Paramount Plus review: How does it compare these days?

Loads of home-grown content call Paramount Plus home, but is Yellowjackets enough to justify $6.99 a month?

Paramount+
Paramount Plus
4 out of 5 stars
4
Price
From $6.99 per month (with ads)
Content
TV shows, movies and sport
Free trial
7 days
Quality
4K streaming (on Premium Plan)
Kate Reynolds
Jan 07, 2025
Icon Time To Read5 min read
Quick verdict: is Paramount Plus worth it?

Paramount Plus is a bit of an underdog in the streaming service wars; it’s an oft-overlooked smaller player struggling to find its place. Comedy specials from homegrown talent that you won’t find on other platforms is a good selling point, as are its multiple Yellowstone spin-offs, but will it be enough to lure viewers long term?

pro
Pros
pro Loads of homegrown comedy specials
pro Australian TV shows
pro Less than $10 per month
pro 7-day free trial
con
Cons
con Limited amount of content
con Ads on the cheapest tier
Photograph of someone using the Paramount+ app on smartphone

Paramount Plus might get overlooked as a streaming platform, but there are definitely some gems in there that are at the very least worth the 7-day free trial. You can catch up on loads of Channel 10 content like The Bachelor and Survivor (hello on-demand Jonathan LaPaglia), locally-made TV series like Five Bedrooms and Spreadsheet and live comedy performances from the likes of Celia Pacquola, Matt Okine, Anne Edmonds and Geraldine Hickey.

It might seem like there's a lot of Aussie shows on Paramount Plus but that's because it replaced an existing streaming service that didn’t quite catch on, 10 All Access.

Paramount Plus combines the television shows from Channel 10 with content from the various properties under the wider ViacomCBS banner, including but not limited to Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV.

This means shows like Broad City, Drunk History, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (oooh, remember that 90s show? Oblina 4eva,) The Angry Beavers (another 90s gem) and Californication are all on the platform to stream to your heart’s content.

Not to mention movies like Gladiator, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Love Actually are on the bill too.

There’s also binge-worthy TV content like YellowjacketsYellowstone spin-offs 1923 and 1883, as well as Dexter (including the prequel and sequel series, Original Sin and New Blood.)

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Quick facts: Paramount Plus

  • Price: From $6.99 per month
  • Free trial: 7-day free trial
  • Ads: Yes (on the cheapest plan)
  • Simultaneous streams: Up to 4 (on Premium plan)
  • Accessibility: Subtitles available

Paramount Plus Australia plans and price

From $6.99 (with ads) to $13.99 (with 4K)

Paramount Plus offers three plans in Australia, each with a discount if you subscribe for a whole year. Here's what each plan will get you:

Service
Details
Monthly price
More info
Paramount+Paramount+ Basic with ads
HD streaming
1 stream
Ads: Yes
Deal: 7-day Free Trial
$6.99/mth
Paramount+Paramount+ Standard
HD streaming
2 streams
Ads: No
Deal: 7-day Free Trial
$10.99/mth
Paramount+Paramount+ Premium
4K/HDR streaming
4 streams
Ads: No
Deal: 7-day Free Trial
$13.99/mth
Photograph of someone using the Paramount+ app on PC

Paramount Plus app and features

What’s the user experience like?

The web browser homepage for Paramount Plus is set up in an intuitive, easy-to-search format. The top navigation panel lets you search by movies, TV shows, live news, brands (MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jnr, Smithsonian, Comedy Central, Showtime and Exclusive content) and then Sport.

As you scroll down there are buttons with each brand for even easier navigation, and then a selection of suggestions; trending shows, trending movies and the ‘keep watching’ section.

When you click on a movie title, rather than giving you the option of reading a quick synopsis or seeing who’s in the cast, it will take you straight to a page where the movie will begin to play. This can be frustrating when you’re yet to decide on a movie and just want to do some research first. However, there is at least a synopsis below the movie screen, so you can quickly pause while you decide whether the movie is worth pursuing.

TV shows however take you to a home page where you can read the synopsis, see the episodes and watch a trailer.

There’s no intuitive search feature, either. When searching ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding,’ a movie not available on Paramount Plus, it simply told me the movie was not available and suggested some (irrelevant) trending shows instead, rather than a selection of similar movies.

Screenshot of Paramount+ app

Paramount Plus accessibility features

If you want to add subtitles, click the ‘speech bubble’ icon when the movie/TV show is playing, and you’ll be able to turn on subtitles. They’re a bit hit and miss - while watching Aah!! Real Monsters, the subtitles were about 6 seconds ahead of what was happening on screen. They’re supplied by Nickelodeon though, not Paramount Plus. They were accurate when I watched Batman (and Jack Nicholson’s superb performance).

The process should be the same for Apple and Android devices; click the speech bubble icon in the top right corner and select subtitles.

You can access Parental Controls by clicking on the name of your account when a movie is playing, clicking ‘account’ and scrolling down to the Parental Controls section. Simply switch the toggle to activate.

Paramount Plus free trial

While free trials seem to be getting rarer and rarer, luckily Paramount Plus still offers a try-before-you-buy. You can sign up for a 7-day free trial, which should give you enough time to check out Paramount Plus’s library and decide if it’s the streaming platform for you. After that first week, subscribers will be charged between $6.99 and $13.99, depending on their choice of plan. 

Deals

Stream for free tonight with these trials

Looking for something new to stream tonight? These services offer free trials so you won’t pay a cent unless you decide to keep subscribed once your trial’s up.

What kind of content is on Paramount Plus Australia?

You’ll find a bunch of original and exclusive content on Paramount Plus Australia, as well as content from Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jnr, and the Smithsonian Channel - think loads of documentaries. There’s also sports content - mostly A-league.

Movies on Paramount Plus Australia

Let’s cut to the chase - there aren't loads and loads of fresh-from-the-box-office flicks on Paramount Plus. If catching the newest and shiniest movies are your jam, you may find the movie selections here lacking. But, there are plenty of old favourites to keep you entertained, including from some big-name franchises. Let’s break it down by category.

Kids flicks

Thanks to its partnership with Nickelodeon there are plenty of kids movies on offer, like Paw Patrol Mighty Pups, The Addams Family Values, loads of JoJo Siwa movies and Dora the Explorer spin-off movies, like Dora Saves the Mermaids.

Comedy

If you’re looking for something groovy, Mike Myers spy-spoof Austin Powers is available on Paramount Plus. You’ll also find comedies like The Hangover, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, as well as plenty of rom-coms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, and Monster in Law. Then there are satirical comedies, like Eugene Levy’s dog show parody Best in Show and the mockumentary of The Room Director Tommy Wiseau, The Disaster Artist.

For lovers of Aussie stand-up comedy, there’s more than you can poke (and then pull) your finger at. Matt Okine, Geraldine Hickey, Akhmal, Arj Barker (he’s an honorary Aussie, I guess), Dave Thornton, Celia Pacquola, Kitty Flanagan, Lawrence Mooney, Jimeoin, Steph Tisdell and Tom Gleeson and all have stand-up shows on Paramount Plus.

Action

Batman fans rejoice; whether you’re a Christian Bale die-hard or prefer the 80s/90s Tim Burton versions, it’s all here. The Dark Knight, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman and Robin. You’ll also find action flicks like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Top Gun, The Avengers and Blade Runner.

Classics

There are some very familiar titles in the Paramount Plus library, so if you fancy a trip down memory lane, catch titles like Forrest Gump, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the entire Star Trek franchise, Beetlejuice, Clueless, A Beautiful Mind, The Mask and Interview with the Vampire.

Drama

Get out the tissues and pop on one of the many dramas on Paramount Plus, including The Notebook, The Colour Purple, Ghosts of Mississippi, Good Will Hunting, Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket and The Last Samurai.

Photograph of someone watching Daria on the Paramount+ app

TV shows on Paramount Plus Australia

Looking for kids shows? You’ve got plenty, including loads of 90s cartoon favourites like Rugrats, Rugrats All grown Up, Angry Beavers, CatDog, The Fairly Oddparents, Invader Zim (I’m gonna sing the doom song now!) Ren and Stimpy, Hey Arnold, Rocko’s Modern Life and Daria.

You’ll also find shows like Blues Clues, iCarly, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, 7th Heaven and Clarissa Explains It All.

If you’re not just looking for TV shows to appease your child (or your inner child) there’s comedy like Broad City, The King of Queens, Frasier, The Big Bang Theory and Why Women Kill. If you prefer more serious shows to binge, you’ll also find shows like The Luminaries, Yellowstone and its prequel series, 1883, David Lynch’s surreal Twin Peaks and the much-lauded Yellowjackets.

Prefer your TV with an ‘M’ in front of it? Catch classics like MTV Cribs, The Hills, and Geordie Shore.

And of course, loads of shows you’ll find on Channel 10, like Masterchef Australia, Survivor Australia, The Amazing Race: Australia, Bachelor in Paradise and this reviewer’s personal favourite, The Doghouse Australia.

If reality TV isn’t your thing, there’s also locally-made series like Five Bedrooms, Spreadsheet, Todd Sampson’s Bodyhack and The Secrets She Keeps.

What devices can I watch Paramount Plus on?

If you’re subscribed to Paramount Plus, you can use the below streaming devices and platforms to stream.

  • Desktop
  • Any Apple tablets or phones (that run on iOS 12.2+) through the Paramount Plus app
  • Any Android devices through the Paramount Plus app
  • Compatible Android TVs
  • Apple TV
  • Fetch TV
  • Chromecast

You can also access Paramount Plus via the Amazon Prime Video app.

Conclusion: Is Paramount Plus worth checking out?

It’s certainly worth at least signing up for the seven-day free trial of Paramount Plus, especially if you want to binge 90s cartoons and catch up on stand-up specials. As for signing up for a yearly subscription? So much of the content— the stuff you’ll find on free-to-air anyway— is not really the kind of streaming content you go back to watch on-demand over and over again.

Yes, there are gems in there, enough to keep you entertained for a couple of months, perhaps. But for the most part, Paramount Plus falls into the category of ‘sign up when there’s something specific you want to watch’ streaming service, like Britbox, or Shudder, rather than a staple like Netflix.

How does Paramount Plus compare?

See how Paramount Plus stacks up against the competition.
Service
Details
Monthly price
More info
Apple TV+Apple TV+ plan
4K streaming
6 streams (Family Sharing)
Deal: 7-day free trial
$12.99/mth
Binge LogoBinge Basic + Ads plan
HD streaming
1 stream
Deal: 7-day free trial
$10/mth
Binge LogoBinge Standard plan
4K streaming
2 streams
Deal: 7-day free trial
$19/mth
Binge LogoBinge Premium plan
4K streaming
4 streams
Deal: 7-day free trial
$22/mth
BritBoxBritBox plan
HD streaming
4 streams
Deal: 7-day free trial
$13.99/mth
Dazn plan
HD streaming
2 streams
Access limited content with a free account
$14.99/mth
Disney PlusDisney+ Standard plan
HD streaming
2 streams
🔥Deal: $4.99/mth for 4 mths
$15.99/mth
Disney PlusDisney+ Premium plan
4K streaming
4 streams
Deal: $209.99 for 12mths
$20.99/mth
Foxtel Now | 2022 logo | Reviews.org AustraliaFoxtel Now Starter Bundle
HD streaming
2 streams
Access to over 35 channels
Deal: 10-day free trial
$35/mth
Foxtel Now | 2022 logo | Reviews.org AustraliaFoxtel Now Sports + Movies Bundle
HD streaming
2 streams
Access to over 40 channels + Movies on-demand + Live Sports
Deal: 10-day free trial
🔥$58/mth*
*First 12mths. Then $84/mth
Foxtel Now | 2022 logo | Reviews.org AustraliaFoxtel Now Ultimate Bundle
HD streaming
2 streams
Access to over 50 channels + Movies on-demand + Live sports + Drama Extra, Kids and Docos
Deal: 10-day free trial
$104/mth
Hayu | Provider logoHayu Plan
HD streaming
1 stream
Deal: 7-day free trial
$7.99/mth
Kayo SportsKayo Standard Plan
HD streaming
1 stream
🔥Deal: First month for $1
7-day free trial
$30/mth
Kayo SportsKayo Premium Plan
4K streaming
2 streams
🔥Deal:First month for $1
7-day free trial
$40/mth
NetflixNetflix Standard + Ads
HD streaming
2 streams
$7.99/mth
Kate Reynolds
Written by
Kate Reynolds is a writer who's at her happiest when there's haloumi on the brunch menu and a dog to give pats to. She's worked as a travel writer, journalist, theatre reviewer, broadcaster and radio creative, and spends her weekends with as much of the aforementioned haloumi and dogs as possible. She writes on Cammeraygal and Wangal land.