Paramount+ and Showtime subscriptions can now be bundled together at $9.99 per month for a limited time, resulting in a lower cost overall for both. While the combining of plans is a good way to save on the monthly cost, bundles do come with their own caveats that should be taken into consideration before signing up. For some individuals and households, it may simply make more sense to subscribe separately, even if it costs more.
Paramount+ is one of the newer streaming services to arrive and builds on a CBS All Access base with access to content from other popular channels and networks, such as BET, Comedy Central, MTV and more. In contrast, Showtime has been around for much longer and provides access to a wide selection of popular shows and movies. A Paramount+ plan costs $4.99 per month although subscribers can upgrade to the ad-free Premium plan for $9.99 per month. As for Showtime, a standard subscription typically costs $10.99 per month on its own.
Right now, consumers also have the option of bundling both of these services together and only paying $9.99 per month in total. The $9.99 per month price is for the ad-supported Paramount+ plan and is available through the Paramount+ website. For those wanting access to the ad-free experience, there is the option to sign up to the ‘Premium + Showtime’ plan which is priced at $12.99 per month instead. Both versions of the bundle come with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
There is also the additional option of paying annually and saving an additional 16% on either bundle. Going the yearly route will bring the cost down to the equivalent of $8.33 per month for Essential and Showtime or $10.83 per month for Premium and Showtime. It is worth noting that these are limited time deals with the understanding that the prices of each bundle will increase after October 20, 2021. However, it currently remains unclear what the higher prices will be when the bundle launch sale period comes to an end.
As is the case with all bundles, it is worth keeping in mind whether the deal is actually worth it to an individual or household. While this promotional pricing does make financial sense, one of the problems with bundles in general is that the subscriber hands over an element of control. For example, if after signing up to the bundle a subscriber finds they no longer need access to both services, canceling Paramount+ or Showtime will automatically cancel the other service as well. This can prove to be an additional issue if the consumer was already receiving a promotional discount or deal on either of the individual subscriptions.
Another caveat to be aware of specifically relates to CBS All Access subscribers who transitioned to Paramount+ or first signed up to the service at the $5.99 per month launch rate. Those subscribers were actually signed up to the Limited Commercials plan. That plan was previously discontinued and replaced by the $4.99 per month Essentials plan. One of the main differences is that the Essentials plan no longer includes access to local live CBS channels. If that matters to the Paramount+ subscriber, then they may want to pass on this deal considering their new combined subscription will remove their local CBS access. That is, unless they are happy to upgrade to the $12.99 per month ‘Premium + Showtime’ plan which still does include access to local CBS stations.
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