Paramount+ has officially raised its subscription prices on January 15th, the first price increase since 2024.
Both the ad-supported and premium tiers were affected, and could have been prompted by the recent acquisition of UFC events on Paramount+.
Subscription Price Increase
Each of the platform’s subscription plans has seen a price increase.
The base ad-supported Essential tier will increase to $8.99/month ($89.99/year), up from $7.99/month ($59.99/year). The ad-free Premium tier will increase to $13.99/month ($139.99/year), up from $12.99/month ($119.99/year).
While the annual subscription still offers some savings compared to the monthly plans, it did rise a significant amount from the previous pricing.
The change was reflected in the February 2026 billing cycles and applies to both new and existing subscribers. This is the first price increase since August 2024.
In a letter to shareholders, Paramount claimed the 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.”
Reason for Paramount+ Price Hike
While the price increase happened in January, the reasons as to why Paramount+ decided to do this are now coming forth.
Paramount+ came to a seven-year agreement last year to become the U.S. broadcaster of UFC, making it the home for all 13 UFC numbered events and 30 Fight Nights annually starting January 2026. Unlike on ESPN+, the events will be available at the base subscription price, with no extra costs to view.
With this happening at a similar time period to the price hikes, it makes sense that the two are interconnected.
The inclusion of UFC events on Paramount+ is already breaking records. The company announced that 7 million households tuned into the first UFC stream, UFC 324, marking it as the biggest sports livestream for Paramount+ ever.
If this one event is any indication of the UFC’s future on Paramount+, the company should make its money back in no time.
Limited Free Trials
Another notable change to Paramount+’s subscription is the disappearance of the free trial for new users. The switch is a move from the company to maximize revenue in the wake of finalizing its UFC deal.
However, there are a couple of other ways to enjoy some free access to the service before paying. One instance is the Walmart+ subscription. If you subscribe to Walmart+, it connects to a Paramount+ Essential free trial, providing 30 days of the service and access to streaming content for 30 days.
The other way to enjoy Paramount+ without paying is through the Prime Video add-on. Amazon’s streaming platform provides 7-day free trials for most of its add-ons, with the monthly cost after the trial rolled into your Amazon Prime bill.
Paramount+’s Content Library
Paramount+ has an extensive library of top-tier movies, shows, and sports offerings. It’s important to note that only the Premium tier allows access to any Showtime title you desire.
However, either plan has plenty to watch. Some star series include South Park, Landman, Tulsa King, 1883, 1923, and Star Trek. Films featured on the platform include the Transformers franchise, the Mission Impossible franchise, and more.
There’s even sports offerings on the platform, including NFL on CBS, the UEFA Champions League, and of course, the new UFC events.
UFC Fight Nights and UFC numbered events will be available for no extra charge on the service from now on, after the move from ESPN+.