So, you've decided to get a Paramount Plus subscription and want to get the essential plan, the platform's most affordable subscription tier.
This first tier option on NBCUniversal's streaming service does offer a large library of movies and TV shows and is certainly lighter on the wallet but you won't have access to everything. These exclusions will mean missing out on Showtime and you will be unable to access entire access to some of the live sports. However, you will still get access to some regional NFL games on Paramount Plus, making it a great option for fans looking to save money.
We've taken it upon ourselves to highlight how Paramount Plus Essential is different from the Paramount Plus Premium plan in this guide below.
How much does Paramount Plus Essential cost?
Paramount Plus Essential is the cheaper of the subscription options, available for a monthly fee of $7.99. You can also pay $59.99 for an entire year's worth of streaming.
Comparatively, Paramount Plus Premium goes for $11.99 per month, and that's the tier with Showtime included.
What's different about the Paramount Plus Essential plan?
The first big difference between Paramount Plus Essential and the Premium option is that the latter includes all of Showtime's content as well, with lots of hit TV shows included in the package that you won't get on Essential.
Another important discrepency is that Essential comes with "limited commercial interruptions," whereas Premium is commercial-free. That basically means that you get ad-free streaming if you pay more.
Another thing that separates the two subscriptions is that Essential subscribers do not have access to a live stream of their local CBS station, so they can not watch CBS shows like NCIS, Ghosts, Young Sheldon or Blue Bloods when they air live and have to wait until they are available on-demand the next day.
However, this does not apply to NFL and UEFA Champions League games, as games that air on subscribers' local CBS stations are available on their own live streaming feeds
Another difference is that you won't be able to download shows and movies for offline viewing. (That's also in line with the ad-supported plan for HBO Max.)
What if you had the $5.99 Paramount Plus plan before?
Some Paramount Plus subscribers signed up for what was known as the Limited Commercials plan that cost $5.99 per month. This plan has been discontinued, though if you signed up for it when available and still have an active account, then you still have access to all the features of this plan until you decide to cancel and resubscribe or change your plan.
Is there a Paramount Plus Essential plan in the UK?
The equivalent to the Paramount Plus essential plan in the UK is the Paramount Plus Basic (with ads) plan.
This costs £4.99 per month or £43.99 for a year, and it gets you access to the entire Paramount Plus library, just with adverts interrupting your viewing.
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