Paramount+ price hike: How you can save on the streaming service

It was only a matter of time until Paramount+ joined the price hike party. Following the lead of its peers – Netflix, Peacock, HBO Max, Apple TV+, YouTube TV, Disney+, and Hulu – Paramount+ is set to increase its monthly and annual subscription costs starting in January 2026. To make matters worse, newly merged Paramount Skydance announced it would be discontinuing free trials as well.

This is the second price increase for Paramount+ in as many years. In August 2024, prices dropped from just $5.99 to $7.99 for the ad-supported tier and from $11.99 to $12.99 for the ad-free tier. This time, the cost of monthly plans is increasing by another dollar; Paramount+ Essentials will cost $8.99 per month, and Paramount+ Premium will cost $13.99 per month. Annual plans are also increasing as they are certainly increasing. Paramount+ Essentials will increase from just $59.99 per year to $89.99 per year, while Paramount+ Premium will increase from $119.99 to $139.99 per year.

Credit: Mashable

When will the new prices come into effect?

It’s not all bad news. The new Paramount+ pricing won’t take effect until January 15, 2026This means you have plenty of time to make a deal (more on that below), The company announced in its reporting of Q3 2025 results that “Ongoing investments in Paramount+ are enhancing the value we deliver to consumers, To support this continued investment, we plan to implement value increases in the US beginning in the first quarter of 2026,” Those programming investments, worth more than $1,5 billion, include the rights to show UFC matches throughout the year, licensing new Paramount+ originals and third-party catalogs, and expanding its film slate to 15 films per year, So, at least your money will be spent on some new content,

How to Save on a Paramount+ Subscription

Along with the price increases, Paramount also announced it was “discontinuing” its free trials at all levels and “reviewing discount practices.” We’re hoping the review won’t be out until the new year, as Paramount+ offers a solid Black Friday streaming deal. Not to mention, the streamer offers some of the best streaming discounts throughout the year – up to 50% off on annual plans.

The best option for most people on any given day would be to sign up for the annual plan before the price increase. By signing up before the hike you’ll save $30 on the Essentials plan and $20 on the Premium plan – and that’s on top of the savings you’ll already get from paying annually vs. monthly.

If you want to sign up for Paramount+ before the price increase takes effect, we’ve rounded up the best ways to save on a subscription (as of November 12). If you want to roll the dice and wait until Black Friday, most of these deals will continue through January 15, 2026.