Paramount+ Review

Provider overview

• Streaming service of Paramount, owner of CBS, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, and SHOWTIME; launched under this name in 2021 as a rebrand and expansion of CBS All Access. SHOWTIME was folded into the Premium tier in 2023.
• Like Peacock, it is the streaming outlet for one broadcast network's sports rights at an on-demand price: the CBS Sunday afternoon NFL package, the full Champions League, March Madness games on CBS, and a live local CBS feed on Premium.
• Entertainment franchises include Star Trek, Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone universe, Nickelodeon for kids, and Paramount films, but the overall library is smaller than Netflix or Disney+.
• Ranks fifth in our 2026 list; its "best for" label (CBS, NFL on CBS, and Champions League) describes exactly who should consider it.

Editor's evaluation

• Pricing and value weight 25%8/10
• Programming and content weight 25%7/10
• Streaming quality and reliability weight 15%7/10
• Device compatibility weight 10%10/10
• User interface weight 10%7/10
• Subscription flexibility weight 10%8/10
• Customer support options weight 5%6/10

Strongest categories: devices, value, and flexibility

• Devices 10: every major smart TV platform, box, console, phone, and browser.
• Value 8: Essential matches the lowest starting price in our table while including live NFL on CBS and the Champions League; annual billing lowers the effective cost, although annual prices rose sharply in January 2026.
• Flexibility 8: no contract, monthly or annual, three streams on every plan, easy tier switching.

Weakest categories: support, content, quality, and interface

• Support 6: help center and chat, limited phone; the help site was unreachable during our verification pass, and partner-billed subscriptions must be handled by the partner.
• Content 7: strong sports rights, CBS catalog, Nickelodeon kids content, and loyal Sheridan and Star Trek audiences, but a thinner film library and original slate than the leaders.
• Quality 7: 4K limited to select Premium titles; Essential streams in HD.
• Interface 7: serviceable but slower to navigate than the best rivals, with live and on-demand mixed in ways that can be hard to find. No lab testing; based on published specifications and consistent reporting.

Main features

• Live NFL on CBS and Champions League feeds on both tiers, independent of the local CBS channel.
• Live local CBS (Premium). A 24-hour affiliate feed with local news, in supported markets.
• SHOWTIME (Premium). Originals, films, and boxing in the same app.
• Three streams on every plan, up to six profiles, and a kids mode.
• Downloads (Premium). Mobile offline viewing.
• 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision (Premium). Select originals and films; live sports not in 4K as of Oct 12, 2026.
• Next-day CBS episodes on both tiers.
• No cloud DVR; full NFL replays are generally available after broadcast, but you cannot record the live CBS feed.

Available content categories

• Sports. Per our channel and sports availability research (verified Oct 12, 2026; re-check by Jan 10, 2027): the CBS Sunday afternoon AFC NFL package, every Champions League match through 2029-30, Serie A, UFC events from 2026, the NWSL, March Madness games on CBS, and an English-language sublicense of some Liga MX matches. Golf and college football on CBS stream via the live CBS feed on Premium. CBS Sports Network is not included.
• Not carried: ESPN, NBC, FOX, or TNT programming, so Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, the NBA, and most MLB are elsewhere; see our NFL page and sports streaming guide.
• Originals and franchises. Star Trek, Taylor Sheridan's dramas including the Yellowstone prequels, Paramount films, and SHOWTIME originals on Premium.
• CBS library. Current series next day plus a deep catalog of procedurals, comedies, and reality.
• Kids. Nickelodeon current and classic series and films, with kids mode.
• News. CBS News 24/7 in the app; Premium adds local CBS newscasts via the live feed.

Supported devices

• Runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Google TV, Chromecast, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, and web browsers; no mainstream gaps.
• Caveats are tier-related: downloads and 4K need Premium, and 4K needs a compatible display.
• The live local CBS feed depends on CBS holding streaming rights for your affiliate, which covers most but not all markets; enter your ZIP code on the provider's site.
• Device list from app store listings and general documentation, not a fetched compatibility page. See the device compatibility guide.

Subscription requirements

• Payment. Major cards and PayPal on the provider's site; also sold through Apple, Google Play, Prime Video Channels, Roku, and carrier or retailer bundles, where the partner bills and handles cancellation.
• Age. 18 to hold an account; children use kids-mode profiles.
• Region. Libraries and prices differ by country; the live CBS feed and sports rights apply only within the U.S., with the local station selected by device location.
• Household. Three streams account-wide. The terms treat an account as one household; no periodic home-network check like live TV bundles, but see the provider for sharing rules. Our household cost guide covers stream limits and real cost.

Cancellation considerations

• No contract. Billed directly: cancel from the account page; access continues to the end of the period. Monthly bills on the anniversary; annual renews automatically unless canceled first, and partial refunds are generally not offered, so set a reminder if you subscribed for one season.
• Subscribed through Apple, Google, Amazon, Roku, or a bundle: cancel through that partner; partner trials and included periods convert or lapse per the partner's terms.
• Promotional annual rates step up to the regular annual price at renewal.
• No direct free trial since January 2026, so no conversion for direct subscribers; anyone who signed up under the earlier trial should check their renewal date.
• Switching tiers takes effect at the next billing date. See the cancellation and billing guide.

Ideal customer profile

Paramount+ is a good fit if you:

• Follow an AFC team or want the CBS Sunday afternoon NFL package without cable.
• Want every Champions League match, plus Serie A and UFC.
• Watch CBS shows and local CBS news via the Premium live feed.
• Follow Star Trek or Yellowstone, or have children who watch Nickelodeon.
• Want three streams on the cheapest plan.

Paramount+ is a poor fit if you:

• Need ESPN, NBC, or FOX sports; see Peacock or our ESPN page.
• Want the largest library; Netflix or Disney+ are deeper.
• Want local CBS on the cheapest plan; it requires Premium.
• Expect a free trial; the direct trial ended in January 2026.

Editorial methodology and sources

• Follows the weighted rubric in How We Rank and the standards in our editorial policy.
• Paramount+'s help site returned an error during verification on Oct 12, 2026, so prices come from dated secondary reports of the January 2026 change and carry medium confidence; 4K and stream details are also from secondary sources.
• Sports claims come from our channel and sports availability research; re-check by Jan 10, 2027.
• No hands-on lab testing; quality and device statements reflect published specifications and consistent independent reporting.

Affiliate disclosure

Top10StreamingServices.com is an independent comparison publisher and is not affiliated with Paramount+, CBS, or Paramount. If you click a link to Paramount+ on this page and subscribe, we may receive a commission. That compensation never changes the score, the ranking position, or the facts reported here. Read the full disclosure.