Peacock raised its prices in October 2024

Yes. Peacock increased the cost of both its ad-supported and ad-free plans in October 2024. The ad-supported plan (called Peacock Premium) went from $5.99 per month to $7.99 per month. The ad-free plan (Peacock Premium Plus) went from $11.99 per month to $13.99 per month. These were the first price increases since the service launched in 2020.

Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal, which also owns NBC, Bravo, and other television networks. The company said the increase was needed to fund more original shows and sports content. The price increase applied to all new subscribers when ready and to existing subscribers when their billing cycle renewed.

Key Takeaways

  • Peacock Premium (with ads) costs $7.99 per month as of October 2024, up from $5.99.
  • Peacock Premium Plus (no ads) costs $13.99 per month as of October 2024, up from $11.99.
  • Existing subscribers saw the new price when their next billing date arrived, not when ready.
  • A free tier with ads and limited content remains available at no cost.

What the free tier includes

Peacock still offers a free ad-supported plan. This tier lets you watch some NBC shows, movies, and sports clips without paying. The free plan has fewer titles than the paid plans and rotates content regularly, so what is available changes month to month.

The free tier does not include full seasons of most shows, recent movies, or live sports events. If you want to watch a full series or current films, you need one of the paid plans. The free plan is useful for sampling the service or watching clips and older content.

How the paid plans differ

The main difference between Peacock Premium and Premium Plus is ads. Premium includes ads during shows and movies. Premium Plus removes those ads entirely. Both plans give you access to the full library: all NBC shows, movies, sports, and original series.

Both paid plans also let you read episodes to watch offline and stream on up to four devices at once. If you live with others and want to watch different things simultaneously, both plans support that. The choice between them comes down to whether you want to pay $2 more per month to avoid ads.

When the price increase took effect

The October 2024 increase applied to new subscribers right away. If you signed up after October 12, 2024, you paid the new price. Existing subscribers kept their old price until their next billing date after October 12. This means some people saw the increase in October, others in November or later, depending on when their subscription renews.

If you signed up for a yearly plan before the increase, you kept the old price for the full year. Once that year ended, the new price applied to your renewal. Peacock sent email notices to subscribers before the price change took effect on their account.

How Peacock compares to other streaming services

At $7.99 per month with ads, Peacock Premium is cheaper than Disney+ ($7.99 with ads), Netflix Standard with ads ($6.99), and Apple TV+ ($9.99 with no ads option). At $13.99 without ads, Peacock Premium Plus costs less than Netflix Standard ($15.49) and Disney+ Premium ($13.99 with no ads). Hulu with ads costs $7.99, and Max (formerly HBO Max) with ads costs $9.99.

The real comparison depends on what you want to watch. Peacock has NBC shows, sports, and movies. Netflix has more original series. Disney+ has Marvel and Star Wars. Max has HBO shows. Most people who use streaming services subscribe to more than one, so price is only part of the decision.

Why streaming services raise prices

Peacock and other streaming services raise prices to pay for new shows, movies, and sports rights. Sports broadcasting rights are especially expensive — Peacock paid billions to carry NFL games and other live sports. Original shows like "The Traitors" and "Poker Face" cost tens of millions per season to produce.

Streaming services also raise prices because they are trying to become profitable. Most streaming services lost money for years while building their libraries and subscriber base. As competition increased and growth slowed, companies began raising prices to improve their finances. Peacock's parent company, NBCUniversal, said the increase would help it invest in more content.

What to do if you want to keep your old price

If you are an existing subscriber and have not yet seen the price increase, you will see it when your next billing date arrives. You cannot lock in the old price permanently. Once your renewal date passes October 12, 2024, the new price applies.

Your options are to pay the new price, downgrade to the free tier, or cancel. Some people cancel and rejoin the free tier, then upgrade again later if a show they want to watch becomes available. Others switch to a different streaming service. There is no way to keep the old price after your renewal date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Peacock raise prices before October 2024?

No. Peacock launched in April 2020 at $4.99 per month for the ad-free plan and kept that price until October 2024. The October 2024 increase was the first price change in the service's history.

Can I get Peacock for free?

Yes. Peacock offers a free ad-supported tier with limited content. You can watch some NBC shows, clips, and older movies without paying. The free tier does not include full seasons of most shows or current movies, but it is a way to try the service.

Does Peacock offer a discount for yearly plans?

Peacock does not publicly advertise an annual plan option. You can only subscribe month to month. Some promotions offer discounted rates for a limited time, but these change regularly and are not always available.

Will Peacock raise prices again?

Peacock has not announced another price increase. However, streaming services typically raise prices every few years as content costs rise. There is no way to predict when or if the next increase will happen.