It is no surprise that SHOWTIME offers its clients a straightforward, ad-free streaming option, given how long the company has been a household name.
It’s a great streaming service at a reasonable price if you like the fun shows and films that SHOWTIME is renowned for.
While SHOWTIME offers a 30-day free trial to new users, unlike more comprehensive streaming services like Hulu or FuboTV, the service also provides a free membership option for those who currently subscribe to SHOWTIME on cable TV.
Like HBO and STARZ, SHOWTIME is a reliable streaming service to add to your existing membership because it offers alternatives for both types of consumers.
You can discover all the information you need to decide whether SHOWTIME is the best streaming service for you below.
What Sets SHOWTIME TV Apart?
SHOWTIME provides one of the longest free trials among comparable streaming services. Compared to Starz’s seven-day free trial and HBO Max’s lack of a free trial, SHOWTIME’s 30-day free trial is available.
Subscribers get access to popular original programming, and SHOWTIME originals live as they air on the network.
Following that, users may watch SHOWTIME live using the SHOWTIME app on any compatible device. You won’t miss a thing since once a new episode airs live on the SHOWTIME network, it continues to be added to the on-demand collection.
What Are the Drawbacks Does SHOWTIME Have?
The comparatively minimal amount of programming available for the monthly membership fee is SHOWTIME’s major drawback.
Many of SHOWTIME’s on-demand rivals, including Peacock TV, provide a wider range of entertainment for a comparable cost, as well as live TV streaming alternatives for well-known sports and events.
Streaming Service Compared
| Streaming Service | Cost Per Month | Live TV Available? | Ads? | Free Trial? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHOWTIME | $10.99 | Yes | No | Yes |
| HBO Max | $10 | No | Ad-free option | No |
| Hulu | $6.99+ | Yes | Ad-free option | Yes |
| ESPN Plus | $9.99 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Disney Plus | $7.99 | No | No | No |
| Sling TV | $35+ | Yes | Yes | No |
| FuboTV | $69.99+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What Plans Does SHOWTIME Offer?
SHOWTIME currently only offers one subscription plan. The plan is straightforward, giving you access to all SHOWTIME programming for $10.99 per month or $99 per year.
In the streaming library, you’ll find a large variety of current TV shows, movies, and previously aired content, such as “Shameless,” “Penny Dreadful,” “Ex Machina,” and “The Rental.”
SHOWTIME stands out from the rest with its lengthy 30-day free trial and the ability to live stream broadcasts of the SHOWTIME East and SHOWTIME West networks.
While the service doesn’t offer DVR storage for live streaming, once an episode airs on the network, it stays added to the streaming library for you to enjoy whenever you’re ready. This means you won’t have to worry about missing any episodes of your favorite shows – you can catch up at any time.
For cable TV users who already subscribe to SHOWTIME, the service also offers SHOWTIME Anytime, which gives you free access to the SHOWTIME app, streaming library, and ad-free content when you log in with your cable TV credentials.
SHOWTIME is also available as an add-on for other streaming services like FuboTV, Hulu, Sling TV, or YouTube TV to keep your subscriptions simple.
What Add-ons Does SHOWTIME Offer?
While SHOWTIME doesn’t currently offer add-ons for your subscription, it does provide an option to bundle with Paramount Plus for added entertainment.
With this option, you can choose to bundle SHOWTIME with either Paramount’s Essential or Premium plans. The main difference between the two is the availability of your local CBS network.
The Essential plan doesn’t include access to your local live CBS station, but NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League are still available on other live feeds.
With the Premium plan, you’ll have access to your local CBS station and additional sports coverage. Here’s how the pricing breaks down:
SHOWTIME + Paramount Essential
- $9.99*/month
- $99.99*/year
SHOWTIME + Paramount Premium
- $12.99*/month
- $129.99*/year
Does SHOWTIME Offer Sports Content?
SHOWTIME offers a variety of sports content, particularly when it comes to non-traditional sports such as MMA and boxing.
The service provides access to live boxing and MMA fights included in your subscription, plus options for pay-per-view fights.
You’ll also find a variety of popular original titles and sports documentaries in the streaming library, such as “Kobe Bryant’s Muse,” “Passion Play: Russell Westbrook,” and “Disgraced.”
However, die-hard sports fans may prefer other streaming services with a broader variety of sports content in the channel lineup.
For example, Peacock’s Premium plan offers Premier League soccer, IndyCar racing, and WWE coverage.
FuboTV is also an excellent option for sports fans, offering one of the most extensive sports lineups available. With FuboTV, you can watch the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, MLS, golf, tennis, boxing, MMA, college sports, and more.
How Does Showtime TV Compare to Other Streaming Services?
SHOWTIME stands out from the competition when it comes to free trial length. Compared to a seven-day free trial for STARZ and no free trial for HBO Max, SHOWTIME’s 30-day free trial offers users plenty of time to decide if the service is right for them before making a payment.
You’ll also be able to live stream SHOWTIME East and SHOWTIME West, meaning you won’t need to wait 24 hours for new episodes, which is standard on other streaming services like Hulu.
Although SHOWTIME offers a wide selection of original titles, it’s difficult to say whether or not it surpasses the popularity of other original hits like Netflix’s “Lupin” and “Stranger Things” or Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
For die-hard fans of SHOWTIME’s original content, it’s a great choice to stay up-to-date with live streaming for new episodes and movies.
But because SHOWTIME only offers its own original content, the selection is smaller than other streaming services like HBO Max, which also includes popular titles from other networks.
Similar to STARZ and HBO Max, you can subscribe to SHOWTIME independently or include it as an add-on with other streaming services like Hulu, Prime Video, or Sling TV.
Overall, it’s a great option to expand your channel availability and enjoy your favorite movies and shows. Still, it may not be the best standalone subscription for users who like a wider variety of content.