Paramount+ Just Unveiled a Game-Changing Lineup and Lower Price—Everything You Need to Know

Paramount Plus has entered another pivotal chapter in its short but event-packed life. The streamer just scrubbed “with Showtime” from its top-tier plan, officially rebranding it as “Paramount+ Premium” while keeping the $12.99-per-month ($119.99 annual) price intact. At the same time, Paramount Global is dangling one of its most aggressive promotions yet: through September 18, new and lapsed subscribers can lock in 50 percent off the first year of either the Essential or Premium annual plans, dropping the ad-supported tier to $29.99 and the ad-free tier to $59.99. WHAT THE NAME CHANGE MEANS • Paramount+ Premium now bundles all Showtime originals (Yellowjackets, Dexter: Original Sin, The Chi) plus live Showtime East/West feeds. • Paramount+ Essential (now $7.99 monthly) keeps ads but, for the first time, sprinkles in sampling access to select Showtime series—one reason Paramount felt confident dropping the Showtime branding altogether. • Existing “with Showtime” customers automatically transition to Premium; no action or price hike required. LIMITED-TIME 50 % DISCOUNT: HOW TO CLAIM 1. Visit ParamountPlus.com and select “Annual” billing. 2. Choose Essential or Premium; the checkout page reflects the half-price promo until 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept 18. 3. After the first year, plans auto-renew at the regular $59.99 (Essential) or $119.99 (Premium) unless canceled. WHY PARAMOUNT PLUS IS SURGING IN SEARCH • Fresh Originals: NCIS: Tony & Ziva (Sept 4 premiere), Tulsa King S3 (Sept 21), and Winter Spring Summer or Fall movie debut keep buzz high. • Live Sports: Exclusive NFL on CBS, UEFA Champions League, and every SEC game from 2026 forward keep cord-cutters flocking. • Competitive Pricing: Even without the sale, Premium undercuts ad-free rivals like Netflix and Max, and the current 50 percent cut makes it one of the cheapest big-library streamers in the U.S. market. UPCOMING RELEASE CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS (SEPT–OCT 2025) • Sept 23 – Bodyguard of Lies documentary • Oct 8 – Star Trek: Legacy (series premiere) • Oct 15 – A Quiet Place: Day One (streaming debut) • Oct 31 – Monster High: Year of the Ghoul animated special PARAMOUNT PLUS VS. COMPETITORS IN 2025 Plan | Monthly | Annual | Ads | Premium Add-ons Essential | $7.99 | $59.99 | Yes | None Premium | $12.99 | $119.99| No* | Showtime, local CBS live *Ads still appear on live channels. For comparison, Disney+ Premium is $13.99, while the soon-to-be-renamed HBO Max (back to HBO Max next summer) sits at $15.99 ad-free. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is Showtime leaving Paramount Plus? No. Showtime’s entire on-demand catalog and linear feeds remain; only the plan label has changed. Does the 50 % sale include monthly plans? No. The promotion is exclusive to annual billing. Can current subscribers use the promo? It’s limited to new and returning customers; existing active accounts are ineligible. Is there still a free trial? Yes—seven days on monthly plans, but annual sale sign-ups skip the trial period. BOTTOM LINE Between a strategic rebrand, an aggressive half-price annual offer, and a jam-packed fall slate, Paramount Plus is positioning itself as the most cost-effective way to stream blockbuster movies, prestige Showtime dramas, live sports, and CBS hits this season. Act before September 18 to lock in the lowest yearly rate the service has ever offered.