Peacock Review — Cost, Features, & Channels

Interested in Peacock TV for 2024? Uncover the details on cost, channels, and features to decide if it’s the right streaming service for you.

Written by : Thomas Reese
Last Updated : October 4, 2024
Quick Verdict
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Supported Devices
Live Channels
Customer
Support
Alternatives
Conclusion
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Peacock TV is NBC’s streaming extension that promises to offer a lot within an affordable price range. But does it deliver what it promises? You are about to find that out with this Peacock TV review.

Our team of serious binge-watchers tried and analyzed everything Peacock TV offers as a streaming platform. From on-demand content and originals to live news and sports to streaming features and interface, we weighed this platform’s aspects so you don’t have to.

With this Peacock TV Review, I am here to explain it to you. So, sit tight and read it until the end to decide if Peacock is for you.

Quick Verdict: Is Peacock TV Any Good?

I like Peacock for its extensive variety of content from NBC and Bravo and the live news and sports you can stream on it. At $7.99/month, it’s great value for money.

Here is a summary of some of the most essential Peacock features:

FeaturesAvailability
Starting Price$7.99/month
Peacock TV Free Trial
Live channels
On-demand library 
Our Rating3.5/5

Pros And Cons Of Peacock TV

Like every streaming platform, Peacock has its share of good and bad aspects. Here are a few top points.

Pros

  • Great lineup of on-demand content
  • Expansive variety of live sports
  • Affordable starting price
  • 4K UHD available with both plans

Cons

  • Limited original content
  • Downloads are not available with base tier

How Much Does Peacock TV Cost?

There was a time when Peacock offered a completely free, ad-supported version. Unfortunately, those times are gone as the platform did away with its free tier in July 2024.

Currently, Peacock offers its content in two tiers: Premium and Premium Plus. Both plans offer almost the same content—hit shows from NBC and Bravo, movies, live sports, and originals, among other things.

Peacock TV PlansPriceAdsDownloads
Premium$7.99/month ($79.99/year)
Premium Plus$13.99/month($139.99/year)

However, the Premium Plus plan removes ads, unlocks offline downloading on mobile phones, and gives you the local NBC LIVE channel. 

Since there is little difference in content, your ideal plan mainly depends on whether you are okay with ads and without downloads. 

Peacock TV Cost

If you choose an annual plan, your per-month prices will go down to less than $6.67/month for Premium and $11.67/month for Premium Plus. But I recommend going for a monthly plan first to understand if you even want to keep it for a year.

Is Peacock TV Free?

Sadly, Peacock TV does not offer a free trial. It used to offer a free tier, but is no longer available.

That said, Peacock is currently offering a great deal for students. For 12 months, you can get Peacock at a heavily discounted price of $1.99. Go to the Peacock Student Discount page for more details.

Peacock TV Features

Besides the decent variety of content, Peacock offers a good set of features to enhance the streaming experience. You can stream on up to 3 devices at the same time and create up to 6 individual profiles for different family members. 

Except for offline downloads, the features are the same across both plans on Peacock. 

Peacock TV FeaturesPremium PlanPremium Plus Plan
Simultaneous Streams33
Offline Downloads
4K Streaming
Multiple profiles66

Unlike many of its competitors, such as Netflix, Max, and Paramount Plus, Peacock offers 4K streaming across both plans. I really like this since I don’t like paying extra for watching the same content at a better resolution. 

Peacock TV Device Compatibility

The list of devices that support Peacock is impressively diverse and long. You can stream Peacock content on almost every device that is capable of streaming.

Peacock is supported on cable boxes, gaming consoles, and even VR devices in addition to normal streaming devices like phones, tablets, computers, and TVs.

Device TypeSupported Devices/Platforms
Mobiles and TabletsAndroidiOS
Computers and PCsWeb browsers on Windows/Mac
Smart TVs and Streaming DevicesAmazon Fire TV
Android TV
Apple TV
Google TV
LG Smart TV
Roku Devices
Samsung Smart TV
Xumo
Cable BoxesCox
DirecTV
Spectrum
Xfinity
Gaming Consoles and Other DevicesPlayStation
Xbox
Meta Quest VR headsets

Go to this page to view a more comprehensive list of all the supported devices and versions.

Peacock TV Downloads

Peacock offers the option to download only with a Premium Plus subscription. The downloads are only available on mobile and tablet devices and stay for 30 days after being downloaded.

However, there are more limits on downloading.

PlansMax Number of Downloads
Peacock Premium0
Peacock Premium Plus25

You can only download up to 25 individual pieces of content across all the devices you are logged in on. And once you start watching a downloaded piece of content, it disappears after 48 hours, which, honestly, didn’t make sense to me.

Peacock TV Movies And Shows

Like Paramount Plus, Peacock—as a streaming service—stands on the shoulders of traditional TV content. And in this case, the shoulders are those of NBC.

You get The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order, Modern Family, and dozens of other hit NBC titles with your Peacock subscription and the ones currently airing. It also lets you stream current Bravo shows just a day after they air on TV.

Peacock TV Movies and Shows

However, at the end of the day, Peacock is a streaming service, so it has its lineup of originals. It’s not a particularly fascinating lineup if you ask me. It is nowhere near the original lineup of Netflix, Max, or Hulu—neither in terms of quantity nor in diversity.

The lineup includes some good titles like Mr. Mercedes, Dr. Death, and Bel-Air, which are on my watchlist. So, I think it’s certainly worth checking out.

Here’s a brief overview of some of Peacock’s top on-demand and original titles so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

On-demand Shows On Peacock TV

  • The Office
  • Friday Night Lights
  • Modern Family
  • Law & Order
  • 30 Rock

Click here to check out more shows on Peacock.

On-demand Movies On Peacock TV

  • The Fall Guy
  • Memento
  • Get Out
  • Hacksaw Ridge
  • Monkey Man

Click here to check out more movies on Peacock.

Peacock TV Originals 

  • Brave New World
  • Bel-Air
  • Mr. Mercedes
  • The Lost Symbol
  • Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist

Click here to view more Peacock Originals.

Theatrical Releases On Peacock

Here’s one of the most unique benefits of having a Peacock subscription: You can watch NBC Universal movies soon after they are released in theaters. 

Many Universal movies, such as The Fall Guy and Monkey Man came to Peacock just a few months after being released, and I am quite impressed. The fact that you can watch theatrical releases so soon over and above the on-demand and OTT content gives Peacock an edge over most streaming platforms.

Peacock TV Channels: What Channels Are Included?

One of my favorite things about Peacock is what it offers beyond on-demand and original content—live TV. 

You can not only binge shows and or movies but also watch the news or your favorite sports events, all as part of your subscription starting at $7.99/month! If that’s not value for money, I don’t know what else is.

Live Sports On Peacock TV

Peacock offers a diverse range of live sports. From Sunday Night Football and Premier League matches to golf, rugby, and even cycling, the list of sports events on Peacock is very long and impressive. 

Peacock was also the streaming space for the Paris Olympics this year. While the games are over, you can still watch all the events on demand. 

Oh, and if you are a WWE enthusiast like me, Peacock has that covered, too.

Live Sports on Peacock TV

Here’s a list of the major live and on-demand sporting events available to stream on Peacock:

  • Big Ten Football
  • Big Ten Men’s Basketball
  • Big Ten Women’s Basketball
  • Premier League
  • Sunday Night Football
  • WWE
  • U.S. Soccer
  • Chivas
  • Cycling
  • Figure Skating
  • Horse Racing
  • Golf
  • IndyCar
  • IMSA
  • NASCAR
  • Notre Dame Hockey
  • Rugby
  • Snow Sports
  • Olympics
  • Track & Field

You can find four major live sports channels on Peacock:

  • NBC Sports
  • Premier League TV
  • WWE Network
  • GolfPass

Live TV Channels On Peacock TV

Besides live sports, you can also watch news and other live content on Peacock. The platform offers three live TV channels on both plans:

  • NBC News Now
  • Sky News
  • TODAY All Day

Besides these channels, Peacock also offers your local NBC channel that’s only available with the Premium Plus plan.

That’s not all. You also get a collection of over 50 Peacock Channels. These channels do not stream live content, but on-demand shows that keep running 24/7 non-stop.

Peacock TV Customer Support

Peacock has a dedicated Help Center that contains many support articles on general topics or issues you might need help with. And if that’s not enough, it offers multiple ways to connect with real people. 

Peacock does not share a customer care number, which I found a bit disappointing as calling is usually the most convenient way to get help. 

However, there is an uncomplicated live chat support option, which works just fine. Or, you can also skip all the hassle and contact customer service agents via X, Facebook, or Instagram.

How To Reach Out To Customer Service On Peacock TV?

Here is how you can get help with your queries and complaints on Peacock:

Peacock TV Help CenterClick Here
Live Chat(9 AM to 1 AM ET)Click Here
Social Media HandlesX (formerly Twitter)
Facebook
Instagram

If you choose the live chat option, you will have to select the specific topic you need help with before being connected with an agent.

Peacock TV Complaints: What Do The Customers Say?

Peacock offers good content and some great features at a very affordable price. But there are a couple of things that just don’t go right with the streaming experience. 

First up are ads. I know; ads are the price you pay for affordability. But on Peacock, they get so intrusive sometimes that you almost lose interest in what you are watching. But then, it heavily depends on what you consider an optimal ad experience.

Besides, I also didn’t enjoy the 50+ Peacock channels. The interface seems too overwhelming. There could easily have been just 20 channels instead of 50, and it’d have been just fine.

Well, that was just my opinion. Now, here are a few common complaints from Peacock customers: 

Trustpilot - Peacock TV Complaints
Source: Trustpilot
Trustpilot User - Peacock TV Complaints
Source: Trustpilot
Reddit User - Peacock TV Complaints
Source: Reddit

You can see more firsthand customer reviews by visiting the Peacock Reddit subreddit or reviewing websites like Trustpilot.

Peacock TV Review: Comparison With Competitors

We are done talking about Peacock’s features. Now, it’s time to see how its top features compare with the corresponding features of its competitors. 

PlatformsStarting PriceFree TrialLive TVSimultaneous Streams4K Streaming
Peacock$7.99/month3
Paramount Plus$7.99/month3
Hulu$7.99/month2
Netflix$6.99/month✅(Select sports events only)2-4
Max$9.99/monthLive Sports 2-4
Disney Plus$7.99/month✅(live sports via ESPN+ bundle)4

At a starting price of $7.99/month, Peacock is among the most budget-friendly streaming platforms available out there. 

Conclusion: Peacock Offers Good Value For Money

If you are wondering if Peacock is worth it without its former free tier, my answer is a reassuring yes. The streaming platform does offer some great content—be it from NBC or Bravo or the rich range of live sports—at a price that I feel is quite reasonable. 

That said, I also feel that the Premium Plus plan gets a bit too expensive for the removal of ads, which, by the way, can also give you a hard time on the starter plan. The original lineup also needs to improve a lot, which will likely take time.

The bottom line? You should definitely check out Peacock for all the good things it has to offer. But stay with it only if the downsides seem manageable to you.

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