You’ve likely heard of Peacock’s free service, especially during the Olympics when you could watch a live stream of your favorite events. As of the spring of 2020, Peacock introduced a premium version to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney+.
It didn’t replace the free version – you can still watch Peacock for free if you want, but in this post, we’ll focus on the premium version to decide if it’s right for you.
What is Peacock Premium?
Peacock Premium has 60,000 hours of content including movies, TV shows, live sporting events, and even next-day access to the top NBC shows. For example, if you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, you can catch the latest episodes as soon as the next day after they air rather than waiting almost a year for the entire season to be released.
Unlike the free version, you’ll pay a monthly fee for Peacock Premium so it pays to decide if it’s right for you. We’ll go over the most popular shows it streams, movies they keep in their library, and the sporting events you can watch to help you decide if it’s right for you.
How Does Peacock Premium Compare to (Free) Peacock?
As you think about whether Peacock Premium is worth it, it helps to compare it to the free version of Peacock. Most streaming services don’t offer a free version, or if they do, it’s for 15 – 30 days only.
Peacock offers access to 40,000 hours of content with limited ads for free. Peacock claims you’ll see approximately 5 minutes of ads per hour, and that doesn’t change with the Premium version either.
The free Peacock version offers access to the following:
- NBCUniversal content (The Office, 30 Rock)
- Daily news
- Sports
- Telemundo
- Kids’ programming
You won’t have access to the latest shows airing on NBC and certain exclusive Peacock content, movies, and shows.
What is Peacock Premium Plus?
If you’re not confused enough, Peacock Premium has another tier called Peacock Premium Plus. With this version you have no ads and you can download certain shows and watch them offline.
Personally, this option doesn’t make much sense unless you really can’t handle commercials (they don’t play too many).
How Does Peacock Premium Work?
If you upgrade to Peacock Premium you pay for more content. You’ll still see ads, but you get around 20,000 more content options in your library.
How to Upgrade to Peacock Premium
It’s easy to upgrade to Peacock Premium, but first you need a free account. Click here to create an account. If you already have an account, sign into your existing account.
Once you’re signed in, click on your account icon and choose ‘Upgrade to Premium for $4.99.’
Once you enter your payment information you have immediate access to Peacock Premium or Peacock Premium Plus if you don’t want the ads.
The Top Movies and Shows on Peacock
To decide if Peacock Premium is worth it, check out the list of the most popular movies and shows offered.
TV Shows on Peacock
Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal so think of all the shows you’d watch on NBC. In the free version, you can watch episodes of shows like:
- 30 Rock
- Parks and Recreation
- The Office
- Downton Abbey
- Modern Family
- Chicago Fire
This is the free version. If you upgrade, you can watch shows like:
- Saturday Night Live
- King of Queens
- The Tonight Show
- Bite Club
- Brave New World
- Punky Brewster
- Saved by the Bell
Movies on Peacock
Most people subscribe to Peacock for the TV shows, but they do have an assortment of movies to enjoy including:
- Jurassic World 3
- Fast and Furious 9
- Jaws
- Back to the Future
- Mama Mia
- E.T.
- Shrek
- Bridesmaids
Sports on Peacock
It’s not worth it to pay for Peacock for the sports unless you’re a soccer fanatic. Peacock has exclusive streaming rights for Premier League soccer matches. As a Premium member you can watch them live or replay them later.
Peacock also offers access to non-Pay per View WWE matches with the opportunity to watch events live or replay them later.
What Does Peacock Premium Cost?
To decide if Peacock Premium is worth it, you must know the cost.
Peacock Premium (with limited ads) is $4.99 plus tax per month. You can cancel at any time if you decide you don’t like the service.
Peacock Premium Plus (no ads) is $9.99 plus tax per month. Like the Premium version, you can cancel at any time.
How to Cancel Peacock Premium
If you decide Peacock Premium isn’t worth it, you can easily cancel it or downgrade to the free version.
Here’s how.
- Log into your Peacock account
- Choose Plans and Payments
- Choose Change Plan
- Click ‘switch to Peacock Free’
- Wait for your confirmation email
How Peacock Premium Compares
Peacock Premium was a late bloomer to the streaming world so it has a lot of competition. Here’s how it stacks up against the competition.
Netflix
Netflix is Peacock’s largest competitor. Netflix has been around a lot longer and has some diehard fans that are hooked on its exclusive series.
Netflix costs $9 – $18 a month depending on the service you choose. Netflix has the largest selection of curated programs that hook viewers, making them lifelong subscribers. You won’t see a lot of network programs like you do on Peacock. Instead, you get shows like Orange Is the New Black, Ginny and Georgia, or Riverdale.
Netflix offers streaming on up to 3 devices and you can download most shows or movies for offline viewing.
Quick Tip: read our article – Is A Netflix Subscription Worth It? for a more educated point of view.
Hulu
Hulu is another large competitor of Peacock Premium, and possibly even more so because of the cable shows it airs sometimes a day after the premier. Hulu is often the best solution for people hesitant to cut cable because they’re afraid of what they’ll miss.
Most of Hulu’s content comes from NBC, Fox, FX, and ABC. They do have exclusive content as well, like Netflix, just not as much. Hulu also offers the option to have live TV, but then you’re getting closer to cable prices again. Just Hulu itself costs $6 (limited ads) or $12 (no ads) per month. If you want live TV, it’s $65 per month.
FAQ – Is Peacock Premium Worth It?
How often does Peacock Premium add new content?
Like most streaming services, Peacock adds or changes its content monthly. You can look forward to old favorites and brand new content coming to the service each month, including new movies. Since the pandemic, Peacock even has access to some recently released movies in as little as 45 days since their release.
Does Peacock Premium have commercials?
A downside of Peacock Premium is the commercials. If you’re paying for TV, you don’t want commercials, but unless you choose Peacock Premium Plus, to the tune of an extra $60 per year, you will have commercials.
The commercials they play are limited, though. They aren’t as frequent as they are on network television, but they are still commercials, which can be frustrating.
Can you cancel Peacock Premium at any time?
Peacock Premium is a monthly subscription. You can cancel it at any time. If you cancel mid-month, you’ll still have the remainder of the month you paid for to watch it, but it will not renew the following month. Make sure to read your agreement to find out the last day of the month to cancel before you are charged again.
Can you cancel Peacock Premium after the free trial?
Peacock works differently than most streaming services. They have a basic free plan that anyone can sign up for and use. You never have to share your credit card information. If you want to upgrade to the premium version, though, you must supply your credit card and pay the $4.99 a month but you can cancel at any time.
Final Thoughts – Is Peacock Premium Worth the Cost?
Peacock Premium doesn’t cost much, but even $60 a year adds up over time. If you have other streaming services, you just add to the cost, so is Peacock Premium worth it?
I think it’s only worth it if you don’t have any other streaming services. If you’re truly trying to cut the cord and save money, Peacock Premium is a great compromise. At $60 a year, you pay only a fraction of one cable bill.
But, if you have other streaming services, like Netflix or Hulu, it’s overkill to pay for Peacock Premium. You can get more than 50% of the content with the Free Peacock, keeping the $60 in your pocket.
Epl on peacock is a great addition. But. The broadcaster, a female who is on the game of Everton and Nottingham August 20, is the worst thing I have ever heard. She repeats herself endlessly and constantly talks about the last game. Damn, what is the value of that when you have a game I. Front of you. She shouts, and hardly co es up for air. Get her off these broadcasts. She is horrible.