Sports Streaming · Tool Face-Off

ESPN+ vs Paramount+

Quick answer

ESPN+ wins for die-hard sports fans who want live events and MMA; Paramount+ edges ahead for NFL on CBS plus a broader entertainment library alongside sports.

Our pick

ESPN+

The sports streamer built for fans who eat, sleep, and breathe athletics.

4★

Paramount+

Sports plus blockbusters — your TV does not have to choose a lane.

3.9★

Monthly Price (ad-supported)

$10.99/mo

$5.99/mo (Essential)

Monthly Price (ad-free)

$10.99/mo (ESPN+ has no ad-free tier standalone)

$11.99/mo (Paramount+ with Showtime)

NFL Coverage

No NFL games

CBS NFL games, Super Bowl rotation

UFC / MMA

UFC Fight Night + PPV discounts

No UFC

MLB Games

Select out-of-market games

No MLB

NHL Games

Broad NHL coverage

No NHL

College Sports

Massive ESPN college library (SEC, Big 12+)

Some CBS college football

Soccer

LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS

NWSL, some UEFA

Original / Entertainment Shows

30 for 30, sports docs only

Star Trek, Yellowface, Tulsa King, movies

Live Local CBS Stations

Yes (Essential & higher tiers)

Simultaneous Streams

Up to 3

Bundle Availability

Disney Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+)

Paramount+ with Showtime add-on

ESPN+

Pricing★★★★☆

Ease of Use★★★★☆

Live Events★★★★½

Sports Depth★★★★★

Device Support★★★★☆

Exclusive Content★★★★½

Non-Sports Content★★☆☆☆

Paramount+

Pricing★★★★☆

Ease of Use★★★★☆

Live Events★★★★☆

Sports Depth★★★½☆

Device Support★★★★☆

Exclusive Content★★★½☆

Non-Sports Content★★★★½

Worth knowing

ESPN+ hosts over 30,000 live sporting events per year across dozens of sports.
Paramount+ streams every NFL on CBS game, which ESPN+ simply cannot touch.
UFC PPVs can be purchased at a discount when you are already an ESPN+ subscriber.
Paramount+ Essential tier is nearly half the price of ESPN+ for casual viewers.
ESPN+ is owned by Disney, meaning bundle deals with Disney+ and Hulu are easy to grab.

ESPN+ carries so much content that even dedicated sports fans have admitted they forgot they subscribed because they can never find time to watch it all — a luxury problem, sure, but still a problem.

If you want

You want MMA, NHL, MLB, or deep college sports coverage

ESPN+ is the undisputed champ for volume and variety of live sports outside the NFL.

→ Pick ESPN+

If you want

You want NFL on CBS plus movies and TV shows on one bill

Paramount+ gives you Sunday NFL action AND a full entertainment library at a lower entry price.

→ Pick Paramount+

If you want

You want maximum value for a sports-first household

The Disney Bundle adds Disney+ and Hulu alongside ESPN+ for roughly $14-18/mo — hard to beat.

→ Pick ESPN+