On June 23, 2025, Paramount quietly retitled its top streaming tier from “Paramount+ with Showtime” to “Paramount+ Premium.” Nothing else about the plan changed—the price stays $12.99 a month or $119.99 a year, and the entire Showtime catalog is still there. Paramount says the new name “better reflects the full breadth of our ad-free offering,” signaling that Showtime is now just one piece of a much larger content mix.
What happened to Showtime exclusivity?
Showtime originals—Yellowjackets, Dexter: Resurrection, Billions, and the rest—used to be locked behind the old ad-free tier. Paramount has begun seeding “select Showtime series” into the cheaper Essential plan, hoping to entice casual viewers while reserving complete, day-and-date access for Premium subscribers.
Pricing, perks, and what stays the same
Everything Premium subscribers already count on—zero ads, full 4K HDR support, downloads for offline viewing, and a live local CBS feed—remains intact. The Essential tier is still $7.99 a month (or $59.99 a year) with ads, limited downloads, and no local CBS stream.
| Plan | Monthly / Annual | Ads | Showtime Access | Live Local CBS | Downloads | 4K HDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | $12.99 / $119.99 | None | Full library | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Essential | $7.99 / $59.99 | Yes | “Sampling” only | ✖ (national sports feeds only) | Limited | ✖ |
(Prices U.S. only; international markets vary.)
The end of the standalone Showtime app
If you were still paying for Showtime by itself, that option disappeared on April 30, 2025 when Paramount shuttered the dedicated Showtime app. Customers were migrated to Paramount+ or asked to switch providers, paving the way for today’s cleaner Premium branding.
Why Paramount is simplifying its labels
Paramount is following the same playbook Warner Bros. Discovery used when it shortened HBO Max to Max: shed legacy sub-brands, emphasize a single, easy-to-market flagship, and highlight breadth over niche identity. Internally, executives also point out that keeping “Showtime” in the top-tier name no longer made sense once some Showtime titles started trickling into Essential.
How many viewers does this affect?
Paramount+ finished Q1 2025 with 79 million global subscribers, up 11 percent year-over-year—growth driven largely by international launches and the draw of live sports like the UEFA Champions League and the NFL. Premium accounts represent roughly one-third of that total, according to the company’s latest earnings call.
A broader push for scale
Behind the rebrand is a bigger strategy: fold every recognizable content strand—CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures, and Showtime—into one service that can travel globally. Paramount has pledged 150 international originals by 2025 and has inked multi-year carriage deals with Comcast, Sky, and Claro Video to ensure wider distribution.
Choosing (or switching) your plan
- Stick with Premium if you binge Showtime, want 4K HDR, download episodes for flights, or rely on your local CBS station for news and NFL games.
- Drop to Essential if you only watch the occasional Showtime hit, don’t mind ads, and mainly stream on a single screen.
Upgrading or downgrading is instant and prorated inside your account settings, so you can toggle plans around major sports seasons or prestige-TV drops without penalty.
Paramount’s renaming exercise doesn’t change what you watch tonight, but it does point to a future where legacy channel names matter less than the all-in-one destination on your home screen.
From CBS All Access To Paramount+
Paramount+ has continued to evolve since its 2021 transition from CBS All Access, streamlining its plans, raising prices, and—most recently—renaming its top-tier option. As of June 23 2025 the ad-free “Paramount+ with Showtime” bundle is simply called Paramount+ Premium. The service now offers two straightforward subscriptions:
- Essential | $7.99 / month or $59.99 / year (ads, no local CBS station, limited Showtime sampling)
- Premium | $12.99 / month or $119.99 / year (no ads*, full Showtime library, live local CBS, 4K HDR, offline downloads)
*Live TV streams (local CBS, sports, news) still carry ads due to network contracts.
Together, the two tiers unlock more than 40,000 TV episodes, 2,500+ movies, live NFL and UEFA games, 24/7 CBS News, and a growing slate of Paramount+ originals. The rebrand drops the clunky Showtime label while keeping every Showtime series—Yellowjackets, Dexter: Resurrection, Billions, and more—inside Premium.
Key Takeaways
- Paramount+ now has two plans: Essential ($7.99 / month, with ads) and Premium ($12.99 / month, ad-free on-demand plus Showtime and local CBS).
- The old Showtime add-on is gone—its content lives inside Premium at no extra cost.
- The library tops 40,000 TV episodes across CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Smithsonian Channel, and Paramount Pictures.
- Live sports include NFL on CBS, NCAA basketball, PGA Tour events, and UEFA Champions League matches.
- New users still get a seven-day free trial; annual billing saves about 16 % versus paying monthly.
Subscription Plans and Pricing
Paramount+ keeps things simple: one ad-supported plan and one commercial-free plan. Both include everything in the ever-expanding Paramount Global catalogue, but Premium layers on extras—4K HDR where available, Dolby Vision/Atmos, full Showtime, and your live local CBS feed.
Ad-Supported vs. Premium
Essential ($7.99 / month • $59.99 / year) – Streams with limited commercials, no local CBS station, and only a sampling of Showtime titles. Live sports such as NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League are included, but through national feeds.
Premium ($12.99 / month • $119.99 / year) – Totally ad-free on-demand, full Showtime roster, live local CBS, 4K HDR and Dolby Vision on supported devices, and offline downloads.
Both plans stream on up to three devices simultaneously and let you create individual profiles with parental controls.
Free Trial and Sign-Up Deals
Paramount+ typically offers a seven-day free trial for new customers, with occasional extended promos (30 days around Super Bowl LVIII, for instance). Students get 25 % off Essential, and verified Walmart+ members still qualify for an Essential subscription at no extra cost for as long as their Walmart+ account stays active.
Annual billing knocks roughly two months off the yearly price—ideal if you’re in for the long haul.
Content Library and Exclusive Features
Beyond CBS, Paramount+ weaves together content from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, and the Smithsonian Channel. That means new Paramount blockbusters (A Quiet Place: Day One hits the service this fall), every season of SpongeBob SquarePants, classic MTV reality, and Emmy-winning Showtime dramas.
Original Series and Exclusives
The streamer has launched more than 75 originals in four years, from Star Trek: Discovery and Halo to breakout hits like The Chi and documentary series Couples Therapy. Upcoming 2025 highlights include Guy Ritchie’s crime drama MobLand and the animated Avatar Studios film.
Library staples such as NCIS, Survivor, Frasier, and CSI arrive on Paramount+ the day after broadcast or in complete-series form for bingeing.
Live TV and Sports
Premium subscribers can stream their local CBS station live—handy for primetime, late-night, and marquee sports. Essential members see nationally streamed NFL on CBS games, NCAA hoops, PGA Tour events, and UEFA soccer, but not their regional affiliate’s primetime lineup.
CBS News 24/7, ET Live, and other rolling news channels stream free on both tiers.
Partnerships and Expanded Catalogue
Paramount Global regularly licenses additional movies to bulk up its catalog—including Miramax titles and MGM classics—and plans to debut 150 international originals by the end of 2025. Smithsonian Channel docs, Nickelodeon favorites, and Comedy Central stand-up specials round out the mix.
All told, subscribers can explore over 40,000 episodes and thousands of films without leaving the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are quick answers to common questions about Paramount+ pricing, tiers, and content.
How much does Paramount+ cost per month?
Essential is $7.99 / month with limited commercials; Premium is $12.99 / month and removes ads from on-demand content while adding your local CBS station and the complete Showtime catalog.
What are the annual subscription prices?
Essential costs $59.99 per year (saving about $16), and Premium is $119.99 per year (saving roughly $36 versus paying monthly).
Which channels and programs are included?
Paramount+ pools content from CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Smithsonian Channel, Paramount Pictures, and Showtime. Think NCIS, SpongeBob SquarePants, South Park, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, and every Showtime original season.
Do I need cable to watch Paramount+?
No. Paramount+ is a standalone streaming service available on smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and most game consoles. A broadband connection is all you need.
Is Paramount+ free with Amazon Prime?
It isn’t bundled with Prime, but you can add Paramount+ (Essential or Premium) as a Prime Video Channel and manage billing through Amazon.
