How to Watch Paramount Plus in 2021: Stream Movies & TV From Anywhere
Paramount Plus is like sugar and spice. It has everything from Nickelodeon to MTV, from CBS to Comedy Central. If you’re trying to get yourself some of the Paramount Plus action, here’s how to watch Paramount Plus from anywhere in the world.
If you’re craving some change from the usual Netflix or Amazon Prime Video content, Paramount Plus shows and Paramount Pictures movies can be a great change of flavor. In this guide, we will show you how to watch Paramount Plus — both free and paid — for any part of the world.
Key Takeaways:
- Paramount Plus, the new version of CBS All Access, was introduced in March 2021.
- Paramount+ is only available in a handful of countries. If you’re from a geoblocked location, you’ll need a VPN like ExpressVPN to access Paramount+.
- It’s a worthy service for someone who wants to view next-day CBS prime-time shows without an antenna or access Paramount-exclusive content.
When CBS All Access rebranded to Paramount+ in 2021, it introduced some extra goodies, like 30,000 episodes of popular shows. It also has more channels, including Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. If you’re a football fan, Paramount+ also has CBS sports for your daily dose of adrenaline.
There’s just one caveat: you can’t stream Paramount Plus if you’re not in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Nordics or Australia — you’ll need a VPN to spoof your location. If you want to know how to watch Paramount Plus, we have a few ways (free and paid) for you. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to watch Paramount Plus.
Yes, you can get a free seven-day trial of Paramount+ through your Amazon Prime account. You can access the content right from the Amazon Prime Video app. Once your trial ends, your Amazon account will be charged automatically unless you cancel the subscription.
You can access Paramount+ through its website or apps. If you’re in a country where Paramount+ isn’t available, you can use a VPN to connect to a U.S. server to access Paramount+.
You can get Paramount Plus on ParamountPlus.com, the Apple app store, the Google Play Store, Amazon Fire TV and on Apple TV channels on the Apple TV app.
You can sign up for the seven-day trial either through the Paramount Plus website or through your Amazon Prime account. However, you’ll need a VPN to access the website if you’re in a geoblocked location.
Parent company ViacomCBS changed the name of its streaming service, CBS All Access, to Paramount Plus in 2021.
How to Watch Paramount Plus: What You Need to Know
If you’re in the U.S. or another country where Paramount+ is accessible, you can stream content through the website or the Paramount Plus app. The Paramount+ app is available for all popular devices. You can download the app on your Android TV or Amazon Fire TV Stick, and you’ll also find Paramount Plus for Apple TV on the app store.
These options aren’t available if you’re not in one of the countries where Paramount Plus is accessible — unless you use a VPN. You can access Paramount+ from anywhere with a VPN because it helps you mask your IP address.
When you use a VPN, it assigns you a new IP that belongs to a server located in one of the countries where Paramount+ is accessible. When you visit the website after connecting with, say, a VPN server in the U.S., the website will think that you’re physically located in the U.S. and allow you to access the content.
How to Watch Paramount Plus for Free With a VPN
You need a VPN to take advantage of the free trial if you’re in a country where Paramount+ isn’t available. Simply sign up with Paramount+ and a VPN service provider to stream your desired content for free, then cancel your Paramount+ subscription before it auto-renews and claim your 30-day money-back guarantee from the VPN service provider.
- Download and Install the VPN
Your first step is to sign up with a VPN service provider — we recommend ExpressVPN. Next, download and install the VPN app on your device.
- Connect to a U.S. Server
When you launch the VPN app and sign in, you’ll see a list of server locations. Find and connect to a U.S. server.
- Open the Paramount+ Website
You should now be able to open the Paramount+ website. Sign up for the free trial. When you’re done, enter your Paramount Plus login credentials, and that will take you to the home screen. If you don’t want to continue to pay for the VPN, make sure to ask for a refund within 30 days.
What Is Paramount Plus?
Paramount Plus is a streaming service owned by ViacomCBS and replaces its predecessor, CBS All Access. You can access it using a mobile device, computer, smart TV like Android or Apple TV, and a range of other devices.
Like its predecessor, Paramount+ offers live access to the local CBS network. Subscribers can also view some movies (like The SpongeBob Movie) with Dolby Vision on select devices.
Paramount Plus Price vs Other Streaming Services
Paramount Plus starts at $49.99 a year for the ad-supported Essential plan, which doesn’t include a live-stream option from your local CBS affiliate. The Premium plan (formerly the Commercial Free plan) is the best value at $99.99 per year. It includes the local CBS station and offers ad-free streaming, though a few shows may still include short promotional interruptions.
HBO Max, at a regular rate of $150 per year, is among the priciest options, but the streaming service offers access to all Warner Bros. movies scheduled for theatrical release in 2021.
There’s a more pocket-friendly, ad-supported version you can opt for at $100 per year. Though cheaper, the plan requires you to give up on the theatrical releases of movies like Matrix 4 and Dune, and doesn’t allow mobile downloads.
Netflix is almost synonymous with online streaming at this point, but it costs a fair bit. The Basic plan comes in at $108 per year and the Standard plan — its best value — costs about $168 per year.
If you have friends who also want to subscribe to Netflix, it makes sense to pay $216 per year for the Premium tier, which lets you stream and download content on up to four devices. Even though it’s expensive, Netflix is the benchmark against which all other streaming services are compared.
Paramount+ is a cost-effective alternative compared to its rivals, at least for the time being. At $99.99 a year, its Premium plan costs less than Netflix’s Basic plan. It also lets you stream on three devices on the Basic plan compared to Netflix’s two. If you want the theatrical releases though, HBO Max is your only option, but you’ll need to shell out a couple of extra dollars.
Is There a Paramount Plus Free Trial?
Free trials are a blessing when you want to stream exclusive content. Fortunately, Paramount+ does offer a free seven-day trial to new subscribers. You can use the free trial to live stream a sporting event or binge-watch a show or couple of movies.
Of course, you’ll need a VPN if you’re in a country where Paramount+ isn’t available. You could combine Paramount’s free trial with a VPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee and watch your favorite CBS content or Comedy Central shows on Paramount completely free for a week.
What’s on Paramount Plus?
There’s a huge library of TV shows and movies to choose from. Some of the best Paramount Plus shows are:
- Why Women Kill
- Star Trek (Discovery, Lower Decks, Picard, Voyager, The Next Generation and upcoming Star Trek originals like Prodigy and Strange New Worlds)
- The Good Fight
- For Heaven’s Sake
- The Twilight Zone
- Real World Homecoming.
Paramount+ has integrated CBS Sports HQ where you can view live sports throughout the year, including events like:
- UEFA club competition matches
- UEFA Europa League
- UEFA Champions League
- NFL games
- The Masters
- PGA Tour
- The PGA Championship
- Concacaf
If you’re a movie buff, it also has hit movies like:
- A Quiet Place
- Paw Patrol
- The SpongeBob Movie
- Top Gun
- The Wolf of Wall Street
Soccer fans will appreciate that Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In — the movie about the story of the legendary manager of Manchester United — is also on Paramount Plus.
Final Thoughts
Paramount Plus is a great platform for subscribers who want to stream exclusive shows like Star Trek: Lower Decks, Evil or Strange Angel. With a week’s worth of free trial, you can spend your weekend binge-watching some exclusive shows or streaming your favorite movies. If you’re located in a geoblocked country, you can always use a VPN, like ExpressVPN.
Have you tried to access Paramount Plus from a geoblocked country? Were you able to successfully use a VPN to bypass the geoblocks? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, thanks for reading.
