Paramount+ offers two subscription tiers: Essential (ad-supported) and With SHOWTIME (ad-free). While both plans provide access to a large Paramount library of on-demand movies and shows, live news, and sports, they differ in features, price, and additional benefits. This article compares Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Essential to help you understand their features and determine which plan is right for you.
Paramount+ Essential offers a budget-friendly solution for fans of Paramount blockbuster movies and original shows. At the price of $7.99/month or $59.99/year, this ad-supported plan enables you to watch 40,000+ full episodes and hit movies on demand, along with live channels including CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports HQ, Mixible live streams, and 20 others.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is $12.99/month or $119.99/year. It is an ad-free plan (except for live content) including everything in the Essential plan plus access to the entire SHOWTIME library. This means you get critically acclaimed series, exclusive movies, documentaries, and more, significantly expanding your content choices.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Essential share several same features. They both support streaming on up to 3 devices simultaneously and creating up to 6 profiles for an account. However, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME offers a download feature and higher video quality. We’ll cover the key differences of the two plans in the next part.
The key difference between the two plans is that Paramount+ Essential includes ads, while Paramount+ with SHOWTIME offers ad-free streaming for on-demand content (live TV still includes ads). Beyond this, here are the other main differences:
Paramount+ Essential is the more affordable option. It costs $7.99 per month, or you can choose to pay for a yearly subscription at $59.99, which brings the monthly price down to $5. This plan provides access to Paramount+’s extensive library, though it includes ads during streaming.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME is priced at $5 more per month ($12.99/month) due to the added SHOWTIME content, ad-free on-demand viewing, offline download, and other benefits. It also offers an annual subscription of $119.99/year, equaling $10 per month.
Both plans come with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. To make the most of this offer and experience the full range of features, consider the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME free trial. Remember to cancel before the trial ends if you decide not to continue.
Additionally, Paramount+ offers a student discount, allowing verified students to enjoy 25% off the Essential Plan for up to four years, even if they graduate during that period. For long-term savings, the annual subscription is a great option, significantly reducing the cost. Choose the plan that best fits your budget and viewing preferences.
Paramount+ Essential subscribers can access Paramount+’s library, including originals like Star Trek: Discovery, Halo, and Yellowstone prequels, live sports, news, and very limited SHOWTIME series.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan includes everything in the Essential Plan plus SHOWTIME’s premium content, such as Billions, Dexter, The Chi, and exclusive movies. You can also enjoy your local live CBS station and SHOWTIME East and West channel.
If you’re a fan of SHOWTIME’s sophisticated storytelling, the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME Plan is the choice, offering the best of both worlds.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME allows subscribers to download movies and shows for offline viewing. However, you can only download on Android or iOS devices. Downloaded videos typically last 30 days and will expire in 48 hours if you start watching. In addition, you can only watch the downloaded titles within the Parmount+ app, and the downloaded content becomes inaccessible if your subscription ends or switch to the Essential plan.
The download feature is not supported with Paramount+ Essential. If offline viewing is important to you, you may need to subscribe to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME or use a professional downloader.
With Paramount+ Essential, you can steam the on-demand library up to 1080p HD. However, this plan doesn’t support 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, or HDR10.
Subscribers to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME can stream select titles in 4K, Dolby Vision, or HDR10 on compatible devices connected to a 4K/Dolby Vision/HDR10 capable TV. Supported devices include iPhones, iPads, Apple TV 4K HDR, Android phones, tablets, and TVs, Fire TV (4K Stick, Cube), and Roku devices.
Additionally, a high-speed internet connection of 25 Mbps or higher is required for 4K UHD and HDR streaming. Titles available in 4K, Dolby Vision, or HDR10 are labeled with badges on the show page, and this information may sometimes be included in the description.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME can also choose the download video quality between HD (720p-1080p) and SD(480p). To adjust this setting, open the Paramount+ app on your Android or iOS device, navigate to Settings (More > Profile Image > Settings), and select under Download Video Quality.
We’ve compared Paramount+’s Essential (ad-supported) and With SHOWTIME (ad-free) plans across price, library, download features, and video quality. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
Choose Paramount+ Essential If you:
Choose Paramount+ with SHOWTIME If you:
For your reference, here’s a side-by-side comparison of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and the Essential plan:
| Plan Features | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME | Paramount+ Essential |
| Price | $12.99/month or $119.99/year | $7.99/month or $59.99/year |
| 7-Day Free-trial | Yes | Yes |
| Ad-free On-demand Video | Yes | No |
| Download Movies & Shows | Yes | No |
| Simultaneous Streaming Devices | 3 | 3 |
| Access SHOWTIME Library | Yes | Select Series |
| CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports HQ, Mixible live streams, and 20 live channels | Yes | Yes |
| Local CBS Station and SHOWTIME East and West | Yes | No |
| 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, or HDR10 for selected content | Yes | No |
As mentioned earlier, the download feature is only available to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME users on Android and iOS devices. However, if you’re on the Essential plan and want to download Paramount+ content, you can use a professional tool like Pazu Paramount Plus Video Downloader. This desktop software allows you to download Paramount+ movies and shows for offline viewing, regardless of your subscription plan. The downloaded videos are saved as high-quality MP4 or MKV files, with resolutions up to 1080p. You can then transfer these files to any compatible device to watch offline, even after your subscription has ended.
Step-by-step guide on how to download movies and shows with Pazu Paramount Plus Video Downloader:
Download, install, and launch Pazu StreamGet All-in-One Video Downloader for your Mac or Windows. Choose PARAMOUNT and log in to your Paramount+ account.
If you have a registration code, click the key icon to activate the full version. Otherwise, you can proceed with the free trial.
Click Settings (the three-white-line icon) in the top right corner and select “Preferences.” Here, you can customize your download settings, including video format (MP4 or MKV), video quality, codec, preferred audio and subtitle languages, and more.
Enter the title of the movie or TV show you want to download and click the “Search” icon.
Once the download is complete, click the History tab at the top to find downloaded Paramount+ videos. You can now transfer these videos to any compatible device for offline viewing.
Download Paramount+ shows and movies to MP4/MKV on Mac&Windows PC.