Paramount Plus Review (2024) — Cost, Plans, & Shows
Considering Paramount Plus in 2024? Get the full breakdown of costs, plans, top shows, and decide if it’s the right streaming service for you.
Paramount+ has been gaining traction in the streaming market lately. It has titles like Star Trek and The Good Fight and offers much more than on-demand and original content. However, is it really worth it?
Our team tested and binged on Paramount Plus and its features because of the same question. And with this Paramount Plus Review, I am here with some answers.
So, if you are considering a Paramount+ subscription, look no further. After reading this detailed review, you will be ready to decide if Paramount+ is the right platform for your needs.
Quick Verdict: Is Paramount Plus Worth It?
Paramount Plus is the same service that was earlier called ‘CBS All Access.’ However, it’s not just a name change, as Paramount+ offers everything that CBS All Access did, plus much more. So, if you liked CBS All Access, you can’t help loving Paramount+.
Apparently, this service is different from Paramount Network and includes Paramount Plus with the plan. Paramount Network is a cable TV channel, while Paramount Plus is a streaming service.
But Paramount Plus individually is worth it. To understand better, check out the detailed comparison of Paramount Network vs Paramount Plus.
Here’s a brief overview of the service before we get into the details:
| Paramount Starting Price | $7.99/month |
| Paramount Free Trial | 7-day free trial |
| Live channels | ✅ |
| On-demand library | ✅ |
| Our Rating | 3.5/5 |
Did you know? – Paramount Plus statistics reveal that Paramount Plus subscribers grew from 67.5 million in Q4 in 2023 to 71.2 million in Q1 of 2024. Read more here.
Paramount Plus Pros & Cons
Paramount+ has some attractive offerings that aren’t available in many other streaming platforms. But it also has its share of drawbacks.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable pricing tiers | Glitchy and buggy interface |
| Vast lineup of on-demand content | Limited variety of originals |
| Live TV with News and Sports | Downloads unavailable with cheaper tier |
| Local CBS channels | |
| 7-day free trial is available |
Bonus: Check out this guide to claim your Paramount Plus free trial for 7 days before hopping on to a paid subscription. Now, it’s time to get into each of these points in depth.
How Much Is Paramount Plus?
Paramount+ offers its services in two pricing tiers: Paramount+ Essential and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.
| Paramount+ Plans | Price | Max Streaming Quality | Simultaneous Streams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ Essential (ad-supported) | $7.99/month($59.99/year) | 1080p | 3 |
| Paramount+ with SHOWTIME | $12.99/month($119.99/year) | 4K UHD | 3 |
The Essential plan comes with ads and does not offer local live CBS stations. You can get rid of ads with the premium SHOWTIME plan, which includes all live CBS stations, Showtime content, and download options. However, ads can still appear on live TV shows.
Besides these differences, both plans offer access to tens of thousands of titles from the Paramount Global network and original Paramount+ content.
Therefore, the best plan for you mainly depends on whether you are comfortable with ads and whether you want premium Showtime content.
Is Paramount+ Network Free?
Paramount+ does not offer a free plan. But it offers a 7-day free trial to new users. You can choose either of the two plans for the free trial. Once the trial ends, you have to pay for the plan to continue the service.
Besides, Paramount+ offers a small section of its Paramount+ with SHOWTIME library for free. The library contains episodes of many popular shows. However, you won’t find any episodes of the show in this free library.
The platform also offers a 25% discount on its Essential plan for college and university students of select educational institutions.
Paramount Plus Features
Paramount+ offers several standard features you might want while watching your favorite content. Some of these features are only available with the premium plan.
| Paramount+ Features | Paramount+ Essential | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous Streams | 3 | 3 |
| Offline Downloads | ❌ | ✅ |
| Watchlist | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multiple profiles | 6 | 6 |
Paramount Plus Device Compatability
You can stream Paramount+ on almost every device that can stream videos over the internet. Nevertheless, here’s a summary of supported devices:
| Device Type | Supported Devices |
|---|---|
| Mobile Phones and Tablets | Android phones and tablets iPhones and iPads |
| PCs and Laptops | Windows PCMac |
| TVs and TV Devices | Apple TVAndroid TVChromecastFire TVPortal TVSamsung TVLG TVVizio TVRoku TVGoogle TVVIDAA TVCox Contour BoxXfinity and XumoDirecTV Gemini |
| Gaming Consoles | PlayStation 4 and 5Xbox One, Series S and Series X |
For more details about the versions of supported devices, or if you face trouble streaming Paramount+ on your device, visit this page.
Paramount Plus Streaming Quality
The streaming quality on Paramount+ varies across its plans:
| Plans | Video Quality | Audio Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ Essential | 1080p (Full HD) | 2.0 Stereo |
| Paramount+ with SHOWTIME | 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Dolby Vision | Dolby Atmos Surround Sound |
NOTE: Not all shows and movies are available in 4K, HDR10, Dolby Vision, or Dolby Atmos. You can stream premium-quality shows on supported devices.
Paramount Plus Movies And Shows
Paramount+ gets most of its content lineup from Paramount Global, which owns the Paramount Pictures studio and networks like CBS, VH1, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon.
These networks make the Paramount+ content lineup quite strong. And on top of this expansive on-demand library, you also get access to live sports and shows from SHOWTIME.
Original content on Paramount+ is still limited to just a few noteworthy titles. But there is hope that the original lineup will become better with time.
Here’s a list of some of the most popular on-demand shows, movies, and originals available on Paramount Plus so you can get a better idea of what to expect.
On-demand Shows On Paramount+
- Evil
- Twin Peaks
- Tulsa King
- Stand
- The Neighborhood
- S.W.A.T.
- Under the Dome
- I Love Lucy
- Reno 911
- The Good Wife
- Scorpion
- Dating Naked
- Elsbeth
- 1923
- Ghosts
- The Daily Show
On-demand Movies On Paramount+
- Interstellar
- Gladiator
- Star Trek (all original movies)
- Smile
- The Godfather
- A Quiet Place (all three parts)
- Doctor Sleep
- If
- Top Gun
- Catch Me If You Can
- Jerry and Marge go Large
- Titanic
- Pretty in Pink
- The Mexican
- Vanilla Sky
- Kingpin
- The Crow
Paramount+ Originals
- Halo
- 1883
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
- The Stand
- The Good Fight
- The Twilight Zone
- Tell Me A Story
- The Offer
- Why Women Kill
- One Dollar
- Strange Angel
- Mayor of Kingstown
- Coyote
- Interrogation
- No Activity
Paramount Plus Live Channels: What Channels Are Included?
Live TV is one of the standout factors that give Paramount+ a unique edge over most other streaming platforms. You can watch live news, sports, and other content from CBS and other channels.
Besides, there are over 20 themed channels that run curated titles from the Paramount+ lineup.
Live TV On Paramount Plus
The Live TV section on Paramount+ contains live TV networks that are available for streaming around the clock:
- CBS News 24/7
- CBS Sports HQ
- Mixible (formerly ET Live)
Local Channels On Paramount Plus
You get one local live channel—your local CBS network—when you subscribe to the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan.
Channel Hubs And Themed Live Channels on Paramount Plus
Besides the three live TV channels, you will also find many other sections containing content from various Paramount Plus Channel lists, including:
- Nickelodeon
- MTV
- CBS
- Comedy Central
- BET
- SHOWTIME
- Smithsonian
You will also find many themed channels with titles based on the preset themes, such as Movies, Classics, Star Trek, Adult Animation, and so on. These are not live TV streaming channels, but they run shows and movies 24/7 from the entire Paramount+ content lineup.
Live Sports On Paramount Plus
The Paramount+ subscription comes with live sports streaming. You can watch a variety of events, such as:
- NFL
- UEFA Champions League
- Europa League
- Concacaf
- Argentine Primera División
- English Football League
- National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
- Serie A Matches
- Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL)
- The Masters
- PGA Tour
- Big Ten Football
- NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball
- Combate Global MMA
Many of the live sporting events are available only with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. However, some events, including select UEFA Champions League, NFL on CBS, NWSL, Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italia matches, are also available with the Essential plan.
Showtime On Paramount Plus
Showtime can be one of the biggest highlights (besides no ads) of the Paramount+ subscription if you opt for the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan.
You can stream Showtime East and Showtime West channels depending on your location and time zone, along with all the Showtime originals and movies on demand. And there’s no denying it: You will likely find some great titles here.
Here are some of the top Showtime titles that you can watch on Paramount+:
- Dexter
- Billions
- Shameless
- Your Honor
- Yellowjackets
- The Chi
- The Affair
- Homeland
- The Tudors
- House of Lies
- City on a Hill
- Kidding
- Bizarre
- The First Lady
- Queer as Folk
Paramount Plus Customer Service Review: Is It Good?
Paramount+ offers a range of ways to get help and contact the customer service. If you want to get support from an agent, you can call the support team, chat with an agent, or even contact them on social media sites like X and Facebook.
What bothers me a bit is that the customer support services vary for different customers. There are separate help centers for US and non-US customers, and the option to call customer care is only available to US customers.
If you are not from the US, you have to fill out a lengthy support form, which is much less convenient than a call. Also, before reaching out to Paramount Plus customer support, here are some common fixes if Paramount Plus is not working.
How To Reach Out To Paramount Plus Customer Service?
Here are the various ways to contact the customer service team at Paramount+:
| Support Methods | Description |
|---|---|
| Help Center (for US customers) | Click here |
| Help Center (for non-US customers) | Click here |
| Customer Support Number (for US customers) | 1-888-274-5343 |
| Support Form (for non-US customers) | Form |
| Live Chat | Go to the Paramount+ website and click on the Chatbox icon in the lower-right corner. |
| Social Media Handles | X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook |
These options appear right. Now, let’s see what the customers actually say when they have something to complain about Paramount Plus.
Paramount Plus Complaints: What Are People Saying?
No streaming service is free of issues, and Paramount+ is no exception. In fact, Paramount+ seems to have repeated patterns of being glitchy.
Here are some of the most common complaints that users report about Paramount+.
Paramount+ has an official subreddit on Reddit. You can post your issues here to discuss them with fellow Paramount+ customers. The company also shares monthly posts where you can post your problems as comments and find answers to common issues others face.
However, if the issues persist, you should contact the Paramount Plus support team.
Comparing Paramount Plus With Alternatives & Competitors
Paramount Plus has a lot to offer at affordable prices. But how does it fare with other popular streaming platforms? Let’s take a look.
| Providers | Starting Price | Free Trial | Simultaneous Streams | 4K Streams | Live TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ | $7.99/month | ✅ | 3 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Netflix* | $6.99/month | ❌ | 2-4 | ✅ | Select sports events only |
| Prime Video | $8.99/month | ✅ | 3 | ✅ | Select sports events only |
| YouTube TV | $72.99/month | ✅ | 3 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apple TV+ | $9.99/month | ✅ | 6 | ✅ | Select sports events only |
| Disney+ | $7.99/month | ❌ | 4 | ✅ | ✅(via ESPN+ bundle) |
| Peacock | $7.99/month | ❌ | 3 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hulu | $7.99/month | ✅ | 2 | ✅ | ✅ |
*Note: Netflix plans to air the NFL games on Christmas 2024. This opens up the possibility to start streaming live TV on the platform soon!
Nevertheless, at a starting price of $7.99 per month, Paramount+ is one of the most affordable streaming platforms offering Live TV and on-demand content.
Conclusion: Paramount Plus Offers Great Value, With A Few Concerns!
With its humongous collection of on-demand content, originals, live sports, and news available at such affordable rates, Paramount+ is worth trying out. It gives you a lot to watch without attacking your pocket.
That said, there is much scope for expansion regarding its original content lineup, which we will likely see happening in the future. However, if there is something Paramount+ should really look into, it’s the stream of bugs and glitches that keep taking a toll on the streaming experience.
Once the platform overcomes these hiccups, another great competitor will likely move up the streaming services ladder.