Paramount+ carries content from 7 major TV brands — CBS, Showtime, BET, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and the Smithsonian Channel — plus 18 always-on genre channels that run 24/7. Whether you’re considering subscribing or you’ve already signed up and want to know exactly what you’re paying for, this is the full breakdown.
If you’re comparing streaming services before deciding, our guide to the best streaming services for local channels covers how Paramount+ stacks up against Hulu, YouTube TV, and Peacock for over-the-air replacement.
Quick Answer — What Channels Does Paramount Plus Have?
Paramount+ is built around 7 brand content hubs:
- CBS — news, live sports, primetime dramas
- Showtime — premium originals and movies (Premium plan only)
- BET — entertainment celebrating Black culture
- MTV — reality TV and music content
- Nickelodeon — kids and family programming
- Comedy Central — stand-up, animated series, late-night
- Smithsonian Channel — documentaries, history, science
On top of those, there are 18 always-on genre channels that stream content 24/7, similar to a traditional cable experience. More on those below.
The 7 Brand Channels on Paramount+
CBS
CBS is the biggest content hub on Paramount+. You get next-day access to current CBS network shows — Ghosts, Tracker, Survivor, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NCIS, The Bold and the Beautiful, and more. The library also pulls in decades of CBS classics: I Love Lucy, Frasier, Beverly Hills 90210, The Twilight Zone, and The Good Wife.
Live local CBS stations are available through the Premium plan only, and availability depends on your region. If you currently pay for CBS through a cable provider like Spectrum, our Spectrum TV channels list shows exactly where CBS sits in that lineup and whether cutting to Paramount+ Premium makes financial sense.
Showtime (Premium Plan Only)
Showtime moved entirely inside the Paramount+ Premium plan in 2024. You get the full Showtime library — Shameless, Homeland, Dexter, Yellowjackets, The Chi, Californication, Penny Dreadful, Ray Donovan — plus new Showtime originals as they release. Premium subscribers also get a live Showtime East and West feed, so you can watch it exactly like a traditional cable channel if you prefer that.
This content is locked. You cannot access Showtime on the Essential plan.
BET
BET’s hub on Paramount+ includes series, movies, and specials focused on Black culture and entertainment. Shows like BET Her content, reality programming, BET Gospel, and BET Hip-Hop content are available on demand. BET Plus originals are separate and require a standalone BET+ subscription.
MTV
MTV content on Paramount+ skews toward reality TV and archival music programming. You’ll find series from MTV, MTV2, and MTV Classic — reality shows, music documentaries, and throwback content. It’s mostly on-demand, not a live MTV feed.
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon’s hub is strong for families. SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly, Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Paw Patrol all live here. Nick Jr. programming for younger kids is included. In the evening hours, some Nickelodeon slots air sitcom reruns like Friends and Mike & Molly.
If your kids also watch Nickelodeon on a pay-TV provider, you can check what channel Nickelodeon is on DirecTV or what channel Nickelodeon is on Spectrum to compare before dropping the cable bill.
Comedy Central
South Park, The Daily Show, Tosh.0, Reno 911!, Drunk History, Broad City, and Chappelle’s Show are all available through the Comedy Central hub. South Park in particular has a massive library on Paramount+. The content is on-demand — you’re not getting a live Comedy Central stream.
Subscribers who miss Comedy Central on traditional pay-TV can also check what channel Comedy Central is on Spectrum to see how the cable number compares.
Smithsonian Channel
The Smithsonian Channel hub is the destination for documentary fans. History, nature, aviation, space, and culture content streams here — shows like America’s Hidden Stories, Sacred Sites, and Air Disasters. It’s entirely on-demand.
The 18 Always-On Genre Channels — Full List
This is where Paramount+ does something different from most streamers. These 18 channels run 24/7, scheduled like traditional TV. You tune in and watch whatever’s playing — no choosing required. They’re available on both the Essential and Premium plans.
| Channel | What’s On |
|---|---|
| 24/7 Laughs | Comedy series: Tosh.0, Hot in Cleveland, Reno 911! |
| Adult Animation | Animated shows: Celebrity Deathmatch and similar content |
| All Day Drama | Drama series: Evil, The Guardian, The Twilight Zone |
| Crime & Justice | CBS crime and legal dramas: The Good Wife, CSI: Miami |
| History & Undiscovered | Smithsonian Channel documentaries: Sacred Sites, America’s Hidden Stories |
| Kids & Family Fun | Family-safe shows: Zoey 101, iCarly, classic Nick content |
| Nostalgic Hits | 80s and 90s classics: Beverly Hills 90210, Frasier |
| Paw Patrol | Continuous Paw Patrol episodes, including Paw Patrol: The Movie |
| Preschool Corner | Educational programming for preschool-age kids: Blue’s Clues |
| Reality TV: Competitions | Competition reality shows: Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race |
| Reality TV: Relationships | Relationship-based reality programming |
| RuPaul’s Drag Race | Full seasons and specials from the entire Drag Race franchise |
| Spanish | Spanish-language programming |
| SpongeBob SquarePants | SpongeBob episodes running all day |
| Star Trek | Every Star Trek series — TOS through Strange New Worlds |
| True Crime | True crime documentaries and investigative series |
| Top Paramount Movies | Rotating selection of Paramount theatrical films |
| MTV Hits | Music videos and MTV reality content |
These channels are curated by Paramount+ editors and rotate content on a rolling schedule. Think of them as Pluto TV-style streams built inside the Paramount+ app — which makes sense, since Pluto TV is also owned by Paramount Global and runs on the same free-stream model.
Brand Hubs vs. Live Channels — What’s the Actual Difference?
This is the part most guides get wrong, and it matters.
Brand hubs (CBS, BET, MTV, etc.) are on-demand libraries. You pick what you want to watch and hit play. Except for CBS and Showtime on the Premium plan, none of these are live linear feeds. Watching “the MTV channel” on Paramount+ means browsing MTV’s on-demand catalog — not watching a live feed of the MTV cable channel.
The 18 genre channels are scheduled streams. You open them and content is already playing, mid-episode. You can’t rewind to the beginning. That’s intentional — it replicates the lean-back cable experience.
True live channels on Paramount+ are limited to:
- Your local CBS affiliate (Premium plan, region-dependent)
- CBS News (24/7 live news stream, both plans)
- Showtime East/West (Premium plan)
- Live sports (both plans — details below)
Everything else is either on-demand or one of the 18 scheduled genre streams.
Live Sports on Paramount+
Sports is one of Paramount+’s strongest selling points in 2026 — and this is the one area where both plans deliver genuine live content.
Available on both Essential and Premium:
- NFL on CBS — Sunday afternoon AFC games during the regular season
- UFC — All events, including all 13 numbered Pay-Per-View cards and all Fight Nights (new 7-year deal starting January 2026). Essential subscribers see ads between rounds; Premium is closer to the full experience.
- UEFA Champions League — Live matches throughout the competition
- NWSL — Women’s soccer
- Zuffa Boxing — Live boxing events
- Argentina Liga Profesional de Fútbol — South American club soccer
Premium plan only:
- Men’s March Madness (NCAA Basketball, exclusive CBS games)
- PGA Tour (select events)
- SEC on CBS college football
CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 sports news channel, is also available as a streaming hub for scores, highlights, and analysis. If you’re tracking CBS Sports specifically on a cable provider, see what channel CBS Sports is on Spectrum for the traditional cable number.
Live News on Paramount+
CBS News is available as a 24/7 live stream on both plans. You can also watch live local news from CBS stations in 12 major markets — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, and Baltimore.
The full CBS News library — 60 Minutes, Face the Nation, 48 Hours, CBS Mornings — is available on demand through the CBS hub.
Paramount+ Plans — Which Channels Do You Get?
As of January 15, 2026, Paramount+ has two tiers:
| Feature | Essential | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $8.99/month | $13.99/month |
| Annual price | $89.99/year ($7.50/mo) | $139.99/year ($11.67/mo) |
| Ads | Yes | No (except live TV) |
| Showtime library | ❌ | ✅ |
| Live local CBS station | ❌ | ✅ (where available) |
| Live Showtime feed | ❌ | ✅ |
| NFL on CBS | ✅ | ✅ |
| UFC | ✅ (with ads) | ✅ |
| UEFA Champions League | ✅ | ✅ |
| March Madness on CBS | ❌ | ✅ |
| 4K UHD / Dolby Vision | ❌ | ✅ |
| Offline downloads | ❌ | ✅ |
| 18 genre channels | ✅ | ✅ |
| CBS News 24/7 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Simultaneous streams | 3 | 3 |
Both plans let you stream on 3 devices at once and include access to 40,000+ episodes and movies.
What Channels Are NOT on Paramount+
People often search for specific channels before subscribing. Here’s a direct answer on what Paramount+ does not carry:
- Fox, ABC, NBC — Not available. Paramount+ only includes channels owned by Paramount Global.
- ESPN / ESPN+ — Not available. Requires a separate ESPN+ subscription or a live TV bundle.
- Discovery, History Channel, HGTV, TLC — Not available. These are Warner Bros. Discovery properties. The Discovery Plus channel list covers those if you need them.
- National Geographic — Not available. Disney property; found on Disney+ and Hulu.
- Hallmark Channel — Not available. Found on Philo, Sling TV, or FuboTV. Philo TV channels and the Sling TV channels list are good alternatives to check.
- Lifetime / LMN — Not available. These are A&E Networks properties.
- Fox News / CNN / MSNBC — Not available as live feeds. CBS News is the only live news channel.
- Yellowstone (original series) — The original Paramount Network show is not on Paramount+. It streams on Peacock. Spinoffs like 1883, 1923, and 6666 are on Paramount+.
Devices Where Paramount+ Channels Work
Paramount+ is available across most major streaming platforms:
- Roku (sticks, boxes, and Roku TVs) — see the full Roku channels list to see what else Roku carries natively
- Amazon Fire TV (all Fire Stick and Fire TV models) — the Amazon Fire Stick free channels list covers what’s already available without a paid sub
- Apple TV (4th gen and later)
- Samsung Smart TVs (Tizen OS, 2016 and newer) — Samsung TV Plus channels also come free on these sets
- LG Smart TVs (webOS) — LG TV channels covers the built-in free content
- Android TV / Google TV (including Chromecast with Google TV)
- iOS and Android (phones and tablets)
- Web browser (paramountplus.com)
- PlayStation 4 and 5
- Xbox One, Series X/S
The 18 genre channels and live sports are available across all platforms. Live local CBS station access via the Premium plan requires a compatible device and active internet in a supported region.
Is Paramount+ Worth It? Who Should Subscribe
Paramount+ makes sense for you if:
- You watch CBS shows and want next-day access without cable
- You’re a sports fan who wants NFL, UFC, and UEFA Champions League in one app
- You have kids who watch Nickelodeon, Paw Patrol, or SpongeBob daily
- You want Showtime content without paying for a full Showtime cable add-on
- You like browsing 24/7 genre channels without having to choose what to watch
Paramount+ is probably not enough on its own if:
- You need live ABC, NBC, or Fox for local news and sports
- You watch a lot of HBO/Max, Discovery, or Hulu originals
- You need a broad live TV replacement — in that case, look at YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, which carry Paramount+ content alongside dozens of other channels
At $8.99/month for Essential or $13.99/month for Premium, it’s one of the more affordable major streaming services in 2026. The closest competitor for value is Peacock — which costs less at entry but carries fewer live sports rights in the current landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many channels does Paramount Plus have? Paramount+ has 7 brand content hubs and 18 always-on live genre channels, plus live streams for CBS News, CBS Sports, UFC, NFL on CBS, and UEFA Champions League. The total on-demand library holds over 40,000 episodes and movies.
Does Paramount Plus have live TV? Yes. Live content includes NFL on CBS, UFC events, UEFA Champions League, CBS News 24/7, and — on the Premium plan — your local CBS affiliate. The 18 genre channels also run 24/7 in a linear format, though they’re not broadcast live.
What channels does Paramount Plus have that are live? The genuinely live channels are: CBS News, local CBS affiliate (Premium only), Showtime East/West (Premium only), and live sports events including NFL, UFC, and UEFA Champions League on both plans.
Does Paramount Plus have Fox? No. Fox is not available on Paramount+. Fox is owned by Fox Corporation, a separate company from Paramount Global.
Is Paramount Plus free with Amazon Prime? No. Paramount+ is not included with an Amazon Prime membership. You can add it through Prime Video Channels as an add-on, but it costs the same as subscribing directly — $8.99/month for Essential or $13.99/month for Premium.
What plan do I need for Showtime on Paramount+? You need the Premium plan ($13.99/month or $139.99/year). Showtime content is not available on the Essential plan.
Does Paramount Plus have local channels? Only through the Premium plan, and only for CBS affiliates. Local ABC, NBC, or Fox stations are not available. CBS affiliate access depends on your geographic region.
