Paramount+’s live channel lineup, deciphered
Paramount+ offers live channels with both of its plans, although the amount of content varies between them. For the best live TV experience, I recommend Paramount+ with SHOWTIME; you’ll get access to your local CBS channel, including weather and news for your area. But you can also get some live content with the cheaper Essential plan, like select NFL games.
Let’s go over the differences in live TV content between Paramount+’s two subscription tiers.
How to watch live content on Paramount+
If you want the most out of your Paramount+ subscription, you’re going to want the premium Paramount+ with SHOWTIME package. It’ll grant you access to all of Paramount+’s live content, including your local CBS affiliate, NCAA basketball, and SHOWTIME.
However, you can still access some live content through the cheaper Paramount+ Essential tier. You won’t get your local CBS affiliate, but you will get some CBS-branded livestreams like CBS News and CBS Sports. You’ll also still get some sports coverage, although you’ll miss out on the full lineup.
Live TV on Paramount+ depends on your plan
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
What live channels does Paramount+ offer?
Paramount+ offers around 30 live channels under its “Live TV” tab, although not all channels will be available to all subscribers. Let’s go over each type of content and whether you’ll be able to access it.
Your local CBS affiliate
| Paramount+ Essential | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME |
|---|---|
| — | ✔ |
One of the downsides of leaving cable TV behind is the loss of local channels like ABC, NBC, and CBS. You have other affordable options available to you—like an OTA antenna—but Paramount+ offers an accessible, equipment-free way to watch CBS on any device.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers get access to their local CBS affiliate (with local news, weather, and more), although this isn’t available to Paramount+ Essential subscribers.
Other than sports, this is one of Paramount+’s best live perks, especially when you want to watch a CBS-hosted award show.
SHOWTIME broadcasts
| Paramount+ Essential | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME |
|---|---|
| — | ✔ |
SHOWTIME began as a premium cable channel, and while its name may have formally changed to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, the service it provides is the same.
If you’re subscribed to Paramount+ with SHOWTIME as a standalone and not as a cable add-on, you’ll still be able to watch both the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME East and Paramount+ with SHOWTIME West channels through live feeds. Tune in for uninterrupted streams of SHOWTIME’s premium movie collection, or watch titles on demand through the regular Paramount+ library.
Live sports
| Paramount+ Essential | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ |
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME offers a decent number of live sports broadcasts, with an emphasis on soccer/football and golf. It’s also a great spot to watch March Madness and CBS’s NFL games.
By contrast, Paramount+ Essential offers far fewer live sports, although you will still get those CBS NFL games.
You can access sports livestreams through both the “Live TV” tab and the “Sports” tab in Paramount’s navigation menu.
| Live Sports on Paramount+ | Paramount+ Essential | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Champions League Elite | — | ✔ |
| Argentina Liga Profesional de Fútbol | — | ✔ |
| Big Ten College Football | — | ✔ |
| Carabao Cup | — | ✔ |
| CBS Sports HQ | — | ✔ |
| CONCACAF Nations League | — | ✔ |
| English Football League | — | ✔ |
| Golazo! Network | — | ✔ |
| March Madness/NCAA Basketball | — | ✔ |
| The Masters Tournament | — | ✔ |
| NFL on CBS | ✔ | ✔ |
| NWSL | — | ✔ |
| PGA Tour | — | ✔ |
| Scottish Professional Football League | — | ✔ |
| Serie A | — | ✔ |
| UEFA Champions League | ✔ | ✔ |
| UEFA Conference League | — | ✔ |
| UEFA Europa League | — | ✔ |
FAST channels
| Paramount+ Essential | Paramount+ with SHOWTIME |
|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ |
Free ad-supported television (FAST) services stream 24/7 content marathons meant to imitate the experience of watching traditional cable TV. They’ve gotten more popular in recent years with the rise of Tubi, Pluto TV, and the Roku Channel.
Many traditional on-demand streaming services are competing with their own FAST lineups, and Paramount+’s lineup mainly pulls from its CBS and Nick Jr. content libraries. Despite the similarity to free streaming services, you do need to pay to watch these channels. But they’re included with both the Essential and SHOWTIME plans, as they’re not considered premium content.
Paramount+ FAST channels at a glance
| News | Drama | Kids & Family | Reality | Comedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
Data effective as of post date.
Who we are
CableTV.com has been guiding TV lovers to the best in entertainment since 2007. Our editorial team spends countless hours researching streaming service providers to keep our reviews and guides completely up to date in a changing industry. We’re experts in deciphering TV provider fine print, and it’s our mission to help consumers like you find the perfect TV or streaming package.
