Paramount+ plans to raise prices in early 2026 and retire free trials.
CEO David Ellison made the announcement in the company’s third-quarter shareholder letter on Tuesday, stating that its “ongoing investments in Paramount+ are enhancing the value we deliver to consumers. To support this continued investment, we plan to implement price increases in the U.S. early in the first quarter of 2026.”
Price increases for Paramount+ subscribers will take effect starting Jan. 15, 2026. The Paramount+ Essential (ad-supported) plan will increase by $1 to $8.99 per month, and the Paramount+ Premium (ad-free) plan will rise by $1 to $13.99 per month, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Annual plans will also increase, with the Essential plan moving to $89.99 per year and the Premium plan to $139.99 per year. Here are some of our favorite and affordable streaming services:
Philo – $33 a month with a 7-day free trial for new users
FuboTV – Plans start at $29.99 after a free trial
ADVERTISEMENTDIRECTV – Plans start at $49.99 a month with a free trial
Sling – Plans start at $29.99 with promotional offers available, including packages that start at $4.99)
The company is “shifting away from certain hard bundles and low-margin subscriptions.”
Paramount noted that it recently announced upcoming price adjustments in Canada and Australia.
“These changes will fuel continued reinvestment in the user experience and deliver an even stronger slate of programming for our customers in the year ahead and beyond,” Ellison said in the letter.
The primary driver of the price increases, according to Paramount, is its significant investment in tentpole programming.
This includes a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), making Paramount the exclusive home for the year-round lineup of highly engaging live events.
The company notes that removing the paywall for UFC events delivers substantial value. The cost of an annual Paramount+ subscription will be less than buying just one UFC pay-per-view event under the prior distribution model.
Additionally, the investment funds an “even stronger slate of programming,” including new season hits such as “Tulsa King” and “Mayor of Kingstown.”
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