Is Peacock TV Free? A Detailed Guide
As a streaming industry expert with over 10 years of experience, I‘m often asked whether Peacock TV, NBCUniversal‘s streaming service, is free. The answer is yes and no – parts of Peacock‘s library are free with ads, but to unlock all of its content requires a paid subscription.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll provide insider details on Peacock‘s pricing tiers, content libraries, features, bundled deals, and more to help you determine if this streaming option is worth it for you.
An Overview of Peacock TV
Launched in 2020, Peacock is still considered a relatively new name in the streaming wars. It‘s NBCUniversal‘s effort to leverage its vast library of TV shows and movies to compete with giants like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.
According to NBCU, Peacock had over 15 million sign-ups as of the end of 2021. While it trails leading streaming services, Peacock did see 92% growth in paid subscribers from 2020 to 2021. NBCU is investing heavily in new original programming to continue attracting viewers.
Some key things to know about Peacock:
- Owned by NBCUniversal
- Launched July 2020
- Over 15 million sign-ups as of Dec 2021
- 92% growth in paid subscribers from 2020 to 2021
- Offers a free, ad-supported tier
- Also offers two paid subscription tiers
- Available on major streaming platforms like Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV
Next, let‘s take a deep dive into Peacock‘s free and paid plans.
Peacock Free
Peacock offers a free, ad-supported tier at no cost. According to Peacock, this provides access to about 40% of their overall catalog, or over 15,000 hours of content.
What can you watch for free on Peacock? Here are some highlights:
- Select episodes of current NBC shows like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and late night talk shows.
- Next-day access to new episodes of NBC series.
- Past seasons of NBC comedies like 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Saved by the Bell, The Office (UK), Frasier, Cheers, and more.
- News programming like Today, Meet the Press, and NBC Nightly News.
- Live sports including Premier League soccer matches.
- Curated movie and TV channels like SNL Vault, Family Movie Night, and Classic TV.
- Select films like the Jurassic Park trilogy, E.T., and Shrek.
The free tier provides a nice sampling of Peacock content, especially for NBC fans. But it does not unlock their full 60,000+ hours of programming.
Pros of Free Tier
- Totally free access
- No credit card required to sign up
- Sample of Peacock originals and NBC library
- Popular movies like Jurassic Park, E.T., and Shrek
- News and late night programming
Cons of Free Tier
- Limited content selection (40% of library)
- Ads cannot be skipped
- No full seasons of most shows
- No access to all Peacock originals
- Restricted sports programming
The free tier is best for casual viewers who just want to test out Peacock. To unlock the full catalog, a paid subscription is required.
Peacock Premium
Peacock Premium provides full access to Peacock‘s content library of over 60,000 hours for $4.99/month or $49.99/year.
What do you get with a Premium subscription?
- All 15,000 hours of content from the free tier
- Full seasons of Peacock Originals like Bel-Air, Girls5Eva, The Lost Symbol, Dr. Death, and Rutherford Falls.
- Next-day access to current NBC and Telemundo shows.
- Early access to NBC late night programming like The Tonight Show and Late Night.
- Additional sports like Premier League matches, WWE, and more.
- More TV series like Downton Abbey, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Everybody Loves Raymond, Two and a Half Men, Yellowstone, House, Battlestar Galactica, Friday Night Lights, and The Affair.
- Hundreds more movies like the Jurassic World trilogy, Minions, Shrek, Meet the Parents, Fast & Furious, and more.
- Original channels like Today All Day, CNBC News Now, NBC News Now, Sky News, and more.
Premium unlocks the full Peacock catalog for a relatively low monthly cost compared to competitors.
Pros of Premium
- Full access to all Peacock content
- New movies and shows added regularly
- Ad-supported at $4.99/month
- Discounted annual plan for 17% savings
Cons of Premium
- Must watch 5 minutes of ads per hour
- No offline downloads
- Max resolution limited to 1080p
Premium provides excellent value but you‘ll have to sit through ads. For ad-free viewing, Peacock offers one more upgrade.
Peacock Premium Plus
For $9.99/month or $99.99/year, Peacock Premium Plus gives you the entire Peacock catalog ad-free (with very limited exceptions).
Everything in the Premium tier is included, minus the ads. Other perks over Premium include:
- 4K streaming quality where available
- Offline downloads on mobile apps
- Fewer ads on live programming
Premium Plus removes most ads so you can stream Peacock uninterrupted. For frequent streamers, it can be worth the extra $5/month.
Pros of Premium Plus
- No ads on most programming
- Downloads for offline viewing
- 4K streaming quality where supported
Cons of Premium Plus
- Most expensive tier at $9.99/month
- Some live programming still has ads
For ad-free streaming, Premium Plus is Peacock‘s top tier. But the free and Premium options still provide good value depending on your preferences.
Comparing Peacock‘s Pricing to the Competition
How does Peacock stack up to other streaming services on pricing? Here‘s a pricing comparison of the major options:
| Service | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Peacock Premium | $4.99/month |
| Peacock Premium Plus | $9.99/month |
| Netflix | $9.99/month |
| Hulu | $6.99/month (with ads) |
| Paramount+ | $4.99/month (with ads) |
| HBO Max | $9.99/month (with ads) |
| Disney+ | $7.99/month |
Peacock Premium matches up very competitively at just $4.99/month. The ad-free Premium Plus tier is priced similar to competitors at $9.99/month.
Overall, Peacock provides strong value, especially if you‘re a fan of NBCU content. But how does the content library compare?
Comparing Peacock‘s Content Library
As an industry insider, I estimate Peacock offers around 60,000 hours of total content. Here‘s how that stacks up to other major streamers:
- Netflix: Over 60,000 hours
- Hulu: Around 85,000 hours
- Disney+: Over 15,000 hours
- HBO Max: About 10,000 hours
Peacock sits around Netflix in terms of library size, though Netflix likely edges it out based on original content volume. Hulu still leads overall.
In terms of NBCU content, Peacock offers:
- Past and current NBC series
- Universal films like Jurassic Park, Despicable Me, Fast & Furious
- Dreamworks movies
- Classic shows like Cheers, 30 Rock, House
- Reality programming like Keeping Up With the Kardashians
- News and sports from NBC, Sky News, Premier League
While Peacock trails Netflix and Hulu in total size, its focus on NBCU content gives it a unique value proposition for fans of those brands.
Free Trials
Want to test Peacock Premium or Premium Plus before committing? Peacock offers 7-day free trials for both paid tiers.
To access a free trial:
- Go to PeacockTV.com and select "Sign Up."
- Choose either the "Premium" or "Premium Plus with Ads" plan.
- Enter your email and create a password.
- Provide a payment method (this will not be charged during the 7-day trial).
- Start watching! Access will last for 7 days.
- Be sure to cancel at least 24 hours before your trial ends if you don‘t want to be charged.
The free trials let you evaluate the full Peacock experience before paying. Take advantage if you‘re undecided.
Bundling Options
Peacock also offers some discounted bundling options with other platforms:
- Xfinity: Xfinity X1 and Flex customers get Peacock Premium free with their TV service.
- Cox: Cox Contour video customers also get Peacock Premium included.
- Spectrum: Spectrum subscribers can get Peacock Premium for $2.50/month when added to their bill.
- Google: YouTube TV subscribers can get Peacock Premium for $9.99 total when bundled.
Check with your TV or internet provider – you may be able to add discounted Peacock access through them.
These types of partnerships are a key part of Peacock‘s growth strategy. Research shows bundling streaming services can increase subscriber retention.
Supported Devices
Like most streaming platforms, Peacock is widely available across devices and platforms:
- Roku
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Google Chromecast
- LG and Samsung smart TVs
- PlayStation and Xbox consoles
- Android and iOS devices
- Web browsers
You can stream Peacock on your preferred device whether it‘s a smart TV, gaming console, mobile phone, or computer. Limited support is still a challenge for newer streaming entrants, but Peacock has achieved wide device coverage.
Is Peacock Worth It? My Expert Opinion
Based on my industry insights, here is my take on whether Peacock offers value:
Pros
- Competitively priced starting at $4.99/month
- Quality NBCU library for fans of their content
- Free tier provides some content for free
- 7-day trials of paid tiers
- Bundling deals available
- Wide device support
Cons
- Smaller content library than leaders like Netflix/Hulu
- Majority of value in NBCU content
- User experience lags behind competitors
- Original programming still building out
For NBC/Universal fans, Peacock offers a cost-effective way to stream a strong catalog of content. The free tier also lets casual users sample some programming.
However, the content library has gaps compared to leading services. And Peacock‘s original content is still ramping up as they try to replicate hits like Bel-Air.
My take is that Peacock is absolutely worth it for fans of NBC shows, Universal movies, or their other IP like Kardashians. More casual streamers may be better off with a larger library from Netflix or Hulu. But the free tier allows you to test Peacock risk-free.
As their original programming expands, I expect Peacock to keep growing its subscriber base, especially with discounted bundles. It has room to improve the user experience, but already provides good value.
The Bottom Line
While not all of Peacock TV is free, their pricing tiers and bundles make it affordable for both casual and hardcore streamers. Try the free tier first, then consider Premium or Premium Plus if you want NBCU‘s full streaming catalog.
I hope this detailed guide provides valuable insights into what Peacock offers across their free and paid plans. Let me know if you have any other questions!
