Paramount Global is removing the Showtime name from the top tier of its streaming service, Paramount+.
The ad-free tier of the platform has gone by the somewhat clunky title of Paramount+ With Showtime since 2023, when Paramount decided to merge its SVOD platform and premium cable outlet (and, in turn, shut down the standalone Showtime streaming service). Now, though, the ad-free tier will go by the name Paramount+ Premium — though it will still include Showtime programming, including the Dexter franchise and Yellowjackets.
The price is also staying the same: Paramount+ Premium will continue to cost $13 per month for ad-free viewing aside from live programs and includes the full Showtime library, live streams of local CBS stations and other features. The ad-supported Paramount+ Essential costs $8 per month but doesn’t include all of Showtime’s offerings.
The Showtime name isn’t disappearing entirely from Paramount’s portfolio, however. Showtime’s cable channels will retain the name, and — to make things somewhat more confusing — the flagship channel will still be called Paramount+ With Showtime.
The Paramount+ rebranding was done much more quietly than that of rival Max, which will soon become HBO Max again after Warner Bros. Discovery dropped the “HBO” portion of the name in 2023.
“On June 23, we updated the name of our ad-free plan from Paramount+ with Showtime to Paramount+ Premium,” reads a notice on Parmount+’s support page. “Since we recently introduced a sampling of Showtime programming to the Essential plan, the Premium plan name reflects the broad and diverse offerings across both plan tiers. Showtime programming remains an important part of Paramount+, and is still prominently represented on the service! In addition, the name of the Paramount+ with Showtime network on your cable, satellite, or live TV streaming service (like Hulu with Live TV) will not be changing.”
