Paramount+ Report Card 2026: Are Taylor Sheridan shows and NFL games enough?

Paramount+ is a contender for best streaming service. But if we're being honest, it's not considered a top-tier streaming service. Or at least, not by most people. When people think of Paramount's streamer, they think of Taylor Sheridan ... and that might be it. Even worse, you probably think of "Yellowstone," which isn't even on Paramount+ — that's on Peacock.

However, that's probably a harsh assessment of Paramount's streaming service. Yes, Sheridanverse shows are a big draw. But so is the NFL and UEFA Champions League. And if you like South Park, it's the home for that iconic series too.

Tom’s Guide’s streaming team is constantly checking out the latest movies and TV shows. That means we're also constantly using and evaluating the various streaming services those movies and shows reside on. So in an effort to share our experience —and to make it so you don't have to test every service yourself — we’ve put together report cards for the biggest streaming services in the U.S., including Paramount+. We've graded each across the most important categories over the past 12 months, including pricing, overall library, original content, and more.

So, without further ado, let's put Paramount+ under the spotlight. And, just as importantly, let's see if it's a streaming service for more than just Taylor Sheridan shows and live sports.

Paramount+: Pricing

Paramount+ comes in just two flavors: Essential and Premium. Both come with 40,000+ episodes and movies, concurrent streaming on three devices, NFL and UEFA Champions League livestreams and UFC fights.

For $8.99 a month, you get Essential, which includes all that plus a few Showtime shows and plenty of ads. For an extra $5 a month, you can upgrade to Premium, ditch the ads, and add 4K streaming, a livestream of your local CBS channel, every Showtime show and movie and you can download shows and movies for offline viewing.

Annoyingly, both of these prices were cheaper 12 months ago. Paramount+ got a price hike back in January 2026. But despite that, it's still one of the cheapest streaming services at just $8.99 a month. Arguably, Netflix (Standard w/ ads) is the only streaming service that offers that much at that price. So Paramount+ still gets points for affordability.

Grade: B

Paramount+: Library

Paramount+ boasts a library of 40,000+ episodes and movies. Many of these have been produced by Paramount over its 114-year history. The media giant produces shows and movies through Paramount Studios, CBS and Skydance, giving it a fairly robust offering on paper.

In practice, though, there's a real chance you don't care about the shows and movies Paramount+ offers.

If you like some older movies, Taylor Sheridan shows and "South Park," then you'll have a great time and have plenty to watch. Ditto for those who like network television comedies and dramas, or reality series such as "Survivor" or "The Challenge." But despite the inclusion of Showtime, it lacks the caliber of newer TV shows that HBO Max and Hulu have to offer, and many older favorites are, unfortunately, on other streaming services when it comes to TV.

Paramount+ also lacks major franchises. This is arguably more a knock against its original content (more on that shortly), but it still hurts the score of its overall library. Disney+, by comparison, at least has Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel to pull from. Paramount+ has "Top Gun" and "Star Trek," and unfortunately, "Star Trek has been more hit than miss lately.

Grade: C+

Paramount+: Originals

When it comes to Paramount+ originals, they largely boil down to a few different categories: Taylor Sheridan shows, "Star Trek," "South Park," Paramount Skydance movies, reality TV and former BET shows (often from Tyler Perry). Most of the original content that the streaming service offers fits in one of those buckets.

Do those work for you? Then great! If you think "Landman" is a masterpiece, loved "Dutton Ranch," and can't wait for more, then you probably feel Paramount+ originals are great. If you love the prolific showrunning talents of Tyler Perry, you're similarly excited that BET+'s shows are now on Paramount+.

There are some shows outside those categories worth checking out, though few and far between. Personally, I love "The Agency," but over the past 12 months, it's one of the few non-Sheridan series I can think of that I watched on Paramount+. Well, that and "Colin from Accounts."

So clearly, Paramount+ knows its audience, gives it what it wants, and not much else. But what about original movies?

Unfortunately, the past 12 months have been rough for Paramount in terms of quality. Normally, being the streaming home to Paramount's new movies would be a positive. However, since Aug. 1, 2026, the best movie it can claim is probably "The Naked Gun." Aside from that, it's been a lot of movies that range from fine to forgettable to even downright bad.

Grade: C

Paramount+: Interface

If you use streaming services even half as much as I do, you have probably come to realize they all have some degree of a terrible user interface. No service gets it totally right. Our highest-rated UI among all the streamers over the past 12 months was Apple TV, and even it only scored a B.

That said, Paramount+ might have the worst interface of the lot. Things start good, for what it's worth. When you log on, you get offered new and trending content, followed quickly by some personalized recommendations and a continue watching bar. All good things.

But then, when you try to watch the show or movie of your choice, that's when things become a problem. Toggling between seasons is a nightmare, especially on a web browser or mobile device. You cannot always fast-forward or rewind either; a truly head-scratching choice.

Grade: D-

Paramount+: Live content

Most streaming services now offer some level of live programming. Netflix, Prime Video and Peacock all offer NFL games, as does Paramount+. But Paramount doesn't stop there.

Right now, if you go to Paramount+, you can watch a robust selection of live sports. NFL, UFC, UEFA Champions League, Serie A, Carabao Cup and even some college football. If you have Paramount+ Premium, you also get some PGA Tour events and WNBA games.

Overall, that's a pretty good selection, especially for the price. NBA games are probably the biggest omission, but getting three of the premier soccer competitions in the world in the form of the Champions League, Serie A and Carabao Cup more than makes up for it. And for those who don't care for soccer, there's still the other kind of football, as well as every UFC event.

Note: This is just an evaluation of the live programming on offer in the U.S. Live programming varies by market.

Grade: A-

Paramount+ overall grade: C+

Overall, Paramount+ is a decent value. At $8.99 a month, it's more affordable than most streaming services, and it doesn't hide much of its content away at that price point.

For most people, though, deciding whether or not to sign up for Paramount+ is going to come down to whether or not you like the shows, movies and live sports on it.

Are you a UFC fan? Then signing up for Paramount+ is a no-brainer. Ditto for those who watch every Taylor Sheridan series with religious fervour. But if you're just looking for one streaming service to rule them all, that you can just log into and replace your cable with, then Paramount+ probably doesn't offer enough to accomplish that goal.

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