Paramount Plus Is Getting a Price Hike in Early 2026

Why It Matters

Higher pricing signals Paramount’s push to monetize a growing subscriber base while funding content and technology investments, potentially tightening competition among streaming services. The move also reflects broader industry trends of price hikes amid consolidation and cost‑cutting measures.

Summary

Paramount Plus will raise its U.S. subscription fees on Jan. 15, 2026, moving the ad‑supported Essential plan from $7.99 to $8.99 and the ad‑free Premium plan from $12.99 to $13.99. The hike follows a series of annual price increases and comes after the company’s merger with Skydance, which added 1.4 million new subscribers to a total of 79.1 million and introduced a $7.7 billion UFC streaming deal. Paramount also announced the end of free trials, a review of discount practices, and planned upgrades to its technology stack and AI‑driven personalization. The price increase is positioned as funding continued reinvestment in the user experience and a stronger programming slate.