Softwr

Entertainment · head to head

Showtime vs Unreal Engine

Showtime logo

Showtime

Entertainment

Signature entertainment and sports

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unreal Engine logo

Unreal Engine

Entertainment

The world's most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Unreal Engine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Showtime showtime is now offered only as part of Paramount+'s Premium plan, per the App Store listing (Paramount+ by CBS Mobile); Unreal Engine 5% royalty triggered on any project exceeding $1 million in gross revenue across all revenue sources
  • They diverge on capability: Showtime covers Streaming, Unreal Engine covers Real-time ray tracing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Showtime and Unreal Engine actually diverge.

Attributes where Showtime and Unreal Engine differ
AttributeShowtimeUnreal Engine
Starting price$10.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tvPC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, VR, AR
Founded19831991

Identical on both: 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 Showtime

  • Streaming
  • Original series
  • Movies
  • Sports
  • Live events
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security

Only in Unreal Engine

  • Real-time ray tracing
  • Nanite geometry
  • Lumen global illumination
  • Blueprint visual scripting
  • C++ programming
  • World composition
  • Animation systems
  • Audio engine

What people use each for

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

Showtime

  • Premium streamingnot Unreal Engine
  • Sports watchingnot Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine

  • AAA game developmentnot Showtime
  • Indie game creationnot Showtime
  • Architectural visualizationnot Showtime
  • Film and TV productionnot Showtime
  • VR/AR experiencesnot Showtime

Where each one falls short

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

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

Unreal Engine

  • 5% royalty triggered on any project exceeding $1 million in gross revenue across all revenue sources
  • Smaller mobile game ecosystem compared to Unity, with fewer optimized mobile libraries and live-ops services

Pricing, plan by plan

Showtime

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

Unreal Engine

Free
  • Game DevelopmentFree
    • Nanite geometry
    • Lumen global illumination
    • Blueprint visual scripting
  • Non-Game Commercial$1850/year
    • No royalties
    • Enterprise features

Which should you pick?

Choose Showtime if

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

Choose Unreal Engine if

  • You need real-time ray tracing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on PC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, VR, AR.
  • You also want nanite geometry.
Unreal Engine review

Questions people ask

Is Showtime or Unreal Engine better?
Neither clearly leads. Showtime starts at $10.99/month and Unreal Engine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Showtime or Unreal Engine?
Unreal Engine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for Showtime and Free for Unreal Engine.
Does Showtime or Unreal Engine run on more platforms?
Showtime runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv. Unreal Engine runs on PC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, VR, AR.
Can I use Unreal Engine for free?
Yes. Unreal Engine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Showtime starts at $10.99/month.
What is Showtime best used for?
Showtime is most often used for premium streaming, sports watching. Of those, premium streaming and sports watching are not what Unreal Engine is typically brought in for.
What can Showtime do that Unreal Engine cannot?
Showtime covers Streaming, Original series, Movies, Sports. Unreal Engine covers Real-time ray tracing, Nanite geometry, Lumen global illumination, Blueprint visual scripting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unreal Engine: What is Unreal Engine's royalty structure?

Unreal Engine is free upfront with a 5% royalty on gross revenue worldwide after a project exceeds $1 million in lifetime gross revenue. This includes in-app purchases, advertising, and direct sales but excludes indirect revenue.

Source
Unreal Engine: What platforms can Unreal Engine target?

Unreal Engine supports PC, VR, AR, gaming consoles, and mobile devices. The royalty fee applies across all platforms.

Source
Unreal Engine: What are Unreal Engine's graphics capabilities?

Unreal Engine 5 features Nanite virtualized geometry and Lumen global illumination, enabling photorealistic AAA workflows. Nanite replaces traditional LOD systems with 128-triangle clusters and software rasterization for superior visual fidelity.

Source
Unreal Engine: Do non-game developers pay royalties?

No. Non-game commercial teams pay $1,850 per seat per year instead of royalties. This covers enterprise use cases outside traditional game development.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Showtime

More on Unreal Engine

Keep looking

Other head to heads