Peacock offers a free plan with ads, but it's limited compared to paid tiers

Yes, Peacock has a free plan. You can watch a selection of movies, TV shows, and sports without paying anything, but the free tier comes with commercials and access to only part of Peacock's full library. If you want to remove ads or unlock more content, you'll need to pay for Peacock Premium or Peacock Premium Plus.

The free plan works on most devices—phones, tablets, computers, and streaming devices like Roku and Apple TV. You create an account with an email address and password, and you're ready to start watching.

Key Takeaways

  • Peacock's free plan includes movies, shows, and live sports, but with ads and a smaller content library than paid plans.
  • You can watch on phones, tablets, computers, and most streaming devices without paying anything.
  • Premium ($5.99 per month with ads or $11.99 per month without ads) unlocks the full library and removes commercials on the ad-free tier.
  • Premium Plus ($19.99 per month) adds the ability to read content and watch on four screens at once.
  • Peacock is included free with some Comcast internet and cable packages, so check your bill before buying a subscription.

What's included in the free plan

The free tier gives you access to a rotating selection of Peacock's content. You'll find movies, episodes of popular shows, live sports (including some Premier League soccer matches and WWE events), news, and clips. The exact titles change regularly, so what's available this month may not be next month.

Free users see ads during playback. You cannot skip them, and they appear at the beginning, middle, and end of shows and movies. The number of ads varies by title—some content has more commercial breaks than others.

You can create a profile and save shows to a watchlist, but you cannot read anything to watch offline. Streaming is limited to one screen at a time on the free plan.

How Peacock Premium changes what you watch

Peacock Premium costs $5.99 per month and still includes ads, but you get access to the full content library instead of just the rotating selection. This means thousands more movies and shows become available to you when ready, rather than waiting for them to rotate into the free tier.

If you pay $11.99 per month for Premium without ads, you remove commercials from most content. Some live sports and special events may still include ads even on the ad-free tier, depending on licensing agreements.

Both Premium tiers let you stream on two screens at the same time, which matters if multiple people in your household want to watch different things. You still cannot read content or use more than two simultaneous streams.

Premium Plus and downloading content

Premium Plus costs $19.99 per month and removes ads from nearly all content (with the same exceptions as the $11.99 Premium tier). It also adds two features the lower tiers don't have: the ability to read shows and movies to your phone or tablet, and the ability to stream on four screens at once.

Downloading is useful if you travel or have spotty internet. Downloaded content stays on your device for a set period—usually 30 days—before it expires and you need to read it again. The four-screen limit matters for larger households where multiple people watch simultaneously.

Check if Peacock is already included with your internet or cable

Before you buy a Peacock subscription, check whether it's already included with your current services. Comcast offers Peacock Premium free to many Xfinity internet and cable customers. The exact offer depends on your plan—some customers get the ad-supported Premium tier, while others get the ad-free version.

Log into your Comcast account online or call their customer service to see what's included with your package. If Peacock Premium is part of your bundle, you can link your Comcast account to Peacock and watch without a separate subscription.

How to sign up for the free plan

Go to peacocktv.com or open the Peacock app on your device. Tap "Sign Up" and enter your email address, create a password, and provide your date of birth. You don't need a credit card for the free plan—Peacock won't ask for payment information unless you decide to upgrade later.

After you create your account, you can start watching when ready. You can add a profile picture and create additional profiles for other people in your household, each with their own watchlist and viewing history.

When you might want to pay for Premium

The free plan works well if you're willing to watch ads and don't mind a smaller library. But if you find yourself waiting for shows to rotate into the free tier, or if ads interrupt your viewing too often, Premium ($5.99 or $11.99 per month) gives you the full catalog and removes the ad problem on the higher tier.

Premium Plus makes sense only if you read content regularly or live in a household where four people frequently stream at the same time. For most people, Premium without ads is the sweet spot between cost and convenience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I watch live sports on the free plan?

Yes. Peacock streams some live sports for free, including select Premier League soccer matches and WWE events. However, the free plan doesn't include all live sports—some games and events are Premium-only. Check the Peacock app to see which events are available without paying.

Do I need a credit card to use the free plan?

No. You can sign up for the free plan with just an email address and password. Peacock won't ask for payment information unless you upgrade to a paid tier.

Can I watch on my TV with the free plan?

Yes. The free plan works on most streaming devices, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, and Samsung Smart TVs. You can also cast from your phone to a Chromecast or AirPlay to an Apple TV.

What happens if I cancel my Premium subscription?

You'll drop back to the free plan when ready. Your profile and watchlist stay in your account, but you'll lose access to the full library and ads will return. You can resubscribe anytime.

Does Peacock offer a free trial for Premium?

Peacock occasionally runs free trial offers, but these vary by region and change over time. Check the Peacock website or app to see if a trial is currently available in your area. If you're a Comcast customer, you may already have Premium included at no extra cost.