Peacock does away with free tier for new subscribers

Peacock has pared back its available subscription options to two — and they’re now both of the paid variety. As first noted by The Streamable, the free Peacock tier no longer is available, and the $5-a-month Premium and $10-a-month Plus plans are now the options for new subscribers.

Those who currently are on the free tier won’t immediately be forced onto one of the paid options, with Peacock’s website saying “If you already have a Peacock account but do not have a paid plan, you can watch a limited amount of content for free.”

Peacock plans on a TV. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The change wasn’t officially announced but is apparent on the Peacock website as well as inside streaming apps. And while it’s a hit to those who flat-out don’t want to pay for streaming video, it also doesn’t change the fact that the best content available on Peacock always has been on one of the paid tiers. That’s true for shows that stream the day after they were broadcast in primetime, as well as live sporting events like the Premier League.

And the biggest distinction between the Premium and Plus plans remains the absence of advertising in the on-demand content if you go for the more expensive option. (You’ll also be able to download shows for offline viewing, as well as get a stream of your local NBC affiliate.)

There still are some savings to be had, too, if you opt to pay for the service annually instead of monthly. Under that plan, you’ll get the Premium option for $50 a year, or Plus for $100 a year — that’s about 17% savings.

Peacock is the streaming arm of NBCUniversal and is available on all major streaming platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Android TV, on various smart TVs, and in a web browser.

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