Paramount+ Hikes Prices to Fund Its UFC Gamble

Paramount+ is raising its subscription prices on January 15, 2026, a move designed to help pay for its massive new investment in live sports. The ad-supported "Essential" plan will rise to $8.99 per month, with the ad-free "Premium" tier costing $13.99, while annual plans will see an even steeper jump.

• A pricey main event: The price adjustment helps fund the company’s huge new bet on live sports. The centerpiece is a seven-year, $7.7 billion investment that makes Paramount+ the exclusive U.S. home for UFC events, eliminating the "double paywall" of the previous pay-per-view model. CEO David Ellison boasted that an annual plan will now cost less than a single UFC event did before, describing the UFC as a "unicorn sports property" that will become "much more accessible."

• Beyond the octagon: But the UFC deal isn't an isolated bet. To round out its content arsenal, Paramount also inked an exclusive pact with "Stranger Things" creators the Duffer Brothers and continues to lean on established originals like Tulsa King and the upcoming Landman.

• The profitability push: This is the clear strategy from the new Skydance Media ownership, which took control just months ago. The company is now pushing for its direct-to-consumer business to finally turn a profit in 2026, and is also "retiring" free trials to tighten its financials.

The era of growth-at-all-costs is over at Paramount. The new leadership is making a clear, high-stakes wager that premium live sports and big-name creators can justify a higher price tag for subscribers. The streaming price hike is just one piece of the new leadership's ambitious strategy, which also includes an active bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The company's influence is also being felt in its news division, with the recent appointment of The Free Press founder Bari Weiss to lead CBS News.