My friend, are you trying to decide between Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus? As you shop streaming services, you‘ll find the choice between mid-tier plans confusing. But have no fear – I‘m here to make this decision easy!
I‘ve comprehensively compared Peacock‘s two premium plans across all the factors that matter: price, features, content selection, and more. Just read on for the full breakdown of Peacock Premium vs. Premium Plus to determine the best streaming option for you.
A Quick Comparison of Peacock Premium vs. Premium Plus
Before we dive deep, let‘s briefly contrast what you get with Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus:
| Peacock Premium | Peacock Premium Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $4.99 | $9.99 |
| Annual Price | $49.99 | $99.99 |
| Ads | Yes | No (some exceptions) |
| Offline Downloads | No | Yes (up to 25 titles) |
| Local NBC Livestream | No | Yes (in select markets) |
| Peacock Library Access | Full Catalog | Full Catalog |
As you can see at a glance, Premium Plus offers some nice perks over regular Premium, but for double the monthly cost. Next up, we‘ll explore exactly what you get with each of these plans.
Comparing Features: Premium vs. Premium Plus
Let‘s go through what features and functionality are included with Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus.
Plan Pricing
The most obvious difference is the monthly and yearly pricing for each tier:
- Peacock Premium: $4.99/month or $49.99/year
- Peacock Premium Plus: $9.99/month or $99.99/year
Based on these prices, you‘ll pay exactly double every month for Premium Plus compared to regular Premium. Is it worth it? Keep these costs in mind as we unpack what you get for the money.
Advertising Experience
How do you feel about ads when streaming? Peacock draws a clear line in the sand here:
- Peacock Premium still includes commercial breaks, averaging about 5 minutes of ads per hour.
- Peacock Premium Plus provides an (almost) completely ad-free experience.
The exceptions are that a few programs on Premium Plus still carry ads:
- Live sporting events
- Live news coverage
- Late-night like Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
- Select next-day streaming content
But outside of those niche cases, Premium Plus allows you to stream commercial-free. If you find ads particularly irksome, going ad-free may justify Premium Plus‘s higher costs for you.
Offline Viewing
What about downloading shows to watch offline? Unfortunately, this is a glaring limitation of the regular Premium plan:
- Peacock Premium does NOT allow any downloading of titles.
- Peacock Premium Plus lets you download up to 25 movies/shows across all devices.
So frequent travelers or commuters relying on offline viewing have a strong incentive to upgrade. Premium Plus allows you to stock up episodes and movies on your phone or tablet whenever WiFi is available.
Local NBC Channel Livestream
Here‘s another nice perk only included on the more expensive Premium Plus tier:
- Peacock Premium Plus provides a live feed of your local NBC channel, such as NBC 4 Los Angeles.
- Peacock Premium does not offer any live local NBC streaming.
Being able to tune into local NBC programming as it airs could make Premium Plus worthwhile for some users. But note this is only available in select markets where NBC owns and operates stations.
Full Catalog Access
Importantly, Peacock does NOT reserve any titles exclusively for Premium Plus. Both plans provide you full access to Peacock‘s entire catalog, including:
- All past and current NBC series, like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and more
- Peacock Originals like Bel-Air, Girls5eva, and The Resort
- Movies from Universal Pictures, DreamWorks, Illumination and more
- Programming from Bravo, E!, Syfy, The Olympic Channel, and other NBCUniversal networks
In total, you get access to over 80,000 hours of on-demand movies, shows, news, sports, and skits regardless of which paid Peacock tier you select.
Peacock‘s Origins and Background
Before picking Peacock Premium vs Premium Plus, let‘s briefly cover some key history and context around NBCUniversal‘s streaming service:
- January 2019 – NBCUniversal announces plans for upcoming streaming service
- September 2019 – Official name Peacock revealed, drawing on NBC‘s classic logo
- July 15, 2020 – Peacock launches nationwide across the United States
- Launch plans – Free tier with ads, Premium $4.99 with some ads, and Premium Plus $9.99 with mostly no ads
- January 2023 – Free tier eliminated for new users to improve profitability
Understanding Peacock‘s background helps explain the logic behind its current Premium and Premium Plus structure. Next up, we‘ll compare the pros and cons of each paid plan.
Peacock Premium Pros and Cons
Let‘s examine the major advantages and disadvantages of the regular Peacock Premium plan:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
The main advantages of regular Premium come down to its low pricing and complete Peacock catalog access. But the ad breaks, lack of downloading, and no live NBC make Premium Plus tempting.
Peacock Premium Plus Pros and Cons
Next up, here are the key pros and cons of upgrading to Peacock Premium Plus:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
Premium Plus justifies its higher costs with ad-free streaming, offline viewing, and live local NBC streaming in supported markets. But some limitations around ads and local channels remain.
Sizing Up the Two Plans: Which Peacock Premium Is Better?
So when comparing Peacock Premium vs. Peacock Premium Plus head-to-head, how do you decide which tier to choose? Here are the key factors to consider:
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Ads a Dealbreaker? The ad-free experience on Premium Plus is a huge perk for many. But occasional ads remain.
-
Need Offline Viewing? Downloading for planes, road trips, or commutes is only possible on Premium Plus.
-
Want Local NBC Live? This could make Premium Plus worthwhile if you crave local news and shows.
-
Price-Sensitive? Premium gives you full Peacock access for just $4.99/month.
For most subscribers, Peacock Premium Plus provides the best value and optimal viewing experience. The ability to avoid ads and download content offsets the higher $9.99 monthly cost for many users.
Premium remains a good option for casual Peacock viewers. But if you‘ll stream lots of NBC shows, Premium Plus removes all the most annoying limitations.
Here‘s a final overview of the key differences to help decide between the plans:
| Peacock Premium | Peacock Premium Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $4.99 | $9.99 |
| Ads | Yes | Mostly No |
| Offline downloads | No | Yes (25 titles) |
| Local live NBC | No | Yes (select markets) |
| Full catalog access | Yes | Yes |
So if you can swing the extra $5 a month, upgrading to Peacock Premium Plus provides the best ad-free, downloadable, enhanced viewing experience.
I hope this detailed look at Peacock Premium vs. Premium Plus makes your streaming decision easier. Let me know if you have any other questions!