Someone once said, “If it’s free, you’re probably the product.” When it comes to the wild world of streaming services in 2025, that rings more true than ever. But there’s one question people just can’t stop asking: is Peacock TV free? You’ve seen the ads, maybe caught a football highlight or a movie trailer, and now you want to know if you can watch without paying a dime. Let’s get right into the facts — because there’s a lot of confusion and even more buzz about what Peacock’s really offering today.
The Free Peacock Plan: Does It Still Exist?
A couple years ago, you could jump onto Peacock and stream a surprising amount of stuff for free — no credit card required. Back then, NBCUniversal was throwing open the vault with a “Freemium” model, hoping to lure viewers with both paywalled and totally free content. People loved it. You’d get a taste of The Office or Parks and Rec, watch old SNL skits, and maybe dive into a live Premier League match if you timed it right.
Fast forward to 2025, the game’s changed. The official word? The true free tier is gone for new users. That’s right, you can’t just sign up and get a buffet of shows and films anymore. Now, Peacock expects you to pick a paid plan the moment you register. Older accounts that were set up when the free tier was a thing might still have limited access, but NBCUniversal is slowly nudging even those users toward paid subscriptions with more paywalls and less content unlocked.
If you’re a brand new viewer hoping for endless free streaming, you’re out of luck. The free samples are gone. But if you’ve got an old Peacock account, check and see what still works before deleting the app. There might still be a few leftovers — preview episodes, news clips, things like that — but just know: Peacock isn’t giving away the good stuff anymore. It’s a trend that’s echoing across the streaming universe, as everyone tries to tighten perks and keep profits up.
Peacock TV Paid Plans: What Are Your Options?
With free off the table, the obvious next question is — what am I paying for? Is it worth the cost compared to all the other streaming services out there?
Here’s where things get specific. In 2025, Peacock offers two core plans:
- Peacock Premium – This is the entry-level paid plan. You get full access to the Peacock library: exclusive series, live sports (think Sunday Night Football and Premier League soccer), day-after-airing of current NBC shows, blockbuster movies, and a familiar mix of older favorites. The catch? You’ll still watch some ads, though not as many as on a cable channel. Price: $7.99/month or $79.99/year.
- Peacock Premium Plus – This one boosts you up to an ad-free experience (except for a few live events where ads sneak in no matter what). It’s perfect if you can’t stand interruptions, and you get the ability to download content for offline viewing — handy for road trips or lying low on WiFi. Price: $13.99/month or $139.99/year.
Not sure what you get? Here’s a quick breakdown of plan features in a table:
| Plan | Monthly Price | Ads | Live Sports | Offline Downloads | Full Library Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peacock Premium | $7.99 | Yes (Limited) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Peacock Premium Plus | $13.99 | No* | Yes | Yes | Yes |
*You might still see ads on live channels and a handful of selected events.
There aren’t any secret “lite” plans buried in the small print, and the prices have held steady over the past year despite inflation scares. You can cancel any time, swap between monthly or yearly billing, and even try out a short free trial through a promo if you’re lucky (but those promos are disappearing fast).
Comparing Peacock With Other Streaming Services
So if you can’t just binge Peacock for free, how does it stack up to the other big streaming names?
Think about what you get with Netflix or Disney+. Netflix ditched its basic “no ads” plan and recent price hikes have it starting near $15 for ad-supported streaming, going north of $20 for the top tiers. Disney+ packs a punch with Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, but most of their plans now have ads unless you splurge for the premium one. Hulu’s still known for a mixed bag of old and new shows, but even its cheapest plan comes with loads of commercials.
Peacock punches above its weight with live sports — something the others really can’t match, unless you count Prime Video’s deal for Thursday Night Football (and even then, it’s not as much). If you’re a soccer fan or you can’t miss SNL live, Peacock’s $7.99 plan is a steal compared to sports streaming packages elsewhere, many of which run double the price for just one league.
But, and it’s a big but — Peacock doesn’t have the same international reach or huge exclusive originals lineup as Netflix. Their big titles, like Poker Face or Bel-Air, have buzz, but they don’t dominate the culture like The Crown or Stranger Things. The movie library is solid for recent Universal and DreamWorks releases, but it’s not as deep as Max (formerly HBO Max) when it comes to classic cinema or prestige TV.
Bottom line: If you want live sports plus fresh NBC shows, Peacock delivers the best bang for your buck. If you only care about blockbuster series and ad-free binging, you’ll probably lean elsewhere unless you’re a huge fan of The Office or Law & Order reruns.
Tips and Tricks for Maximizing Peacock's Value
Streaming can get expensive fast, especially if you’re stacking up multiple services every month without thinking about what you’re really watching. There are a few ways to make your Peacock subscription go further, so here’s some advice you won’t get from a company FAQ.
- Share your account with family or close friends. Peacock lets you stream on up to three devices at once under one account — there’s no official family plan, but you can absolutely share the login without breaking any rules.
- Watch for deals with your internet or mobile provider. Comcast (which owns NBCUniversal) throws in a free year of Peacock Premium for some Xfinity customers. You might see T-Mobile or Spectrum offer similar perks, especially if you sign up for their home internet bundles.
- Take full advantage of the offline download feature if you grab Premium Plus. Queue up shows and movies when you’ve got good WiFi, then stream on the plane or in places with spotty service. Not every title can be saved — check the little download icon to be sure.
- Cancel when you don’t need it. No shame! Peacock makes it easy to turn off auto-renew and turn it back on later. If you’re mostly in it for a certain sports season or the new season of a favorite show, just sub month-to-month when you’re actually watching. No annual commitment required!
- Keep an eye out for limited-time promos, especially around Black Friday or the Super Bowl. Previous offers included three months of Premium for $5 total — but you have to act fast, as those codes vanish quick.
- Set up parental controls if you have kids. Peacock makes it simple to restrict what little ones can see, from both shows and ads. Make sure the right profiles are in place, especially if you’re sharing your account.
Another solid tip: look for partner bundles. In 2025, plenty of people get their streaming through service “hubs” that combine multiple streamers for one price. Check out what your smart TV or device is offering — sometimes there are bundle deals where Peacock gets rolled in cheap with other services or hardware upgrades.
What’s Worth Watching on Peacock Right Now?
Okay, you’re considering the jump — what are you actually getting? Besides reruns and live sports, Peacock’s library in 2025 is sneakily good. NBC’s classic sitcoms still bring comfort TV (The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec), and the service has all the Law & Order, Chicago shows, and Real Housewives you can handle.
On the movie side, you get day-one access to Universal movies right after they hit theaters. It’s a nice perk when you can catch something like the latest Fast & Furious or animation hit straight from the cinema. DreamWorks stuff, including classics like Shrek and Madagascar, cycles through regularly, too.
Originals? Poker Face, starring Natasha Lyonne, landed huge critical buzz. Bel-Air gives fresh energy to the iconic sitcom. Sports nuts get live broadcasts of Sunday Night Football, the Olympics (when in season), Premier League soccer, and even WWE events. There’s a surprisingly strong lineup of true crime, documentary, and news — Dateline junkies, you’re covered.
And Peacock quietly keeps expanding into Spanish-language content, adding Telemundo originals and classic telenovelas, plus football and boxing coverage. It’s not Netflix-level global, but for U.S.-based Spanish speakers, the offering is growing every quarter.
Peacock doesn’t try to be all things to all people. But if your tastes line up with their sweet spot — sports, comedies, new Universal movies, and NBC shows — it’s a budget-friendly way to stream. Just don’t expect to sign up for free. That ship has sailed.