According to Engadget, Paramount+ is implementing price increases for US subscribers during the first quarter of 2026, with similar hikes announced today for Canadian and Australian markets. The exact new pricing wasn’t revealed, but the company indicated increases would follow the typical streaming service pattern of adding one to two dollars per month. The streaming service will also immediately eliminate free trials for new subscribers. These changes come under new ownership after Skydance’s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount this summer, which recently received regulatory approval. The moves are part of a broader strategy to improve long-term profitability by shifting away from what the company calls “low-margin subscriptions” and discount practices.
Streaming’s new reality
Here’s the thing – we’re watching the great streaming consolidation happen in real time. Every major service is basically doing the same dance: acquire subscribers with low prices, then gradually ratchet up costs while cutting back on perks. Paramount+’s last increase was just in June 2024, and now we’re looking at another one in 2026. That’s becoming the new normal across the industry.
But killing free trials? That’s a bolder move. Free trials have been the gateway drug for streaming services since Netflix first popularized the model. Without that easy entry point, Paramount+ is betting people will pay upfront sight-unseen. It’s a risky gamble when consumers are already drowning in subscription fatigue.
Skydance’s influence
This absolutely reeks of new ownership putting their stamp on the business. Skydance spent $8 billion on Paramount, and they’re not messing around about making that investment pay off. The language in their earnings report is brutally corporate – “shifting away from hard bundles,” “low-margin subscriptions,” “retiring free trials.” They’re basically saying the growth-at-all-costs era is over.
And honestly? This might just be the beginning. When you look at what they’re cutting – international markets without “sufficient scale,” discount practices, free trials – it’s clear they’re focusing only on what makes money right now. The streaming gold rush is officially dead.
Where this is heading
So what does this mean for you, the subscriber? Basically, get ready to pay more for less. We’re entering the era of streaming austerity where every service is trying to become profitable after years of burning cash. The days of cheap streaming and endless free trials are disappearing faster than you can say “password sharing crackdown.”
The bigger question is whether consumers will stick around. When every service keeps hiking prices while cutting content budgets, at what point do people just cancel? We’re already seeing subscription churn become a real problem across the industry. Paramount+ might be improving their margins, but they could be sacrificing long-term subscriber loyalty in the process.
