Paramount Network Vs. Paramount Plus: What Are The Differences?

Gone are the days when you had limited access to platforms to watch your favorite titles. Thanks to the rise of streaming services, fans now have several options. But at the same time, they might get confused between two similar services. Today, we are here to talk about Paramount Network and Paramount Plus.

The two services have similar names because their parent organization is the same. But that’s not where the similarities end. And of course, there are differences between them too. So without wasting any more time, let’s talk about what are Paramount Network and Paramount Plus.

Paramount Network Vs. Paramount Plus

Paramount Network and Paramount Plus, both owned by ViacomCBS, cater to different viewing preferences. Paramount Network operates as a cable service, offering content through a traditional TV schedule in an app. In contrast, Paramount Plus is a streaming platform with a wider array of shows, including originals and content from various channels like CBS and Nickelodeon. While Paramount Network’s cost depends on the channel package, Paramount Plus offers an Essential plan at $4.99 and a Premium plan at $9.99 per month, the latter being ad-free.

Feature	Paramount Network	Paramount Plus
Ownership	Owned by ViacomCBS	Owned by ViacomCBS
Type	Cable network service	Streaming service
Content	Limited to cable TV content; follows TV schedule	Broader library including originals and more channels
Unique Offerings	Traditional TV viewing through an app	Originals like Halo TV series, content from CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon
Cost	Varies based on channel package	Essential plan: $4.99/month, Premium plan: $9.99/month (ad-free)

What are Paramount Network and Paramount Plus?

Since ViacomCBS own the two services, finding similarities is bound to happen. Paramount Network is a cable network service. This means you can go to its app and watch whatever is on it. It is essentially watching TV but through an application. Moreover, you will have to adhere to its airing schedule to watch your favorite titles.

But because the streaming market has seen such a boom over the years, Paramount Network might not be everyone’s first choice. Enters Paramount Plus, the streaming side of Paramount. The streaming service gets a lot of shows from its cable network service, but not all of them. Additionally, there are originals like the Halo TV series, which make it worthwhile.

Paramount Plus also triumphs over Paramount Network when it comes to the quantity of content. Because the streaming service has content from channels like CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon. On the other hand, Paramount Network won’t provide such a broad library.

Paramount Network vs Paramount Plus cost

This is where things get interesting. The price of Paramount Network entirely depends on the package of channels that you choose. So depending upon your choice, it could be either cheap or expensive. Instead of going through the trouble of handpicking each channel, you can try an alternative such as Sling TV.

Talking about Paramount Plus, it will provide you with two plans to choose from. You can either go for the cheaper $4.99/month ‘Essential plan’ or the $9.99/month ‘Premium plan.’ The most significant difference between the two is that the Premium plan offers you an ad-free experience. Meanwhile, both plans will offer a 7-day free trial to new users.

You can learn more about the two plans by reading our guide on how to signup for Paramount Plus. While we are at it, if you are a student, you can also check out the benefits of the Paramount Plus student discount.