How Much Does Paramount Plus Cost?

Last Updated on August 11, 2025 | Prices Last Reviewed for Freshness: January 2026
Written by Alec Pow – Economic & Pricing Investigator | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Educational content; not financial advice. Prices are estimates; confirm current rates, fees, taxes, and terms with providers or official sources.

Streaming budgets are tighter now, so knowing the exact Paramount Plus bill before you sign up matters. This guide walks through every plan, the real numbers you pay on monthly versus annual billing, discounts, bundles, taxes, and a few easy savings moves. The phrase paramount subscription cost appears here because that is how people search when they want clear, current pricing.

If you only want the headline, the Essential tier is $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year, and the Premium tier is $12.99 per month or $119.99 per year in the United States, with a one week free trial for new members. Prices below are up to date as of August 2025 and verified on Paramount’s signup pages.

Article Highlights

• Essential is $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year with a one week trial. Premium is $12.99 per month or $119.99 per year.
• 2024 raised monthly prices, annual rates stayed the same, which keeps annual the better deal long term.
• Students verified by SheerID get 50% off any plan for a year.
• Walmart+ includes six months of Essential for members, a useful bridge to the annual plan.
• Stream limits exist and differ by plan, with full details in Paramount’s Help Center and Terms.

How Much Does Paramount Subscription Cost?

Paramount Plus sells two core plans with prices of $7.99 and $12.99 per month. Essential is the ad-supported entry tier. Premium is the ad-free tier that includes the full Showtime catalog, live CBS, and downloads on supported devices. Paramount rebranded the old “with Showtime” tier to “Premium” in June 2025 without changing the price.

Monthly billing is simple but rarely cheapest across a full year. Annual billing reduces the effective monthly rate, and the cut is meaningful on Essential. New members also see a seven day free trial on the direct site, and occasional promos appear through retailers and carriers.

Plans and prices, U.S. (as of Aug 2025)

According to MoneyLion, the basic Paramount+ Essential plan, which includes ads, costs $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year if billed annually. This plan grants access to over 40,000 episodes and movies from various Paramount networks like CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, but with limited advertising during content.

For those preferring an ad-free experience and additional content, the Paramount+ with Showtime plan is priced at $12.99 monthly or $119.99 annually. This premium tier removes most commercials, except during live TV, and includes full access to Showtime’s original movies and series, as well as live streaming of the local CBS channel. You also gain the ability to download shows for offline viewing. These details are outlined by Business Insider and TV Guide.

Additional offerings include student discounts that can halve the monthly cost for qualifying subscribers, bringing the Essential plan down to approximately $3.99 to $4.99 per month. There is also no long-term contract, allowing users to start and stop their subscription conveniently as needed.

These figures reflect the current pricing shown at checkout. The 2024 increase that raised Essential to $7.99 and Premium to $12.99 is now fully in effect for new monthly sign-ups, while annual prices stayed at $59.99 and $119.99.

Real-Life Cost Examples

A student verified by SheerID signs up for Essential at the direct student page. The discount is 50% off any plan for the first year after verification, which cuts the monthly outlay for Essential in half and lowers Premium the same way. That single step drops the 12-month bill sharply compared with list pricing.

A family that watches NFL and Showtime originals prefers Premium. They pick the annual $119.99 plan to avoid monthly churn. Over a full year that is roughly $9.99 per month effective, versus $12.99 monthly, a difference of $35.89 across 12 months before tax. This approach is common for households that know they will stick with one service across football season and summer films. Pricing details and plan features line up with Business Insider’s current explainer and Paramount’s plan picker.

Another case is a Walmart+ member who activates the included Paramount Plus Essential benefit. Walmart+ currently advertises six months of Essential for members, which turns a full-price annual plan into a shorter paid window if you schedule renewals around that perk. Keep your calendar handy so you do not roll into a full, unplanned month.

Switchers can save more by moving from monthly to annual after the trial. Example math for Essential, pre-tax, with no promos. Ten months at $7.99 totals $79.90, while the annual is $59.99. The gap is $19.91 by month ten and $35.89 by month twelve. Do the math.

Cost Breakdown

Your bill has four components. The base subscription is the bulk. Taxes come next and vary by state and by the platform that bills you. Promotional credits from bundles or student status sit on top and reduce the total while they last. Finally, you may see third-party billing differences if you subscribe through Apple, Roku, Amazon Channels, or a pay TV partner, where store taxes and policies can change the exact number.

Essential includes the core library with ads. Premium includes the Showtime catalog, live CBS, and ad-free on-demand playback except where live channels are involved. Paramount’s own descriptions and current Business Insider plan notes match this split and confirm Premium’s annual at $119.99, with the monthly at $12.99.

Add-ons are limited because Showtime is already inside Premium, which is different from services that sell many channel add-ons. The biggest swing factors are taxes, student verification, and whether you use a bundle. One-week free trials show on Paramount’s checkout screen for both plans and can reduce your first bill if you cancel during the window. Keep it lean.

Hidden fees to watch for. Some app stores add sales tax and may apply different renewal rules. Third-party subscriptions can also delay your ability to change plans mid-cycle, which matters if you intend to hop between monthly and annual or pause for a season. Paramount’s Terms describe that features, including stream limits, can differ by plan and region, and they direct subscribers to the Help Center for specifics.

Factors Influencing the Cost

Internal levers are plan choice, billing cycle, and eligibility for discounts. Students verified by SheerID get 50% off. Families that use live CBS or Showtime originals tend to land on Premium and then capture the larger annual savings. Promo windows also appear around tentpole releases and sport events, which can make a one-year commitment easier to justify.

External levers include market price changes, bundles, and region. Paramount raised monthly prices in August and September 2024, a move that pushed more value-seekers toward ad-supported Essential and toward annual billing, and the company subsequently rebranded “with Showtime” to “Premium” in 2025 while keeping the same price, which is a reminder that names change while numbers often do not.

Device rules also affect perceived value. Paramount says there is a maximum number of streams at the same time and that limits depend on your subscription tier, with full details kept in the Help Center and Terms. If several people watch at once in your home, check those support pages before you pick a plan.

Alternative Products or Services

If you are benchmarking, start with Netflix, Disney+, and Max. As of mid-2025, Netflix ranges from ad-supported entry to a premium tier near the mid-twenties per month, Disney+ sells solo and bundled options with Hulu, and Max starts at $9.99 with ads and climbs for ad-free and premium video features. These price points set the competitive bar around Paramount’s tiers.

Carrier bundles and retailer deals are a second benchmark. You may see short-term promos that move your effective cost well below list price, including Walmart+ benefits and seasonal coupons covered by deal trackers and tech outlets. Always confirm the end date and the renewal number before you click.

One Example

A household plans to watch NFL on CBS and a stack of Showtime series from September through summer. They pick Premium annual at $119.99. They pay sales tax through their billing platform, then set a renewal reminder ten months out. During March Madness they add no extra channels because CBS already streams inside Premium. Their effective monthly is $10.00, and their year-over-year savings versus paying $12.99 monthly is $35.89, before tax. Those numbers line up with Paramount’s plan picker and industry summaries.

Real cases in brief

Student in Austin. Verified with SheerID and paid half off Essential for a semester, then paused after finals. The net spend tracked directly to the edu-offer page terms and was far below the list $7.99 monthly.

Family in Cleveland. Took Premium annual at $119.99 to cover NFL, Champions League, and Showtime, then shared downloads for a road trip. Their plan and feature set match Business Insider’s current Premium description.

Walmart+ member in Phoenix. Activated the included Essential benefit for six months, then switched to an annual Essential at $59.99 to keep the price low. The move combined a bundle perk with the cheapest long-term rate.

Practical notes

Sign up directly at Paramount if you want the simplest path to monthly or annual switches. If you prefer Apple, Roku, or Amazon billing, expect taxes and renewal rules to follow that store’s policies. If several people watch at once, check the simultaneous stream policy in the Help Center and Terms, since it varies by plan and can change.

Answers to Common Questions

Is there a free trial right now?

Yes, new subscribers who sign up directly on Paramount’s site see a seven day trial on Essential and Premium, subject to change during promos.

Does Premium still include Showtime and live CBS?

Yes. Premium is the rebranded “with Showtime” tier and includes Showtime programming, live CBS, ad-free on-demand, and downloads on supported devices.

Are annual plans always cheaper than monthly?

Across a full year, yes. Essential annual at $59.99 yields an effective $5.00 per month, and Premium annual at $119.99 yields $10.00 per month.

How many people can watch at once?

Paramount states there is a maximum number of simultaneous streams that depends on your plan, and refers customers to the Help Center and Terms for the current limits.

Do regional prices vary outside the United States?

Yes. Paramount localizes pricing by country and currency. If you travel or move, check the local Paramount Plus site for the current monthly and annual numbers before signing up again.

All prices are in USD and current as of August 2025. Taxes vary by jurisdiction and billing platform.