Softwr

Entertainment · head to head

Discovery+ vs Pluto TV

Discovery+ logo

Discovery+

Entertainment

Unscripted content at your fingertips

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pluto TV logo

Pluto TV

Entertainment

Stream movies, TV shows and clips for free

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pluto TV has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Discovery+ standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month; Pluto TV pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
  • They diverge on capability: Discovery+ covers Unscripted content, Pluto TV covers Live TV channels.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Discovery+ and Pluto TV actually diverge.

Attributes where Discovery+ and Pluto TV differ
AttributeDiscovery+Pluto TV
Starting price$4.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20202013

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Discovery+

  • Unscripted content
  • Reality TV
  • Originals
  • Downloads
  • Account security

Only in Pluto TV

  • Live TV channels
  • Movies
  • TV shows
  • Recommendations
  • Account management

Both cover

  • Streaming
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Parental controls
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Smart-tv support
  • Roku support
  • Fire-tv support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Discovery+

  • Unscripted streamingnot Pluto TV
  • Reality TV watchingnot Pluto TV

Pluto TV

  • Free streamingnot Discovery+
  • Live TVnot Discovery+
  • On-demand contentnot Discovery+

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Discovery+

  • Standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month

Pluto TV

  • Pluto TV is entirely ad-supported free streaming with no paid tier, available in a stated list of regions including the US, Canada, Latin America, Brazil, Germany/Switzerland/Austria, UK, Spain, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Denmark (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)

Pricing, plan by plan

Discovery+

$4.99/month
  • Standard$4.99/month
    • HD
    • Ad-supported
  • Premium$8.99/month
    • 4K
    • Ad-free

Pluto TV

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full content
    • Live channels
    • Ad-supported

Which should you pick?

Choose Discovery+ if

  • You need unscripted content.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want reality tv.
Discovery+ review

Choose Pluto TV if

  • You need live tv channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want movies.
Pluto TV review

Questions people ask

Is Discovery+ or Pluto TV better?
Neither clearly leads. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and Pluto TV at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Discovery+ or Pluto TV?
Pluto TV has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for Discovery+ and Free for Pluto TV.
Does Discovery+ or Pluto TV run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Pluto TV for free?
Yes. Pluto TV has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month.
What is Discovery+ best used for?
Discovery+ is most often used for unscripted streaming, reality tv watching. Of those, unscripted streaming and reality tv watching are not what Pluto TV is typically brought in for.
What can Discovery+ do that Pluto TV cannot?
Discovery+ covers Unscripted content, Reality TV, Originals, Downloads. Pluto TV covers Live TV channels, Movies, TV shows, Recommendations. Both handle Streaming, Smart TVs, Streaming devices, Parental controls.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Discovery+: How much does Discovery+ cost?

Discovery+ offers two tiers: Standard at $5.99/month with 4 simultaneous streams in Full HD, and Ad-Free at $9.99/month with the same streaming capability plus 100 downloads for offline viewing.

Source
Discovery+: Is there a free trial for Discovery+?

Yes, both Standard and Ad-Free plans offer a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Trial access is complimentary, but terms apply.

Source
Discovery+: Can I cancel Discovery+ anytime?

Yes. Your subscription automatically renews monthly, and you can cancel anytime without mentioned fees or penalties.

Source
Discovery+: What content is included with Discovery+ plans?

Both Standard and Ad-Free plans grant unlimited access to all 70,000+ episodes with new content added weekly. Ad-Free members can download 100 episodes to watch offline.

Source
Discovery+: How many devices can stream Discovery+ at once?

Both Standard and Ad-Free plans allow 4 simultaneous streams across devices.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Discovery+

More on Pluto TV

Keep looking

Other head to heads