Starz and Paramount+ both shine when it comes to original shows and blockbuster films, but which is better among the two streaming services? Paramount+ has more options when it comes to plans (you can upgrade the Essential plan to the Showtime plan), while Starz promises no-ad streaming (and mostly lives up to it). Paramount+ also offers a free trial if you want to see what you’re getting before committing, and it has sports content from partner CBS channels. Ultimately, it comes down to preference. Starz might be better if you’re after pure entertainment, but Paramount+ is the one to get if you want more variety. You can read more about them in our breakdown below.
| Feature | Starz | Paramount+ |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $10.99/mo | $8.99/mo |
| Free trial | None | 7 days |
| Subscribers | 28,900,000 | — |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Try Starz | Try Paramount+ — 7 days free |
| Starz 1 plan | Paramount+ 2 plans | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Starz | Cheapest Essential | Premium | |
| Price / month | $10.99 | $8.99 | $13.99 |
| Annual Price | $69.99 | $89.99 | $139.99 |
| New User Deal | 73% off 1st month | — | — |
| Streams at Home | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Streams Outside Home | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Profiles | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Multiview Screens | — | 4 | 4 |
| Max Quality | 1080p | 720p | 1080p |
| 4K Support | — | — | ✓ Yes |
| Audio | 5.1 surround sound | Standard stereo | 5.1 audio |
| Dolby Atmos | — | — | ✓ Yes |
| Min. Speed | 6 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| Get plan → | Get plan → | Get plan → | |
Also available as an add-on on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Roku
0 channels are available on both services. Paramount+ has 4 exclusive channels not on Starz.
| Channel | Starz | Paramount+ |
|---|---|---|
| CBS | — | ✓ |
| CBS Sports HQ | — | ✓ |
| CBS local channels | — | ✓ |
| Showtime | — | ✓ |
Both services support most major devices. Here’s a full breakdown of where you can watch each one.
| Device / Platform | Starz | Paramount+ |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fire TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Android TV | ✓ | — |
| Apple TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Chromecast | — | ✓ |
| Hisense Android TV | — | ✓ |
| LG TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Playsation | — | ✓ |
| Roku | ✓ | ✓ |
| Samsung TV | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sony Bravia Android TVs | — | ✓ |
| TCL 3-Series Smart TV | — | ✓ |
| Visio TV | — | ✓ |
| Vizio TV | — | ✓ |
| Xbox | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
Starz has 28,900,000M subscribers compared to 0M for Paramount+.
Paramount+ starts at $8.99/month, while Starz starts at $10.99/month. That’s $2.00 more per month for Starz, or $24.00 more per year.
Is Paramount+ cheaper than Starz?
Yes. Paramount+ starts at $8.99/month, while Starz starts at $10.99/month. That's a difference of $2.00/month, or $24.00 per year.
Do Starz or Paramount+ offer a free trial?
Starz does not currently offer a free trial. Paramount+ offers a 7-day free trial.
What channels does Paramount+ have that Starz doesn't?
Paramount+ has 4 channels not available on Starz, including: CBS, CBS local channels, CBS Sports HQ, Showtime.
Can I cancel Starz or Paramount+ anytime?
Yes. Both Starz and Paramount+ are month-to-month subscriptions with no long-term contracts. You can cancel either service at any time.
Paramount Plus is a video-on-demand service that replaced its predecessor, CBS All Access, and is currently available in the US, Canada, and parts of Latin America. Subscribers used to also have the option to bundle the service with Showtime, but ever since the Paramount-Showtime merger in June 2023, the latter is now only available to "Paramount + SHOWTIME" subscribers. To its credit, standalone Paramount+ still has 40,000 episodes and movies to its name, plus live feeds on NFL on CBS and the UEFA Champions League.
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