SHOWTIME vs. SHOWTIME Anytime: Which Is Best for You?
We spent thousands of hours watching and researching to help you learn the best ways to stream SHOWTIME with or without cable.
Standalone price: $10.99/mo.
Paramount Plus bundle price: $11.99/mo.
Free trial: Up to 30 days
App price: Free with SHOWTIME subscription
SHOWTIME add-on price: $5.99–$13.99/mo.
Free trial: Up to 3 mos.
Whether you’re stalking your next serial killer show (Dexter: New Blood) or needing a dark comedy (Black Monday) to keep you company, the premium channel SHOWTIME® is a solid streaming option.
We’ll help you find the cheapest, easiest, and best ways to stream SHOWTIME with or without cable. Come on, you know your Dark Passenger craves it.
What’s the difference between SHOWTIME (streaming service) and SHOWTIME Anytime?
The SHOWTIME streaming service is something anyone can subscribe to for $10.99 per month. SHOWTIME Anytime, on the other hand, is an app that cable, satellite, and live TV streaming subscribers can use to stream SHOWTIME for free at home or on the go.
Other than that, there aren’t too many differences between the SHOWTIME streaming service and SHOWTIME Anytime.
For example, both apps feature a large selection of popular SHOWTIME original series, making them the only places on the web that have most of the SHOWTIME library on demand. (Netflix has some SHOWTIME shows like Dexter and Shameless, but not every one of them.)
You can also stream SHOWTIME West and SHOWTIME East live on the SHOWTIME streaming service or the SHOWTIME Anytime app.
Likewise, SHOWTIME Anytime and the SHOWTIME streaming service share the same easy-to-use interface.
Just remember that you need a compatible streaming device to use the SHOWTIME streaming service or SHOWTIME Anytime app on your TV set. So, be sure you have (or purchase) a Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Amazon Fire device or TV, Android TV, LG TV, or Samsung TV.
Pro tip: Not sure which streaming device is right for you? Check out our guide, Best Streaming Devices, to get our expert recommendations.
SHOWTIME app home screen on my iPhone
SHOWTIME without cable
In addition to the SHOWTIME streaming service, there’s plenty of options out there for SHOWTIME streaming—and all without cable.
Not familiar with live TV streaming? Most streaming services have free trials, month-to-month contracts, and lots of popular live cable channels.
Don’t fret, we’ll break down the best services for streaming SHOWTIME so you don’t have to dig around the internet for all the details.
If SHOWTIME is all you want, we highly recommend the SHOWTIME streaming service. It’s a relatively cheap way to get a SHOWTIME subscription and comes with every SHOWTIME original series and movie—including live SHOWTIME Boxing and Bellator MMA events.
I particularly like that the SHOWTIME streaming service comes with two live channels—SHOWTIME East and SHOWTIME West—so I can catch live premieres and channel surf a little (yes, people still do that).
SHOWTIME’s number one rival, HBO®, doesn’t include live TV streaming with its otherwise impeccable HBO Max, so two live SHOWTIME channels is a real bonus.
Yellowjackets on SHOWTIME on my laptop
That said, if you want more than just SHOWTIME, we have a couple more options that might be worth exploring.
Through Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access), bundle SHOWTIME for just $11.99 a month combined.
Subscribing to SHOWTIME through Hulu Live will get you all of Hulu’s library, all of SHOWTIME’s library, and 65+ live TV channels. When you consider all the TV shows and movies you’ll get for about $65 per month, it’s a pretty good value.
Is Hulu Live a little too pricey for you? Well, let us introduce you to Sling TV.
For as little as $45 per month, you can stream 30+ live channels, including ESPN and CNN, and get nine SHOWTIME channels (including channels like SHOWTIME Women).
TBH, we’d probably just go for the easiest way to stream SHOWTIME: the SHOWTIME streaming service. It’ll save you some cash and aid you in your search for Agent Cooper in no time flat.
SHOWTIME with cable
The thing about getting SHOWTIME with cable TV is that you usually have to sign a contract. Contract? Ew, you may say.
Okay, okay, hear us out. A cable package with SHOWTIME can be more convenient and save you money if you bundle it with home internet.
Let’s get this started with a truly tantalizing possibility. Remember how we said getting SHOWTIME through a cable provider could save you money? Well, Astound Broadband is that cable provider.
If you live in Chicago in an Astound Broadband service area, you could pay as little as $43.94 per month for 70+ TV channels, 20+ SHOWTIME channels with the add-on, and high-speed internet. That’s a real steal.
That said, cable deals on SHOWTIME are highly contingent on your location. You could also get three months free of SHOWTIME, HBO, and CINEMAX® through DIRECTV—not bad, eh?
Just watch out for the price hike during the second year of your contract. DIRECTV loves doing that.
Final take
We think most folks should go with the easiest option to stream SHOWTIME: the SHOWTIME streaming service. The cheapest option is bundled with Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) for $11.99 a month bundled together.
If you have TV and internet service through Astound Broadband, though, you could save a lot of money by adding SHOWTIME to your bundle.
Methodology
Our experts spent thousands of hours watching and testing SHOWTIME, evaluating everything from ease of use to pricing to add-ons and bundles.
Check out our How We Rank page for more info on how we evaluate streaming services.
SHOWTIME vs. SHOWTIME Anytime FAQ
Do you pay for SHOWTIME Anytime?
No, the SHOWTIME Anytime app is free. But you’ll need a TV provider login to use it, which costs money (obvi).
Can you watch shows live on SHOWTIME Anytime?
Yes, you can watch live TV shows and movies on SHOWTIME West and SHOWTIME East with the SHOWTIME Anytime app.
Why is SHOWTIME Anytime not working?
Most likely, SHOWTIME Anytime isn’t working because your streaming device, internet browser, or internet connection is having problems.
While there are myriad solutions to these problems, usually the simplest solution is to restart your streaming device, internet browser, or internet connection (unplug and replug in your modem/router).
This allows your equipment to reset and remove any bugs that might be messing with their performance.
What’s the cheapest way to get SHOWTIME?
The cheapest way to get SHOWTIME is through the cable provider Astound Broadband, which offers SHOWTIME plus some other premium channels for $7.95 per month.
If you don’t want cable, the cheapest way to get SHOWTIME is by bundling it with Paramount+ for $11.99 a month. Subscribing directly to SHOWTIME streaming is also cheap at $10.99 a month.
Is SHOWTIME on demand free on DIRECTV?
If you subscribe to SHOWTIME through DIRECTV, SHOWTIME on demand is free through the SHOWTIME Anytime app.
What are the best movies on SHOWTIME?
Movies on SHOWTIME rotate frequently. We recommend visiting Sho.com to see the best movies on SHOWTIME that are currently playing.
How do I cancel my SHOWTIME subscription?
If your SHOWTIME subscription came from your cable TV provider, you’ll have to call your provider’s customer service to cancel SHOWTIME. If you want to cancel a SHOWTIME streaming subscription, follow these steps:
- Go to Showtime’s website and access your account settings.
- Click Cancel Your Subscription.
How do I get SHOWTIME for free?
Cable providers sometimes provide free SHOWTIME subscriptions to new customers. You can also watch free episodes of SHOWTIME shows on the channel’s website.
Mike Strayer, PhD, has written and edited TV, internet, and tech content across the interwebs for over seven years. As Managing Editor of CableTV.com, he nerds out dissecting labyrinthian channel lineups and sifting through massive on-demand libraries. Off the clock, catch him on his couch deep in The Twilight Zone or wandering Westworld.
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