Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Peacock does away with free tier for new subscribers

Add as a preferred source on Google

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.
Recommended Videos

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.

Phil Nickinson
Former Section Editor, Audio/Video
Phil spent the 2000s making newspapers with the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, the 2010s with Android Central and then the…
Apple Music just got pricier
The subscription fee has climbed for student, family, and individual plans in the US, UK, and the rest of Europe.
Apple Music App

Apple just raised the subscription fee for its eponymous music streaming service. For individual plans, the price has climbed by a dollar, and so has the affordable student tier. The fee for the family plan has gone up by $3, and it now costs $19.99 in the US. The benefits associated with each plan remain unchanged.

How much do I pay now?

Read more
Sonos owners are finally getting a less frustrating app, but the rollout comes with a catch
Improved navigation, speaker sorting, and new iOS volume controls are arriving gradually and must initially be enabled manually
Furniture, Electronics, Speaker

The Sonos app is getting a substantial usability overhaul. Familiar bottom tabs should make it easier to move around, while customizable speaker ordering could take some friction out of managing a multiroom system.

Sonos community manager ShaunFromSonos announced that the release may take up to two weeks to reach everyone. Once it arrives, users must switch on Enable Improved Navigation in the app’s settings to unlock the new layout and sorting tools.

Read more
Skullcandy serves Bose tuning and some peppy colors on its new Crusher 1080 ANC headphones
Feel the bass, cancel the noise, Skullcandy's newest headphones do both at once.
Skullcandy-Crusher-1080-ANC

Skullcandy has released the Crusher 1080 ANC, and the company is calling it the most advanced headphone it has ever made. Priced at $279.99, this is the first time Skullcandy has paired its signature Crusher bass tech with Bose's audio technologies, something fans of the brand have been asking for.

What's new with the Crusher 1080 ANC?

Read more