Paramount+ Hikes Prices and Ends Free Trials Starting Next Year

Paramount+ is set to raise its subscription prices and end free trials in the U.S. starting January 2026, the company confirmed.

The streaming service’s Essential plan, which includes ads, will go up $1 to $8.99 per month, while the Premium plan without ads will rise $1 to $13.99 per month. Annual plans will also increase, though they remain slightly cheaper than paying monthly, with Essential costing $89.99 per year and Premium $139.99 per year.

The price changes come as Paramount+ prepares to bring more premium content to its platform. This includes UFC fights, which will now be available to all subscribers without requiring a pay-per-view purchase. Paramount said that student and military discounts will continue at 50% off the new prices.

The free trial option is also being removed. New users will be charged immediately upon signing up for the service. The company said this change aligns with its strategy to focus on paid subscriptions.

In a letter to shareholders following its Q3 2025 results, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison said, “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.”

Paramount’s recent deals include a seven-year, $7.7 billion partnership with UFC, making Paramount+ the exclusive home for MMA events, and a five-year, $1.5 billion agreement with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, which the company says has driven subscriber growth.

Even with the increases, Paramount+ said it will remain competitively priced compared to other streaming services. The platform offers original series such as Landman and Tulsa King, Star Trek and South Park franchises, films including Mission: Impossible, CBS hits like Tracker and Survivor, and exclusive coverage of sports including Sunday NFL games and the UEFA Champions League.

“Our 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,” the company noted in its earnings report.

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