Paramount Plus has quietly become one of the biggest players in the stand-alone streaming service game. Through years of hands-on testing experience, we've determined whether the app is actually worth it.
First launched in 2021 as a replacement to CBS All Access, Paramount Plus has morphed from a semi-niche, nice-to-have streamer to a full-fledged service approaching must-have status. The streaming service, which started as a handy way to watch CBS shows on demand, has evolved into a massive catalog of content from various Paramount film and TV properties. It has even launched a steady stream of original programming. With news that Paramount Skydance plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (more on that later) and a recent foray into UFC events, all eyes are on Paramount Plus more than ever.
I've been using Paramount Plus for several years, putting it to the test across a variety of devices, including TVs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. I've seen several versions of the service, including back when the streamer was bundled with the now-defunct Showtime streaming service (now, Showtime is simply available in the Paramount Plus Premium tier). Our review covers everything you might need to know about the service, including an evaluation of its live and on-demand content, a breakdown of relevant prices and plans, and how it holds up with everyday use across a variety of devices. For this review, I'm evaluating the service's Premium tier.
You can learn more about the app in our Paramount Plus streaming service guide or directly through the Paramount Plus website. For more information about our testing methodology, check out our guide on how we test streaming services.
Plans
Paramount Plus offers two plans: Essential and Premium. Paramount Plus Essential offers ad-supported access to all available on-demand programming. For the most part, this excludes Showtime content (although a very small selection of Showtime series will be…