Paramount Plus is not included with Amazon Prime for free, but it can be added through the company’s Prime Video Channels service and does come with a seven-day free trial. While Prime does offer the option to sign up to Paramount+, it may not be the best or the cheapest way to access the streaming service for many consumers. This is especially when considering that the Paramount Plus app is also available to download directly on Amazon’s Fire TV line of devices.
The cost of a Paramount Plus subscription largely depends on the experience wanted. The streaming service does offer a $4.99 per month plan but it does include ads. For those looking for a more premium and ad-free experience, the Paramount Plus Premium plan costs $9.99 per month. Unlike with Peacock, there is no option to watch Paramount Plus for free unless taking advantage of a free trial or getting a subscription for free with another paid service.
Amazon Prime does offer the option to sign up to Paramount Plus as a Prime Video Channel, but it is not free. Technically, Prime does offer a seven-day free trial to the service, so Prime Video Channels can be used to watch Paramount Plus for free but only for the first seven days. After this, the consumer will automatically be charged for the first month of the subscription and then again each month while they remain subscribed to Paramount Plus. If the goal is to simply watch something for free, and this can be done in less than seven days, then Prime Video Channels may be a good enough option.
Adding Paramount Plus through Prime Video Channels is fairly easy to do. However, it does require the consumer to already have a Prime membership set up. Providing that is the case, the instructions are as follows:
- Head over to amazon.com
- Search for “Paramount+”
- Click ‘Paramount+’ in the results
- Click on ‘Learn More’ (direct Amazon link)
- Click on “Get Started”
- Click on “Continue” to start the subscription
Before clicking on “continue” as part of the last step above, Amazon will confirm the details of the subscription. This includes whether an existing Prime membership is active, the length of the Paramount+ free trial, the monthly cost after the free trial, and payment information. The details above are for the Amazon website, but it is also possible to start a Paramount+ subscription directly through the Amazon app as well. This can be done by opening the app, searching for “Paramount+”, clicking on the service in the results, tapping “Learn More” and following the on-screen instructions to confirm the subscription.
It is worth keeping in mind that Prime Video Channels subscriptions cannot be canceled through the Amazon app. Instead, those signing up through the app will need to cancel the subscription through the Amazon website.
Paramount Plus on Fire TV
Not only does signing up to Paramount Plus through Prime Video Channels cost exactly the same as when signing up through the Paramount+ website, but it can actually be more expensive. The reason for this is that there is no way to subscribe to the cheaper $4.99 per month Essential plan through Prime Video Channels. In other words, anyone signing up to Paramount Plus through Amazon Prime will need to pay $9.99 each month for the subscription.
One of the main reasons to consider Prime Video Channels is the ease of use for Amazon customers. After all, Amazon takes care of the general subscription, including taking the monthly payment on behalf of Paramount Plus. Although this does also mean subscribers will need to cancel their Paramount Plus subscription through Amazon when the time comes, it does remove the need to download another app, sign up for another account, and manage that account separately to a Prime membership.
This is particularly true for those with a Fire TV player or TV considering these devices come with a highly integrated Prime Video experience. However, the Paramount Plus app is also available to download from the Amazon App Store on many Fire TV devices. While the separate app might require more management, subscribing to the service directly might still be the better option, and especially for those looking to save on the cost. For those looking to sign up to Paramount Plus at the cheapest rate possible, they are better off heading over to the Paramount+ website, signing up, and choosing the $4.99 Essential plan. After this, they can then download the Paramount+ app on their Fire TV device and sign in with their Paramount Plus account.
Paramount Plus with Prime summary
Paramount Plus is available as a Prime Video Channel and comes with a seven-day free trial. While this can be a good way to watch Paramount Plus for free over the short term, Paramount+ is not free with Amazon Prime. Instead, consumers will be charged the full monthly rate once the free trial comes to an end, and the subscription will continue to be billed each month until the Prime Video Channels subscription is canceled. As there is no option to sign up to the cheaper Essential plan through Prime Video Channels, subscribers will end up paying the higher, ad-free monthly rate to watch Paramount Plus.
If looking to specifically watch Paramount Plus on one of Amazon’s Fire TV devices, then the actual Paramount+ app can be downloaded on most of these devices. By downloading the app and signing up to Paramount Plus directly, Fire TV device users will still be able to take advantage of the free trial, and are able to choose between the cheaper, ad-supported Essential plan or the more expensive but ad-free Premium plan.
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