PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Next Paramount+ Price Hike Coming Early 2026, Ending Free Trials

The streaming service is hiking prices by $1 from January making the cheapest subscription $8.99 a month.

 & James Peckham Reporter

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
(Credit: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.

Your Paramount+ subscription is set to get more expensive with a price hike in the US from Jan. 15, 2026.

The news was first revealed in the brand’s Q3 2025 earnings report. It says, "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."

Those on a Paramount+ Essential subscription, which is the ad-supported tier, will see a rise of $1 to $8.99 a month. The Paramount+ Premium subscription is also rising by $1, up to $13.99 a month.

Yearly subscriptions are also set to become a worse deal. The Essential plan is currently $59.99 a year, but the price is rising by $30 to $89.99. You currently save over $35 with a yearly subscription, but the saving will reduce to around $18.

The ad-free tier will see a less steep increase moving from $119.99 to $139.99 a year. You currently save over $35 a year, but the new price makes it around $28 saved. If you want to lock in prices for the next year, you will want to subscribe before January.

The brand has also announced it will be “retiring” its free trials in the near future. Paramount+ still offers a free week of its service for new subscribers, but it's unclear when that will end.

It also says it will be “reviewing discount practices,” which may mean its harder to find cheaper access to the streamer. Other services, such as Walmart+, currently offer Paramount+ as an additional benefit.

Paramount completed its merger with Skydance Corporation in August. From next year, Paramount+ will also become the exclusive broadcaster for UFC in the US, which was part of a $7.7 billion deal for seven years of streaming rights.

2025 has seen many price hikes across many streaming services including Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix, and more. This is the third price hike since 2023 when Paramount's ad-supported tier first cost $4.99 a month.

About Our Expert

James Peckham

James Peckham

Reporter

I’ve been a journalist for over a decade after getting my start in tech reporting back in 2013. I joined PCMag in 2025, where I cover the latest developments across the tech sphere, writing about the gadgets and services you use every day. Be sure to send me any tips you think PCMag would be interested in.

I’ve worked at TechRadar, Android Police, T3, and more, where I broke many tech stories you may have read, including the return of the Motorola Razr when it first became a foldable phone. Based near London, I’ve appeared on BBC News, Al Jazeera, and other TV networks, podcasts, and radio shows as an expert on the latest tech stories and trends.

Read full bio