Peacock's Premium plan is the one that streams Olympic events

If you want to watch the Olympics on Peacock, you need Peacock Premium or Peacock Premium Plus. The free tier does not include Olympic coverage. Both paid plans stream the same Olympic events — the difference between them is ads and offline downloads, not sports content.

Peacock Premium costs around $6 per month with ads, or $12 per month without ads. Premium Plus costs around $20 per month and adds the ability to read shows and movies to watch offline. For Olympics alone, Premium with ads is enough; you do not need Premium Plus unless you want to read content for travel or other reasons.

The exact price and features can shift, so check Peacock's website directly before you subscribe. NBC owns Peacock and holds the U.S. broadcast rights to the Olympics, so Peacock is where NBC streams its Olympic coverage — you will not find it on other streaming services in the United States.

Key Takeaways

  • Peacock Premium (with or without ads) is required to watch Olympic events; the free plan does not include them.
  • Premium with ads costs roughly $6 per month and Premium without ads costs roughly $12 per month, with no difference in Olympic coverage between the two.
  • Premium Plus adds offline downloads for $20 per month but does not give you any Olympic content you would not get with regular Premium.
  • Peacock is the only streaming service in the U.S. that carries NBC's Olympic broadcasts, because NBC owns both Peacock and the Olympic rights.

What Olympic events Peacock actually streams

Peacock streams the same events that NBC broadcasts on television — track and field, swimming, gymnastics, basketball, soccer, and dozens of other sports. You get live coverage during the Games and replays afterward. The app lets you choose which sport or event to watch rather than following NBC's television schedule.

Not every single event gets broadcast. NBC and Peacock choose which competitions to show based on U.S. interest and time zones. If an event happens at 3 a.m. Eastern time, you might find a replay on Peacock but not a live stream. The Peacock app and website show you what is available to watch right now and what is coming up.

Premium with ads versus Premium without ads

The only real difference between Premium ($6/month with ads) and Premium without ads ($12/month) is whether you see commercials. Both plans stream the exact same Olympic events at the same video quality. If you are comfortable watching ads, Premium with ads saves you $6 per month and gives you everything you need for the Olympics.

Premium without ads is worth it if you find ads distracting during sports, or if you plan to use Peacock for other shows and movies year-round. For a two-week Olympics viewing period, most people find the cheaper plan sufficient.

Premium Plus and whether you need offline downloads

Premium Plus ($20/month) lets you read episodes and movies to your phone or tablet so you can watch them without an internet connection. This is useful if you travel during the Olympics and want to watch on a plane or in places without WiFi. If you will be home or near WiFi the whole time, offline downloads do not matter.

Premium Plus does not give you any Olympic events that Premium does not have. It is purely about the read feature. If you only care about the Olympics and do not use Peacock otherwise, Premium Plus is overkill — stick with Premium with ads.

How to sign up and when to do it

You can sign up for Peacock directly on its website or through the Peacock app on your phone, tablet, smart TV, or streaming device. You will need an email address and a payment method. Peacock accepts credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.

Sign up a few days before the Olympics begin so you have time to read the app, log in, and make sure everything works. If you sign up on the first day of the Games, you might miss early events while you are setting up. Peacock also sometimes offers free trial periods — check the website to see if one is running.

Streaming quality and what you need to watch

Peacock streams Olympic events in up to 4K resolution on compatible devices, though most events stream in standard HD. You need a reasonably fast internet connection — Peacock recommends at least 8 Mbps for HD and 25 Mbps for 4K. Most home WiFi networks meet this, but if your internet is slow, video may buffer or drop to lower quality automatically.

You can watch on any device that has the Peacock app: iPhones, Android phones, iPads, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs, and computers through the Peacock website. If you want to watch on your TV, make sure you have a compatible streaming device or a smart TV with the Peacock app built in.

What happens after the Olympics end

Your Peacock subscription does not automatically cancel after the Olympics. If you signed up just to watch the Games, you will need to cancel your subscription yourself to stop being charged. You can cancel anytime through your account settings on the Peacock website or app — there is no penalty for canceling mid-month.

If you think you might use Peacock for other shows, movies, or sports after the Olympics, you can keep your subscription running. Peacock carries NBC shows, movies, and sports events year-round, so Premium might be worth keeping depending on what you watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I watch the Olympics on Peacock's free plan?

No. Olympic events are only available to Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers. The free plan does not include them. You must pay for at least Premium with ads to stream Olympic coverage.

Is the video quality different between Premium and Premium Plus?

No. Both plans stream Olympic events at the same resolution and quality. Premium Plus only adds the ability to read shows and movies for offline viewing. The Olympics themselves look identical on both plans.

What if I only want to watch the Olympics for two weeks?

Sign up for Premium with ads ($6/month) a few days before the Olympics begin. Watch what you want during the Games, then cancel your subscription through your account settings. You will only be charged for one month. There is no contract or penalty for canceling.

Do I need a cable subscription to watch Olympics on Peacock?

No. Peacock is a standalone streaming service. You do not need cable or any other subscription to watch the Olympics on Peacock — just a Peacock Premium subscription and an internet connection.

Can I watch Olympic replays, or only live events?

Both. Peacock streams live Olympic events as they happen, and it also posts replays so you can watch events you missed. Replays stay available for several days after the event airs, though Peacock does not keep them forever.