Paramount+ and Showtime have combined into a single streaming app.
The full bundling follows an initial move last year to unify the billing of the two, with significant discounts, as Paramount Global was looking to give an extra boost to Paramount+. Formerly known as CBS All Access, the streaming service rebranded in 2021.
New subscribers will be able to sign up for Paramount+ With Showtime for $7.99 a month for the basic, ad-supported service and $12.99 for the ad-free version. Current subscribers can upgrade to the bundle within their app.
After the introductory discount ends October 2, the bundle will cost $11.99 with ads or $14.99 without them. Subscribers interested in having only Showtime, without Paramount+, will still be able to get it for $10.99 a month as a stand-alone offering as well as through third-party distributors. Likewise, those wanting Paramount+ but not Showtime can continue to pay $4.99 a month with ads or $9.99 without them. Live fare, notably sports, is not part of the ad-free promise, and of course Showtime programming will not carry ads when it is viewed on the combined app.
The Paramount combination comes as Warner Bros Discovery is working to bring together HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single app. Disney’s three-part bundle of Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu has been a major success since its 2020 introduction. For now, each service within it remains separate, though it is widely expected that Hulu will migrate to Disney+ once Disney gains full control of Hulu in 2024.
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Paramount Global said Paramount+ added 4.9 million subscribers in the second quarter ending June 30, reaching 43.3 million overall, the bulk of the company’s total subscriber base of almost 64 million. The company plans to have Paramount+ in 60 global territories by the end of the year. Outside the U.S., some Showtime programming has already been streaming on Paramount+.
In announcing the new merged offering, Paramount Global said its aim was to make signing up and finding programming a smoother process.
“The Paramount+ with Showtime bundle offers consumers unprecedented value by providing one of the broadest content libraries in streaming at one of the lowest prices in the marketplace,” said Tom Ryan, president and chief executive officer of Paramount Global Streaming. “This singular user experience streamlines sign-up and enhances discovery, and this lower price will allow more households to enjoy this exceptional combined entertainment offering.”