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Showtime Streaming Service Review (2023)

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8.5
very good
Catherine Miller

In a Nutshell

Showtime’s streaming service gives you access to top shows, movies, documentaries, and sports events, which you can stream commercial-free and download onto your device. Plus, with a Paramount+ bundle, you can get discounted access to even more shows. If you’re interested in watching Showtime’s original series or other content, its streaming service is a worthwhile investment.

pros

  • Access Showtime’s streaming library commercial-free
  • Download shows to watch offline
  • Can bundle your subscription with Paramount+

cons

  • High-quality downloads only on tablets
  • More expensive than other streaming services

Showtime Showtime Visit Site

Showtime: Plans & Pricing


Showtime

Best for streaming from Showtime’s library

ShowtimeAnytime

Best for those who have an existing TV bundle

Showtime & Paramount+ Essential

Best for those who want an extended library


Showtime & Paramount+ Premium

Best for commercial-free streaming from an extended library

Cost Per Month
$10.99
Included in the cost of a participating external TV provider
$11.99
$14.99
Cost Per Year
$99 (-25%)
As above
$119.99 (-17%)
$149.99 (-17%)
Showtime original TV series, movies, documentaries, and sports

Commercial-free streaming from the Showtime library

Watch on any supported device (TV, tablet, phone, or computer)

Live or on-demand viewing
Download material to watch offline

Paramount+ series, movies, documentaries, and sports

X
X
Commercial-free streaming from the Paramount+ library
X
X
X

How Much Does Showtime Cost?

Showtime currently offers a 30-day free trial when you sign up through the Showtime website and if you add Showtime to your Amazon Prime or Hulu accounts. If you want a Paramount+ bundle, you can also access the same offer from the partner channel. After 30 days, you will either be charged monthly or annually unless you are able to get ShowtimeAnytime through a subscription with a participating TV service (including Cox, Dish, Frontier, and Xfinity). 

If you’re interested in streaming Showtime original series, plus other TV shows, movies, documentaries, and sports included in its library, a regular Showtime subscription will give you plenty to watch, commercial-free. However, it is more expensive than other streaming services. For example, Disney+ is only $7.99 a month, and Starz is $8.99 a month. To get a full range of the content you want, you may need to subscribe to more than 1 channel, which could push the total cost even higher. 

Luckily, if you’re looking for more content, you can bundle in a subscription to Paramount+ for just a small amount more. The Premium bundle removes commercials from the Paramount+ service. If you’re someone who gets annoyed by ads, spending a little more cash is worth it. 

How Does Showtime Work?

If you want to watch Showtime through its website, you simply need to sign up for the free trial. To watch through a compatible device such as Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, or Roku, you need to find Showtime in the menu of channels, where you will be able to start your free trial. If you are an Optimum Online customer, you should call the company to request access to Showtime. 

If you’ve purchased a Paramount+ bundle, you’ll need to create a separate account on the Paramount website. If you haven’t previously had a Paramount subscription, you can then activate your Paramount free trial. 

Once you’ve signed in on Showtime’s website, you can scroll through the streaming options, with the library categorized according to genre. You can also use the search option to find a specific show or movie. Clicking on the thumbnail will bring up a description and further information about your choice. You can also watch via the Showtime app.

Showtime’s original series cover a variety of genres, including premium dramas like “Billions” and “Yellowjackets,” comedies like “Back to Life” and “Moonbase 8,” and documentaries like “The Circus” and “VICE.” The library also includes selected movies and sports games. 

Is Showtime Reliable and Safe? 

Showtime has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, although the business is not yet accredited. With only 2 reviews on the site, the sample size is not significant enough for comment. Out of the 68,257 people who left reviews on Amazon.com, 62% of them rated it 5 stars. Viewers praise the range of shows, but some find that the channel doesn’t deliver exactly what they want. 

Help and Support

Showtime’s website features a help center with FAQs that cover details of all available packages and bundles. If you need further support, you can contact Showtime via live chat, phone, or email. Support is available 7 days a week, 8am-1am ET.

What About the Showtime App?

You can stream Showtime via its iOS, Android, or Amazon Fire apps. The app is free to download, but you’ll need a valid Showtime subscription to use it. Similar to streaming on the website, you can browse and select what you want to watch and explore specific categories. You can also download material to watch offline. On a phone, you can download at 540 pixels or 720 pixels, but on a tablet, you can also download at a high-quality level (1080 pixels). 

Showtime Showtime Visit Site

Bottom Line

Showtime’s streaming service gives you access to some high-quality content across a range of genres. With a variety of supported devices, you can watch at home or on the go, and you can download programs for offline viewing, too. With all of Showtime’s content available commercial-free, you can enjoy it uninterrupted.

If you think 1 library isn’t enough and you’re not interested in Showtime’s offerings, you can add on a discounted Paramount+ subscription for more choices. But for fans of Showtime’s content or exclusive sports events, its streaming service is a worthwhile purchase that will bring you hours of entertainment. 

Frequently Asked Questions
Is Showtime free with Amazon Prime?+-

You can’t get Showtime free with Amazon Prime, but you can add Showtime to your Amazon Prime account if you want to stream everything through the same platform. You’ll get a 7-day free trial. The subscription cost after this point is the same as creating a separate Showtime account (from $10.99/month).

Where can I watch Showtime for free?+-

You can watch Showtime for free with your 30-day free trial at Showtime.com. Free trials are also available if you add Showtime to your Amazon Prime or Hulu accounts. Once your free trial ends, you’ll need to pay a subscription fee to continue using Showtime.

What’s the cheapest way to get Showtime?+-

If you’re new to Showtime, creating a streaming account is the cheapest way to access the channel’s content. Plans start from $10.99/month, but you can save 25% with an annual subscription for $99. However, if your TV provider includes Showtime Anytime, you may not need to pay extra for streaming from Showtime.

Catherine Miller is a lead member of personal finance and pension innovator Maji, where’s she’s responsible for content creation and running Maji’s personal finance masterclass, among others. Miller also holds degrees in English and education, and worked as a teacher before moving into writing about finance for Top10. Today, she combines aspects of education and personal finance to help readers make better decisions in finance and beyond.

Showtime customer reviews

Based on 29 reviews

Ease of use

Brand satisfaction

Value for money

Service quality

Top Reviews

Ease of use

Brand satisfaction

Value for money

Service quality

9 months ago

They have a great variety of programs, many I consider to be "must watch tv". The service is always very reliable.

10 months ago

Showtime is a great subscription service. They consistently provide excellent and interesting programming such as Dexter, Dexter New Blood, Ray Donovan, Homeland and The Affair along with a great variety of movies and documentaries all at a great price.

10 months ago

It's an awesome streaming service and offers amazing shows and movies. I like it and I plan to keep using it.

10 months ago

I like their shows and movies. It is one of the best streaming services. Showtime is always running a special so price is good

10 months ago

It offers a decent lineup of original shows, and it supports offline downloads. I really like that it has live Showtime channel feeds.

10 months ago

I enjoy Showtime because it is easy to use, and it has very good shows on it.

a year ago

I added Showtime to my service for the network's quality of shows. I particularly like their made-for-television movies, and their series are addictive.

a year ago

Actually everything about their streaming service is perfect The programimng is great and the cost is very affordable.

a year ago

You can easily download the app and watch all the movies they put out. I no longer need a costly subscription to a satellite provider.

a year ago

They have great shows. It's faster and easier to use. I find, overall, it's cheaper to use than cable.

a year ago

Showtime has a really good variety of shows that are interesting. They produce high quality programming for a very affordable price.

a year ago

It's a great app to find all kinds of movies that don't show up on regular tv or basic cable and it's commercial free.

9 months ago

Showtime is alright, but it doesn't have the best movies to get a higher rating.

10 months ago

It would be nice to have a wider variety of shows to watch. Their customer services was very helpful and friendly.

10 months ago

They have great shows & movies and I like they variety they offer. Plus they offer more adult content as well so I can't complain about that.

10 months ago

The programming is good, and it is easy to navigate. I have it as part of a bundle plan and plan to keep using it.

10 months ago

Showtime has great series and movies. I like that they keep up with the current trends in news and media. They always seem to be introducing something new.

a year ago

I don't use it all too much as I only watch few shows on it right now. But, I like having the variety of channels and Showtime is one of the best.

a year ago

I enjoy the movies and I find the shows on showtime fit my tastes very well. However, some of their movies are out of date.

a year ago

Showtime shows a lot of great movies. They could provide an easier way to see what's available on their site. It's not easy to have to scroll through all the different channel options.

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