Paramount Plus is set to introduce a new ad-supported plan on Monday that will cost just $5 per month — half the price of its more premium plan.
The primary difference between what the service is calling its “essential” plan and the more expensive commercial-free plan — besides the addition of ads — is some missing content. The $10 commercial-free plan includes both local and national news coverage with CBSN and CBS live, whereas the new essential plan only includes national news with CBSN. There’s more sports coverage on the commercial-free plan as well, and premium users also get support for offline downloads.
Both plans include access to tens of thousands of TV episodes and movies, as well as the platform’s originals, but premium tier subscribers will only see ads on live TV programming and a handful of series. Of note, the new budget plan — which will replace an existing limited-commercial tier — will not include a user’s local live CBS channel that’s also included in the limited-commercial experience, a spokesperson for the service confirmed to The Verge.
As was announced when the service officially launched in March, the new tier will replace an older $6 option that was carried over when the service rebranded from CBS All Access. The commercial-free plan normally costs $10 per month, but the company offered a limited commercial programming option for $6 per month. Though those who are currently on the $6 plan can remain on that tier if they so choose.
If you’re a current subscriber to an existing $6 plan grandfathered in from CBS All Access, you may want to stay on the slightly more expensive plan you’re currently on — at least if local news coverage is important to you. Additionally, if a limited-commercial subscriber opts into the new $5 plan, they will not be able to switch their plan back to the $6 tier after June 7th.
In other words, if you’ve been considering a Paramount Plus subscription and would like local news coverage included in your ad-supported experience, now’s the time to subscribe. If limited advertising is less important to you than shaving a buck off your streaming tab every month, then keep an eye out for the new plan come launch day on June 7th.
