Peacock has removed the free trial from its own sign-up flow. The seven-day trial that used to anchor its direct acquisition funnel no longer exists on the NBCUniversal streamer’s site. Instead, new users can claim a week of ad-free Peacock Premium Plus through Amazon Prime Channels—provided they are Prime members.
The trial changed address
For subscriber acquisition, that placement is the story. Amazon now controls the entry point, membership verification and part of the cancellation path. After the trial, the plan converts to $19.99 a month unless cancelled. Peacock keeps the subscription economics, but not the first impression for these sign-ups.
The move matches Paramount+, Hulu and Max, which have all retired direct trial offers. The trial hasn’t disappeared from the market; it has migrated to retail and device partners that can bundle it with a paid membership.
Peacock’s new price steps
The promotion arrives after Peacock raised prices for the fourth consecutive year. The current tiers are:
- Premium Plus (ad-free): $19.99/month, up from $16.99/month.
- Premium (with ads): $12.99/month, up from $10.99/month.
- Select: $8.99/month, up from $7.99/month, with no movies, live sports or Peacock originals.
Peacock’s annual plan is $129 for 12 months—roughly $10.75 a month, or a 17% saving against paying monthly. The offer is open to new and eligible returning subscribers and needs no promo code.
Retail memberships handle acquisition
Peacock is also embedded in retail subscriptions. Walmart+ at $98 a year lets members choose Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential at no added cost. Instacart+, at $9.99 a month or $99 a year, includes an annual Peacock membership in its upgraded tier. These bundles shift customer acquisition cost into another product’s subscription fee.
The live sports calendar helps explain the pricing confidence. Peacock carried the Olympics and Super Bowl this year, and its sports slate still includes the NFL, Premier League, Big Ten Football and WWE. Peacock has previously priced an annual plan as low as $79.99, and further discounting appears unlikely while the live schedule remains strong.
What planners should track
The takeaway isn’t just where to find the cheapest Peacock deal. It’s that direct-site conversion is no longer the only acquisition channel that matters. Teams should:
- Track trial starts and paid conversion separately for owned, Prime Channels, Walmart+ and Instacart+ paths.
- Compare the ARPU of a $129 annual buyer with that of a $19.99 monthly buyer before chasing one plan.
- Treat retail memberships as a distribution lever, not just a promotional placement.
For streamers, the trade-off is control. Partners can influence renewal reminders, bundle renewals and churn data. For media planners, that’s a reason to ask for channel-level performance before committing budget.
Source: Variety
