# Paramount+ vs YouTube TV

The clearest difference is rating: Paramount+ at 4.6 against YouTube TV's 3.6. Paramount+ also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 12%) and ratings volume (926K vs 60K). YouTube TV's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paramount+ sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. YouTube TV asks for nothing beyond the download.

Paramount+ holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paramount+ has 926K ratings behind it against 60K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Paramount+'s written reviews are positive against 12% of YouTube TV's.

Paramount+ ships an update fortnightly, YouTube TV weekly. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paramount+ | YouTube TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (926K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paramount-plus/id530168168/reviews)** | [3.6 (60K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube-tv/id1193350206/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **926K** | 60K |
| Positive reviews | **33.2% of reviews** | 12.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | #11 |
| Size | 199 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CBS Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/295669712) | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### Paramount+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paramount-plus/id530168168)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Entertainment, #6 Top Grossing, #21 Top Free · Entertainment, #82 Top Free (US App Store)

Stream exclusive originals, blockbuster movies, and live sports. Enjoy content from CBS, Nickelodeon, and more. Premium plans offer ad-free viewing and live local CBS station access.

**Highlights:** Exclusive originals, Blockbuster movies, Live sports (NFL, UFC, Champions League), Content from CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, On-demand full episodes, Multiple user profiles, Kids Mode

**Features:** SharePlay

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Paramount+ Essential | $5.99 | per month |
| Paramount+ Essential: Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Paramount+ Essential | $8.99 | per month |
| Paramount+ Limited Commercials | $9.99 | per month |
| Paramount+ Premium/Showtime | $12.99 | per month |
| Paramount+ Premium | $13.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast app performance
- 💡 Great content selection
- 👍 Smooth streaming experience
- 🤩 Awesome shows like Star Trek

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🔍 Difficult navigation and UI
- 💸 Too many ads even in paid plans
- 🤯 Unreliable downloads and offline viewing

**Reported bugs**

- Audio/video sync issues
- Disappearing downloaded content
- Inconsistent playback controls
- Streaming errors and black screens

**Requested features**

- Add a watchlist or favorites feature
- Improve episode resume functionality
- Allow skipping of ads
- Provide more customization options


### YouTube TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube-tv/id1193350206)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Free · Entertainment, #58 Top Free (US App Store)

Stream live TV from over 100 networks without a cable box. Record your favorite shows with unlimited cloud DVR storage and share accounts with family. Cancel your monthly membership anytime.

**Highlights:** Cable-free live TV streaming, 100+ networks including local channels, Unlimited cloud DVR storage, Recordings stored for 9 months, 6 accounts per household, Watch on multiple devices

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great alternative to cable
- 👍 Lots of channel options
- 👍 Sports features like key plays
- 👍 Ability to record shows
- 👍 Ability to access on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 🐛 Playback issues like freezing and audio problems
- 🐛 Difficulty finding and managing recorded shows
- 🐛 Inconsistent volume levels
- 🐛 Buggy app behavior on various devices

**Reported bugs**

- Recorded shows not marking as watched
- Playback issues like freezing and audio problems
- App crashing when trying to resume watching
- Difficulty finding recently recorded shows
- Location-based content restrictions causing issues for travelers

**Requested features**

- Add delete and mark as watched buttons for library
- Improve navigation and organization of recorded shows
- Add option to select preferred video quality
- Improve channel browsing and customization
- Add profile support for multiple users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paramount+ free?

Paramount+ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is YouTube TV free?

YouTube TV is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Paramount+ or YouTube TV?

Paramount+ is rated higher. Paramount+ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 926K ratings, while YouTube TV averages 3.6 from 60K ratings.

### Do Paramount+ or YouTube TV have ads?

Both Paramount+ and YouTube TV show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paramount+ or YouTube TV?

Paramount+ ships an update fortnightly, and YouTube TV weekly. Most recently, Paramount+ was updated on October 18, 2026 and YouTube TV on October 18, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Paramount+ or YouTube TV?

Paramount+ currently peaks at #3 in the App Store charts, and YouTube TV at #11. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*