Peacock: How Many Devices Can Stream at the Same Time

Updated: March 6th, 2021 at 11:47 am

Peacock provides subscribers with the option to stream on up to three different devices at the same time. This allowance is regardless of whether subscribing to the free, premium or premium ad-free plans. All subscribers get access to the same number of streams, with no option to upgrade.

The Peacock streaming service is currently available with three different subscription levels, with the cheapest being free. However, the cost is only one of the aspects that subscribers will want to consider before opting for a subscription, and especially if contemplating one of the two paid plans.

Simultaneous streams is an important feature for subscribers as this dictates just how many people sharing one subscription can access the service at the same time. By taking into account how many same-time streams are provided by a service, the consumer can ensure that everyone at home can watch what they want, when they want.

NBCUniversal’s new streaming service is now live and the company has confirmed that the number of concurrent streams included with a plan is three. Apart from the actual number of streams, NBCU has not provided detailed information on its simultaneous streams policy, which would suggest there are few limitations, if any.

Three streams, regardless of plan

Peacock currently offers all subscribers the option to stream on up to three devices at the same time. This is irrelevant of whether subscribing to a free or paid plan. Of course, the number of streams matters less for those opting for the no-cost subscription, considering each family member can have their own subscription and stream allowance.

As a result, any households on the free plan that do find the number of Peacock streams to be too limited, can simple activate a new account and gain the additional streams at no extra cost.

The situation is a little different for paid subscribers. With the premium subscription costing $4.99 per month and the premium ad-free option costing $9.99 per month, any households that find the same-time stream restriction to be too limited will have less of a choice.

As of right now, the three streams included is the only option available as Peacock does not currently provide any possibility to upgrade. Instead, premium or premium ad-free subscribers will either have to ensure they stay within the three-stream limit or consider paying for a second Peacock subscription to gain the additional three streams.

Like the free plan, paid subscribers can also activate a second subscription at the free level and gain additional streams. However, then they will be limited in the degree of content they can watch when using the extra streams.

Three streams, regardless of device

One of the limitations that often surfaces with simultaneous streams is the device support. However, that’s not an issue with Peacock. As a result, subscribers to either the free or paid plans can not only stream on up to three devices at the same time, but also on any three devices they want, including smart TVs and other home or living room devices.

In spite of this, there is the issue of device support in general, and that is likely to impact on some households’ ability to stream on multiple devices at the same time. As Peacock is still a new and developing service, it has not arrived with the best or most varied device support possible. This is most notably seen in the absence of support for Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices.

With Fire TV and Roku being two of the most commonly used streaming platforms in the United States, the three-stream limitation is unlikely to affect some households as much as the lack of support for these platforms. Although, with support ranging from phones to games consoles, those households will have additional options that they can rely on until their primary devices manages to gain support.

Peacock simultaneous streams summary

Peacock has launched with a fairly generous simultaneous streams policy. While three streams might be a little limited for busier households, it is in line with the industry average. In fact, it is a little better than the average, considering some competing streaming services offer fewer streams. This is particularly true when taking into account the price of Peacock, and even the paid plans.

For example, Netflix only offers subscribers the option to stream on up to two devices at the same time. This is unless the subscriber pays for the $15.99 per month ‘Premium’ plan, which ups the number of same-time streams to four.

Peacock simultaneous streams comparison:

Overall, and in spite of the limited device support in general, the option to stream Peacock on up to three devices at the same time is a selling point for the service. Without any option to upgrade a subscription – other than starting a second – any fewer streams could have greatly impacted on Peacock’s appeal, and especially for families and busier households that might be considering a paid plan.

Read more: How to Cancel a Peacock Streaming Subscription