is $7.99 with ads and the 'Paramount Plus with Showtime' plan price is $12.99 per month without ads. For more information on monthly and annual price points, check out our full Paramount Plus price guide.
Each option comes with its own benefits, too. The Paramount Plus Essential tier, which is ad-supported, delivers tons of great on-demand originals, library content, NFL games on CBS, the UEFA Champions League, and 24/7 live news from CBS News.
Meanwhile, the Paramount Plus with Showtime tier delivers tons more content for an extra five dollars a month. You get live TV with CBS, college football, and the ability to download your favorite shows and movies to your mobile devices. This option also gives you full access to Showtime – home to Yellowjackets, Billions, and the rebooted Dexter: New Blood. You'll only find ads on live TV and a few select shows, and you'll be able to watch in 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, with Dolby Atmos sound.
You also get a nice discount (around 18%) on the Paramount Plus with Showtime price if you opt to pay annually. A year of Paramount Plus Essential will cost you $59.99 per year – equivalent to $5 per month – while a year of Paramount Plus with Showtime will set you back $119.99 (or $10 per month).
Is there a Paramount Plus free trial?
Paramount Plus are currently offering a week-long free trial on both the Paramount Plus Essential and Paramount Plus with Showtime packages. Alternatively, Walmart Plus subscribers can get Paramount Plus Essential thrown in for free with their subscription.
Paramount Plus compatible devices
Paramount Plus is available on the following supported devices, according to Paramount Plus' US help page:
- Apple TV (4th Gen and above, and 4K models supported)
- Android TV (including Nvidia Shield, Sony Bravia TVs from 2015 onwards, Hisense Android TVs, TCL 3-Series Smart TV Model 32S330, select Xiaomi devices)
- Android phones and tablets (Android 5.0 Lollipop (API 21) and above)
- Apple Vision Pro
- Chromecast
- Cox Contour box
- DIRECTV Gemini
- Fire TV (including Fire Stick and Fire Cube)
- Google TV
- iPhone and iPad (iOS 15 and above)
- LG TV
- Portal TV
- PS4 and PS5
- Roku (most models)
- Samsung TV
- Vizio TV
- VIDAA TV
- Web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari (Max OS X 10.10+) and Microsoft Edge
- Xbox One, Series S and Series X
- Xfinity X1, Xumo and Flex
What TV shows are available on Paramount Plus?
Whether you're looking for new shows or a TV classic from the archives, Paramount Plus has got you covered across multiple genres.
Sci-fi fans will want to set their sights on the big-budget, albeit canceled Halo TV show, as well as the final frontier, as every Star Trek TV series (except kids' show Star Trek: Prodigy) is available on Paramount Plus.
If you're after something weird, you can also enjoy The Curse and David Lynch's freaky cop drama Twin Peaks. If you prefer your drama a little more down-to-earth, the streamer is home to the critically acclaimed Yellowstone and its spin-offs 1883 and 1923, Yellowjackets, Billions, Dexter, Tulsa King, The Good Wife, and spin-off The Good Fight – as well as long-running procedurals CSI and NCIS.
Laughter comes courtesy of top sitcoms Frasier (including the 2023 reboot), Cheers, and brilliant Australian import Colin From Accounts. Lastly, Paramount Plus' ties with Nickelodeon mean that kids are also well served, with SpongeBob SquarePants, Paw Patrol, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Avatar: The Last Airbender among the many attractions for younger members of the family.
What movies are available on Paramount Plus?
Paramount Plus doesn't disappoint when it comes to movies, either. You can enjoy the Mean Girls musical (as well as the 2004 original) alongside releases like Scream VI, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One completes the set (you can also watch the ’60s TV show that inspired Tom Cruise's hit franchise), while multiple Transformers films are available, too.
Going further back in time, you can check out both Top Gun movies, the three films from J.J. Abrams' rebooted Star Trek, the first four Indiana Jones adventures, Interstellar, Minority Report, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and The Godfather trilogy. And, if you need to keep the kids happy, you can put them in front of Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel, PAW Patrol: The Movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and much, much more.
Is Paramount Plus worth the money?
In terms of cost, Paramount Plus compares favorably with its rivals in the streaming market, such as Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu.
Its $7.99 with ads and $12.99 no ads tiers are a similar price to Peacock's equivalents, and cheaper than the respective with/without ads tiers at Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Max. Paramount Plus Essential also works out cheaper than Prime Video's video-only option.
Does that make Paramount Plus worthwhile? As with all streamers, that depends on whether its content library suits your needs. There are undoubtedly platforms offering bigger selections of movies and TV shows, while Max (with DC, The Lord of the Rings and the HBO back catalogue) and Disney Plus (with Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and more) are home to higher profile franchises.
For Trekkies, however, more than 800 episodes of voyages on the final frontier make Paramount Plus a no-brainer, while the UEFA Champions League and NFL matches make it appealing to sports fans – especially on the $7.99 a month 'Essential' tier. There are also plenty of bona fide movie and TV classics to enjoy. In other words, there's plenty to like about Paramount Plus but several other services arguably have broader appeal.
For more Paramount Plus coverage, read our guides on the best Paramount Plus shows and the best Paramount Plus movies.
