Paramount+
Essential $8.99 / Premium $13.99 per mo
Netflix
Ads $8.99 / Standard $19.99 / Premium $26.99 per mo
Paramount+ is much cheaper and strong on CBS, Star Trek, NFL on CBS, and (with Showtime) prestige drama. Netflix is far larger with the most originals but the highest prices. Paramount+ wins on value and live sports; Netflix wins on sheer breadth.
Pick Paramount+ if you want a cheap, ad-free streamer with CBS, Star Trek, live sports, and the Showtime bundle on Premium.
Pick Netflix if you want the most to watch across every genre and the biggest originals, and you can absorb the higher price.
Paramount+ and Netflix are not really the same size, and the comparison is about value versus breadth. Paramount+ is the budget-friendly streamer tied to CBS and Paramount: CBS shows, Star Trek, NFL on CBS, Champions League, and, on the Premium tier, the Showtime catalog and your local CBS station. Netflix is the giant, with the largest library and the deepest slate of originals across every genre, but the highest prices of the mainstream streamers.
On price, Paramount+ is $8.99 (Essential, with ads) or $13.99 (Premium, ad-free), while Netflix runs from $8.99 with ads to $26.99 for 4K. For a tight budget, Paramount+ delivers a lot, including live sports; for sheer volume of things to watch, Netflix is unmatched.
We compare price, library size, originals, live sports, and value.
| Quick facts | Paramount+ | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | Essential $8.99/mo | Ads $8.99/mo |
| Ad-free plan | Premium $13.99/mo | Standard $19.99/mo |
| Library size | Moderate | Largest |
| Live sports | NFL on CBS, UEFA | Growing |
| Best for | Value + sports | Breadth + originals |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | P Paramount+ | N Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-supported tier | Yes | Yes |
| Ad-free for under $15 | Yes | No |
| Live sports | NFL on CBS, UEFA | Some live events |
| Includes a premium channel | Showtime (Premium) | No |
| Original series & films | Good | Huge slate |
| Library breadth | Moderate | Largest |
| 4K HDR | Some | Premium ($26.99) |
| Offline downloads | Yes | Yes |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-22.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Paramount+ is far cheaper, especially for an ad-free plan, but its library is a fraction of Netflix's.
Netflix has vastly more content and originals, but its 4K tier is the most expensive of the major streamers.
Paramount+'s live sports and Showtime bundle are real advantages Netflix does not match.
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