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Entertainment · head to head

Discovery+ vs Showtime

Discovery+ logo

Discovery+

Entertainment

Unscripted content at your fingertips

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Showtime logo

Showtime

Entertainment

Signature entertainment and sports

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Showtime showtime is now offered only as part of Paramount+'s Premium plan, per the App Store listing (Paramount+ by CBS Mobile)
  • They diverge on capability: Discovery+ covers Unscripted content, Showtime covers Original series.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Discovery+ and Showtime actually diverge.

Attributes where Discovery+ and Showtime differ
AttributeDiscovery+Showtime
Starting price$4.99/month$10.99/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tvWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv
Founded20201983

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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
  • Parental controls
  • Roku support
  • Fire-tv support

Only in Showtime

  • Original series
  • Movies
  • Sports
  • Live events
  • Content filtering

Both cover

  • Streaming
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Smart-tv support

What people use each for

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

Discovery+

  • Unscripted streamingnot Showtime
  • Reality TV watchingnot Showtime

Showtime

  • Premium streamingnot Discovery+
  • Sports watchingnot 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

Showtime

  • Showtime is now offered only as part of Paramount+'s Premium plan, per the App Store listing (Paramount+ by CBS Mobile)
  • Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current subscription period rather than immediately, with continued access through the paid period, per the App Store listing

Pricing, plan by plan

Discovery+

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

Showtime

$10.99/month
  • Showtime Standalone$10.99/month
    • Original content
    • Ad-free

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 Showtime if

  • You need original series.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
  • You also want movies.
Showtime review

Questions people ask

Is Discovery+ or Showtime better?
Neither clearly leads. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and Showtime at $10.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Discovery+ or Showtime?
Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and Showtime at $10.99/month.
Does Discovery+ or Showtime run on more platforms?
Discovery+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. Showtime runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
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 Showtime is typically brought in for.
What can Discovery+ do that Showtime cannot?
Discovery+ covers Unscripted content, Reality TV, Originals, Downloads. Showtime covers Original series, Movies, Sports, Live events. Both handle Streaming, Smart TVs, Streaming devices, Account security.

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
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Related pages

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