Paramount+ Review

Paramount+ is one of those streaming services that makes a lot more sense once you realize what it actually is. It's not trying to be Netflix. It is not trying to be YouTube TV. And it's definitely not trying to replace your entire cable lineup.

Instead, Paramount+ is a relatively inexpensive streaming service featuring CBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount movies, live sports and SHOWTIME (on the premium plan). That's a very specific lane, but a pretty entertaining one too.

For families, CBS viewers, soccer/NFL fans, Trekkies and anyone who wants premium movies without paying for a totally separate app, Paramount+ can be a solid value. For everyone else, it really depends on your specific needs and tastes.

Let’s get into all the details...

Paramount+ Plans

Paramount+ keeps things simple with two main plans: Essential and Premium. That's refreshing, because some streamers now require a small spreadsheet and cup of coffee just to figure out what you're buying.

Current deal: Paramount+ typically offers free trials and seasonal promos, but pricing and offers change often.

The Essential plan is the cheaper, ad-supported option. It includes the core Paramount+ library, live sports like NFL on CBS game feeds, UEFA Champions League, UFC and a ton of CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and Paramount content.

The Premium plan adds all the big stuff: your local live CBS station, offline downloads, select 4K/HDR content, fewer ads on on-demand programming and the full SHOWTIME library.

One important note: ad-free doesn't mean 100% ad-free. Live TV, sports, trailers and some promotional content often still include ads. That's pretty normal across the streaming world nowadays, but still worth calling out.

Paramount+ Content Value

The best way to understand Paramount+ is that it's a big media-company vault with a few live sports doors bolted to the side. It's the streaming home for a lot of Paramount-owned brands, including CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, VH1, Smithsonian Channel, Paramount Pictures and SHOWTIME on the Premium plan.

That gives Paramount+ a broader library than it sometimes gets credit for. It's easy to think of it as "the CBS app," but that sells it short. There are network dramas, sitcoms, reality shows, classic cable shows, kids shows, movies, live sports, news and premium dramas all under one roof.

The value depends heavily on what you watch. If your household watches CBS shows, NFL games, Champions League soccer, Paw Patrol, SpongeBob, RuPaul's Drag Race, Survivor, Star Trek, Yellowjackets, or Dexter, Paramount+ suddenly starts looking like a useful little app. If none of those hit your radar, it may feel more optional.

CBS and Network TV

CBS is the backbone of Paramount+. You get next-day access to many CBS shows, including scripted dramas, reality staples, news programs, late-night shows and specials. That includes household names like Survivor, Big Brother, 60 Minutes, NCIS, FBI and plenty of other CBS heavy-hitters.

Premium subscribers also get their local CBS station live, which is a major upgrade if you still like the old-school "turn on the channel and see what’s happening" experience. Essential subscribers do not get the 24/7 local CBS livestream, though they still get select live sports feeds.

For CBS fans, this is where Paramount+ makes the most sense. It is cheaper than a live TV streaming service and gives you a big chunk of the CBS experience without requiring cable.

Movies and Paramount Library

Paramount+ also includes a rotating movie library from Paramount Pictures and other partners. This is not always the deepest movie catalog in streaming but has enough recognizable titles to make casual browsing worthwhile.

You'll find a mix of action movies, comedies, family films, thrillers, classics and franchise titles. The exact lineup changes, as it does everywhere, so don't assume one movie will live there forever. Streaming libraries often play musical chairs with licensing agreements.

Still, Paramount has a real film history, and that gives the service more movie credibility than some network-backed apps.

Kids and Family Programming

Paramount+ is quietly one of the better streaming services for families with younger kids. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. deliver a ton of kid-friendly shows and the service supports multiple profiles, including dedicated/protected accounts just for kids.

All that matters. A bunch of streaming services technically have kids content but Paramount+ has the comfort-food programming families actually want: SpongeBob, Paw Patrol, Dora, Ninja Turtles, etc, etc..

For parents, that's one of the biggest reasons to keep Paramount+ -- it gives you access to a huge kids library at a lower price than Disney+ or Netflix.

SHOWTIME on Premium

SHOWTIME is the biggest reason to upgrade from Essential to Premium. Paramount folded SHOWTIME into the higher-tier Paramount+ plan, which makes Premium feel much more complete than Essential.

That means Premium subscribers get access to SHOWTIME series and movies, including titles like Yellowjackets, Billions, Dexter, The Chi, Couples Therapy and other premium programming. For adults in a household that also uses Paramount+ for CBS, sports (and kids shows) this is a strong bundle.

It also makes the Premium plan easier to justify. At $13.99 per month, it's still cheaper than several competing premium streamers and includes more than just the standard Paramount+ catalog.

Here's a quick look at the general themes of each plan...

Features/Tech

Paramount+ works on most of the major devices you probably already use: Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, iPhone, iPad, Android, smart TVs, game consoles, etc.

Setup is simple. Download the app, sign in, pick a profile and start watching. No equipment, no installation, no appointment window where someone might show up "between 8:00 a.m. and sun down."

That said, the app experience is good, not flawless. Menus are easy enough to follow and the brand hubs help organize content by network. But browsing can feel a little clunky compared with Netflix or Disney+. Search and recommendations are fine but Paramount+ doesn't always make discovery feel effortless.

Simultaneous screens: 3

Paramount+ allows up to three simultaneous streams. That's solid for a service in this price range and should work for most households.

Three streams means one person can watch a CBS drama in the living room, another can watch SpongeBob on a tablet and someone else can sneak in a Champions League match without causing a family streaming incident.

For larger households, three streams is not unlimited, but it is better than the two-stream limits still found on some competing services.

Profiles and Parental Controls

Paramount+ supports up to six profiles, including kids profiles. That's especially helpful because the service mixes preschool shows, CBS crime dramas, live sports, reality TV and SHOWTIME content under one roof.

Parents will want to spend a few minutes setting profiles correctly, especially if they subscribe to Premium. The catalog gets much more adult once SHOWTIME enters the picture.

The actual process to setup controls is fairly intuitive and easy. As with most parental systems, you setup a PIN and do your stuff.

Downloads

Offline downloads are available on the Premium plan. Essential subscribers do not get downloads.

This is one of the more practical Premium upgrades. If you travel, commute or have kids who burn through episodes during road trips, downloads can be a real quality-of-life feature.

Just remember that downloads are not permanent. They expire after a period of time (30 days if unwatched or 48 hrs. after you hit play), and not every title is always available for offline viewing.

Video and Audio Quality

Most Paramount+ content streams in HD, and Premium subscribers can access select titles in 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, HDR10, and higher-end audio formats where supported.

That "select titles" part matters. Do not subscribe to Premium expecting the entire library to magically become 4K. It will not. But if you have a compatible device and TV, some movies and originals can look quite sharp.

For live TV and sports, quality depends on the event, feed, device and internet connection. In general, Paramount+ looks perfectly respectable, but it's not always the slickest app in the streaming world.

Live Sports on Paramount+

Sports are a bigger part of Paramount+ than many people realize. The service includes NFL on CBS, UEFA Champions League, NWSL soccer, PGA-related coverage, college sports, UFC events and other sports programming depending on plan, location and licensing rights.

This doesn't make Paramount+ a full sports replacement for ESPN, Fox, TNT, regional sports networks or a live TV package (like Fubo). But it does make it one of the better sports add-ons among on-demand streamers.

Soccer fans get some of the strongest value here. UEFA Champions League coverage alone can justify the subscription for the right viewer. NFL fans also get access to local CBS games, though availability can vary by market and plan. That alone can be a huge source of value.

Overall, if you have a sports fan in the household that follows at least one of the leagues above, Paramount+ is a very cool add-on to any TV lineup.

Does Paramount+ Have Local Channels?

Sort of.

Premium includes your local live CBS station, which is great if you watch CBS news, live specials, NFL games or primetime shows as they air. Essential does not include the full local CBS livestream, though it does include separate feeds for some live sports.

Paramount+ does not include ABC, NBC, Fox, PBS or a full channel lineup. If you want a cable replacement, look at YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling, or DIRECTV streaming instead.

Versus Competitors

Paramount+ is best compared against other on-demand streaming services, not live TV providers. It's cheaper than most and has a stronger live sports angle than many, but its original content library is not as broad.

Premium originals

Paramount+ competes best on price and bundle value. Essential is one of the cheaper major streaming plans and Premium with SHOWTIME is a strong deal if you actually use the SHOWTIME library.

Where Paramount+ falls behind is must-watch original volume. Netflix, Hulu, Max, and Disney+ all have wider footprints. Paramount+ has hits, but it doesn't always feel like the app everyone is talking about at the water cooler.

Verdict

Paramount+ is a solid streaming service with a higher profile than just a few years back. It's CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Paramount movies, live sports and SHOWTIME all in one app. That's not comprehensive but is definitely a bunch of cool programming.

The Essential plan is a good low-cost option for casual viewers, families, CBS fans and sports watchers who can live with ads. The Premium plan is the better overall product thanks to local CBS, downloads, select 4K content, fewer ads and SHOWTIME. For only $5 more per month, Premium feels like the plan Paramount actually wants you to buy... and it's easy to see why.

The biggest weakness is that Paramount+ still doesn't have the same "open it every night" pull as Netflix, Hulu, or Max. Its originals library is improving, and SHOWTIME helps a lot, but this is still a service that works best when you already like the Paramount ecosystem.

If your household watches CBS, NFL on CBS, Champions League, Nickelodeon, Star Trek, Survivor, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Yellowjackets or Dexter, Paramount+ is easy to recommend. If you're just looking for the single best all-purpose streaming service, it probably shouldn't be first on your list.

Bottom line: Paramount+ isn't the flashiest streamer, but is affordable, useful, family/sports-friendly, and much stronger with SHOWTIME included. Start with a free trial or one month, see how often you use it, and upgrade to Premium if local CBS and SHOWTIME matter to you.

Price: $8.99 - $13.99/mo
Best plan: Paramount+ Premium
Free trial: Often available
Best for: CBS fans, families, soccer fans, NFL viewers, and SHOWTIME watchers

• Epis/Movies: 40,000+
• Best price: $8.99/mo
• Year discounts

Visit Paramount+

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