Following in the footsteps of a number of other streaming services, Paramount+ is doing away with free trials. Once the change takes effect, new subscribers will need to pay for the first month when signing up to the streaming service.
Key Takeaways
- Paramount+ will soon eliminate free trials, requiring new subscribers to pay upfront for their first month.
- Paramount says it is focusing on “quality growth” and this change is the reason for the removal of free trials.
- Due to the change, Paramount will no longer count free trial users in subscriber totals beginning Q4 2025.
New Paramount+ subscribers can currently take advantage of a seven-day free trial when signing up, and sometimes the free trial can be as long as thirty days. However, the option to try the service before paying is being retired.
While Paramount hasn’t confirmed exactly when Paramount+ free trials will become unavailable, the company has confirmed the plan is to remove them soon.
In explaining the reasoning for the removal of free trials, Paramount says this is part of a larger effort in “sharpening” its distribution strategy.
“While we remain committed to achieving scale from a subscriber perspective, we will prioritize quality growth that delivers strong returns. This includes shifting away from certain hard bundles and low-margin subscriptions, reducing investment in select international markets without a clear path to sufficient scale, retiring free trials, and reviewing discount practices,” Paramount said in its latest earnings report.
In what appears to be part of the same ‘sharpening‘ process, Paramount also confirmed that another price increase will arrive in the new year.
January’s price increase will add another $1 to the cost, increasing the minimum price of a Paramount+ subscription to $8.99 a month.
“Our goal is to build a large, loyal, and profitable subscriber base, ensuring we optimize growth, long-term business value, and support future investments through sound economic decisions,” Paramount added.
With Paramount making this change, the company also confirmed it is stopping the reporting of free trial users as subscribers. The change is due to take place beginning with Paramount’s Q4 2025 reporting.
According to Paramount, the number of free trial users totaled 1.2 million at the end of Q3, 2025.
Paramount+ is not the only streaming service that no longer offers a free trial. In recent years, the likes of HBO Max, Netflix, and Disney+ have all removed the ability for new subscribers to test out their streaming services before paying for a subscription.
Start the conversation