Is Peacock Really Free? What’s the Difference Between Peacock TV and Peacock Premium?

Peacock TV is finally soaring into the streaming wars. NBCUniversal’s long-awaited streaming service has already been available in beta form to Comcast consumers, but tomorrow it launches in earnest, free tier and all. That’s right: unlike many other new streaming services, Peacock will come with a free ad-supported version. But is Peacock really free? As it turns out, yes and no. There’s a difference between Peacock TV Free and Peacock Premium, and that difference is a subscription fee to unlock Peacock’s full suite of content.

Named after NBC’s famous feathered mascot, Peacock is NBCUniversal’s brand new streaming service. Peacock is designed to be a one-stop shop for fans of NBC comedies and dramas, live sports (like Premiere League Soccer), Universal Studios films, and a host of new original content. Peacock is also set to be the exclusive stream home of The Office once Netflix’s licensing deal for the show expires in 2021. So it’s kind of a big deal…especially since almost all the ads for Peacock seem to be stressing how “free” it is.

However the truth is a little bit more complicated than that. While Peacock TV Free will offset the cost of content with five minutes of ads per hour, users will have to opt into one of two price tiers for access to Peacock Premium. So what’s the difference between Peacock TV Free and Peacock Premium? Is Peacock Premium worth the cost? And what exactly do you get with Peacock Premium that you don’t with Peacock TV Free?

Here’s everything you need to know about Peacock Premium vs. Free…

WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEACOCK PREMIUM AND PEACOCK TV FREE?

Peacock TV Free is the basic, ad-supported version of the NBCUniversal streaming platform. It is, as you imagine, free.

However it also comes with half the amount of content as Peacock Premium, meaning that if you want full access to Peacock’s library of content, which includes classic NBC shows, Universal movies, originals like Brave New World and Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, and access to live sports including Premiere League Soccer, you’ve got to pay up.

Here’s a full cost breakdown of Peacock’s three membership tiers:

• Peacock TV Free: The free, ad-supported plan allows users to access 13,000 hours of content.
• Peacock Premium with Ads: $4.99/month or $50/year. This paid plan gives users full access to Peacock content (about 20,000 hours of TV and movies and access to live sports), but will include commercial breaks.
• Peacock Premium without Ads: $9.99/month or $100/year. This paid plan gives users full access to Peacock TV content with no commercials whatsoever.

Note that if you are an Xfinity customer, you qualify for Peacock Premium for free.

WHAT SHOWS AND MOVIES DO YOU GET WITH PEACOCK TV FREE?

The good news is you get a lot with Peacock TV Free. The free tier will offer new episodes of NBC hits one week after they air, samples of Peacock originals, access to live news from NBC News Now and Sky News, exclusive genre channels such as TODAY All Day, and selected sporting events for free.

Here are some of the programming highlights that will be available on Peacock TV Free upon launch:

TV

30 Rock
Parks and Recreation
Saturday Night Live
Saved by the Bell
Punky Brewster
The Johnny Carson Show
The Carol Burnett Show
Real Husbands of Hollywood
Everybody Hates Chris
Friday Night Lights
Downton Abbey
Parenthood
Monk
Heroes
Psych
The Game
Suits
Sacred Lies
Royal Pains
Battlestar Galactica
Columbo
Hunter
The Rockford Files
Dateline
21 Jump Street
Highlander
Leave It To Beaver
Munsters
Murder She Wrote
Below Deck
Southern Charm
Chrisley Knows Best
Botched
Flipping Out
Million Dollar Listing New York
Pawn Stars
Storage Wars
Real Housewives of Dallas
Jay Leno’s Garage
Shahs of Sunset
Undercover Boss
Top Chef Masters
Hell’s Kitchen
Hollywood Game Night
American Ninja Warrior Jr.
Kong, The Animated Series
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures
Fievel’s American Tails
Woody Woodpecker
Betty en NY
I Love Jenni
Reina De Corazones
The Riveras
Preso No. 1
Caso Cerrado
El Baron
El Chema
Larrymania
Perro Amor
Mi Familia Perfecta
Quien es Quien
Victoria
Donde Esta Elisa

Film

The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park III
Tully
Phantom Thread
The Interpreter
American Psycho
The Matrix
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
The Blair Witch Project
The Mummy
Joe
Fletch
Fletch Lives
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury
Fear
Psycho
Do the Right Thing
Howard the Duck
Billy Elliot
The Birds
Willie
Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas
The Last House On The Left
I Am Ali
In The Name of the Father
Lone Ranger
The Hitcher
Law Abiding Citizen
The Sting
What Dreams May Come
Fried Green Tomatoes
One True Thing
Gosford Park
Dracula
Dragnet

Sports

Peacock will also offer four Premiere League games for free on July 15, coverage of the U.S. Open, and select events from the upcoming summer and winter Olympics.

WHAT SHOWS AND CHANNELS DO YOU GET WITH PEACOCK PREMIUM?

Whether you opt in to the ad-supported or ad-free Peacock Premium services, you’ll definitely get more bang for your buck. NBC hits will be available to stream on demand the next day after they air and you’ll have access to Peacock’s full library, including full seasons of original programming.

Here are some of the programming highlights that will be available on Peacock Premium upon launch:

Peacock Originals

Brave New World
The Capture
Intelligence
Psych 2: Lassie Come Home
DreamWorks Where’s Waldo?
DreamWorks Cleopatra In Space
Curious George

TV

Two and a Half Men
Everybody Loves Raymond
George Lopez
Jeff Foxworthy Show
King of Queens
Superstore
Frasier
Cheers
House
The Affair
Yellowstone
Law & Order
Law & Order: SVU
Ray Donovan
Swedish Dicks
American Ninja Warrior
DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk
Care Bears
Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot

Film

Shrek
Lone Survivor
Ted
Identity Thief
Children of Men
Charlie Wilson’s War
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Frankenstein
Kicking and Screaming
Larry Crowne
You, Me & Dupre

Sports

Peacock Premium will offer live and on demand access to 175 exclusive Premier League matches for the 2020-2021 season and coverage of cycling events such the Tour De France and La Vuelta. There will also be more than 100 hours of WWE content arriving in August.

Visit the Peacock website to sign up and learn more.