Paramount+ Australia: Everything you need to know about the streaming app

In the tail-end of 2019, the Viacom-CBS merger fused the power of Paramount Pictures and the TV talents of CBS, creating a single media powerhouse, ViacomCBS. It was just like when Disney acquired Fox but nowhere near as exciting. With their powers combined, the Viacom and CBS partnership came to a climax when the company revealed its new streaming service, Paramount+, revealing a teaser for the service during this 2020's Super Bowl.

Yes, there are already too many streaming services in Australia, but thankfully Paramount+ has replaced an existing streaming service, the woefully inept 10 All Access just like it replaced CBS All Access in the US. Paramount+ combines the television shows from CBS with content from the various properties under the wider ViacomCBS banner, including but not limited to Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV.

Paramount+ is now available in Australia. For new subscribers, there's a 7-day free trial so you can see what the service is all about.

Paramount+ offers monthly and annual subscription options in Australia. The monthly plan costs $8.99 per month and the annual plan costs $89.99 per year, which works out $7.49 per month (15% off).

That's a fraction cheaper than 10 All Access, Netflix, Stan and Disney Plus, though it is more expensive than Amazon Prime Video ($6.99 per month). Naturally, it's also more expensive than ad-based streaming services like Tubi.

Before launch, representatives from Paramount+ confirmed the service would offer 7-day free trial for new subscribers.

After that first week, subscribers will be charged $8.99 for their first month as a customer or $89.99 upfront for the year, depending on which plan they choose.

Compared to services like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, the Paramount+ TV show and movie library is quite thin. There are some great TV shows from Showtime, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon but the library of classic movies isn't comparable to most major streaming services. Take a look below to see how Paramount+ compares with other major Australian streaming services.

Each Paramount+ subscription allows for three simultaneous streams at once. That means you and two other family members can stream Paramount+ at the same time without any issues.

Paramount+ is available to stream on all the usual suspects, like desktop via supported web browsers and smartphones and tablets via the iOS and Android apps but there are a few Australia-specific streaming devices in the mix too. Here's the complete list of compatible devices for Paramount+ in Australia:

• Desktop (web)
• iPhone and iPads via iOS app (iOS 10 and iOS11+)
• Apple TV Gen 4  and Gen 5 (4K)
• Android app (smartphone and tablet)
• Compatible Android TV devices
• Chromecast
• Compatible Fire TV devices
• Fetch TV
• Telstra TV
• Samsung Smart TV (2017 or later)

Paramount+ is now available in Australia.

The Australian release date for Paramount+ was first announced in a report by The Sydney Morning Herald where ViacomCBS confirmed that Paramount+ would launch on the 11th of August 2021 here in Australia.

Here in Australia, Paramount+ launched with prominent TV shows, such as Twin Peaks and Dexter, many that were previously available on Stan locally. Standout Comedy Central series like Nathan For You and Detroiters were also previously available on Stan but have found a new home on Paramount Plus in Australia.

In addition to those popular TV shows, Paramount Plus launched with a small collection of original TV shows created exclusively for the service, including Aussie comedy-drama Five Bedrooms and the SpongeBob SquarePants prequel series Kamp Koral.

Since it first launched, exclusive and original TV shows on Paramount+ have become its most-watched series. Here’s a glance at the most popular TV shows on Paramount+ at the time of writing:

While Paramount+ has gained popularity thanks to its original and exclusive TV shows, its movie collection instead relies on the company's library of classics and recent theatrical releases. 

There are over 400 movies available on Paramount+ at the time of writing, the most popular of which include Top Gun, The Crimes of Grindelwald, The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Paw Patrol: The Movie and Crazy Rich Asians. 

Unlike its TV fare, CBSViacom has maintained its distribution deals with other streaming services. Top Gun, for example, is also available on Binge, Foxtel Now and Stan, and The Godfather can be streamed on Binge, Amazon Prime Video and Stan too. 

All this is to say that you probably won't be subscribing to Paramount+ for the movies alone, especially if you're already signed up for a number of streaming services. 

Prior to launch, ViacomCBS revealed an exclusive five-year partnership with the A-League and W-League that would see every match of both leagues streamed live on the paid Paramount Plus service. On free-to-air, there is one A-League match every Saturday on Channel 10 and one W-League match every Sunday on 10Bold during regular seasons. Both weekly matches are then syndicated to Network 10's digital catch-up service, 10Play. In addition to the A-League and W-League, Paramount+ also has the rights to stream Socceroos and Matildas matches.

This makes Paramount+ something of a competitor for other Australian sports streaming services, such as Stan Sport, Kayo Sport and Optus Sport.