Paramount+

Review by eFreeware

Paramount+ is a streaming app from CBS Interactive, Inc., and it gathers a wide catalog of television, film and live sport into one place. It has been on Google Play since October 2013 and now sits past 10 million installs with a 4.1 average from more than half a million ratings. The download is free, with ads present and in-app purchases available.

The reason to consider it is range. Few services of this type try to cover scripted originals, blockbuster films, children's programming, news and live sport at once, and the developer leans on that breadth in its pitch. If your household watches across several of those categories, a single subscription is easier to justify than several.

What follows is an assessment of what the developer describes: the headline content, the supporting features, the plans and requirements, and the practical questions worth settling before you commit.

Subscriber-only originals and a deep on-demand library

The lead offer is exclusive series. Landman, 1923 and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are among the subscriber-only originals, suggesting a mix of drama, western and science fiction rather than one narrow genre.

Behind the originals sits a large on-demand catalog drawn from the company's own networks. Full episodes of series such as Survivor, South Park and SpongeBob SquarePants are available, alongside programming from CBS, BET, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and VH1. That spread matters if different people in your home watch different things.

Films round out the library, with blockbuster titles and older favorites from Paramount Pictures and MGM. The developer frames this as a movie-night option, and the combination of current series, classics and film is what gives the app its width.

There is also a live component. Around-the-clock streams include CBS News 24/7 for news, CBS Sports HQ for scores and highlights, and Mixible for entertainment coverage, with 20 live channels of curated programming on top.

Live sport, including UFC cards and European soccer

Sport is a major part of the pitch. The developer lists NFL games on CBS, UFC events and the UEFA Champions League among the live offerings. For UFC followers, the app carries Numbered Events and Fight Nights both live and on demand.

Alongside the live cards, the app offers a library of past fights and finishes. If you follow the sport casually and miss a card, that archive gives you a way to catch up without rearranging your evening around a broadcast.

Soccer and football fans get their own reasons to subscribe, with the Champions League and NFL coverage named specifically. These are seasonal draws, so the value of the app will rise and fall depending on which competitions are running.

Some of the biggest live events sit behind the higher tier. March Madness, The Masters Tournament and The GRAMMYs are all Premium-plan inclusions, which is the clearest split between what the two levels of subscription get you.

Profiles, kids mode and a watchlist

Household management is handled with profiles. You can create as many as six individual profiles, so each person gets their own space. The developer also provides a Kids Mode profile for younger viewers, which is the sort of feature that matters more than it sounds once several people share one account.

My List is the app's watchlist, where you save titles to come back to. It is a small thing, but on a service with this much content, a way to bookmark what caught your eye is genuinely useful.

Between the profiles, the kids setting and the watchlist, the app is built for shared use rather than a single viewer. That orientation runs through the whole product, from the family-friendly network catalog to the separate spaces for each member of the household.

What the plans cost you in money and attention

The app is free to download, but the content is not. Subscriptions are sold through in-app purchases, and pricing details sit on the plans page. Expect to pay a recurring charge, and expect it to renew automatically until you cancel through your account settings.

The Premium plan is where several of the headline promises live. It removes ads from shows and movies, adds your local CBS station as a live stream, and brings in the full SHOWTIME service, including the East and West live feeds. The main tier does not include SHOWTIME.

Ads are part of the picture either way. The app itself contains advertising, and live television carries ads regardless of plan, with trailers and sponsorship messages appearing on both. Even the ad-free promise on Premium is framed with those exceptions attached.

There is a geographic limit to keep in mind. Use of the app is restricted to the United States, and live television is subject to availability. Prices are quoted in US dollars, promotional offers apply to new subscribers only, and other restrictions apply, so the offer you see may not match a friend's.

Getting the most from a subscription

The sensible first move is to decide which tier matches your habits. If SHOWTIME series, ad-free viewing, a local CBS feed and events like the Masters or March Madness matter to you, the Premium plan is the one the developer has designed around those wants. If your interest is mostly on-demand series and films, the lower tier covers that ground.

Set the app up for the whole household early. Creating profiles for each person gives each member of the household a space of their own, and a Kids Mode profile gives younger viewers a space of their own. Adding titles to My List as you browse saves you hunting for them later.

Because live sport is seasonal, it helps to think about the calendar. Football, soccer and UFC cards come and go, so a subscription will feel more valuable in some months than others. Checking what is scheduled before you commit gives you a clearer sense of what you are paying for.

Finally, treat the subscription as something to manage rather than set and forget. It renews automatically, and cancellation takes effect at the end of the period you have already paid for, so you keep access until then. Deciding in advance how long you want the service makes that easier to handle.

One more thing worth knowing: the app includes Nielsen measurement software, which contributes to market research such as television ratings.

A broad streaming service for households that watch widely

Paramount+ is at its best for people who want one subscription to cover a lot of ground. Originals like Landman and 1923, a deep on-demand catalog from CBS and its sister networks, films from Paramount Pictures and MGM, live news and sport, and up to six profiles make a case for households where tastes differ.

Sports followers have a specific reason to look at it, with NFL coverage, UFC cards and the Champions League on the roster, plus an archive of past fights for catching up. Those who want SHOWTIME, an ad-free experience and the biggest live events will find the Premium plan is the tier that delivers them.

The caveats are worth weighing honestly. It is a paid subscription despite the free download, ads appear in the app and on live television, the service is limited to the United States, and some of the most attractive content sits behind the higher tier. If your viewing is narrow, that breadth will not translate into value.

For a viewer or family who wants scripted series, kids' shows, movies and live sport under one roof, it is an easy service to justify. For anyone with a narrower list of must-watch titles, the cost is harder to square.

What's new in version 17.1.1

Gearing up for your next streaming adventure? Make the most of your journey with our Paramount+ Explorer’s Checklist: App improvements? Check. Bug fixes? Check. Just be sure to pack the latest app version and you’re all set. Safe travels!