Paramount+ is the new major player in the SVOD market in France. Can he find a place in the hearts so difficult to win over French spectators? To find out, let’s analyze the strengths and weaknesses of his proposal.
Paramount+ has been available in France since December 1, 2022. French consumers have even more choice of platforms in an already crowded streaming video on demand (SVOD) market, between Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ , OCS or even myCanal. We can even add Salto to the list, despite its current difficulties.
To stand out against so much competition and convince French users to subscribe, Paramount+ will have to show convincing arguments. Price, content catalog, services, interface, media supported: we detail everything you need to know about this new SVOD player in France.
What device can you watch Paramount+ from?
Paramount+ is available on major platforms and systems. On a computer, simply connect to the website to access the platform. On the other hand, there is no desktop application to improve the user experience, you have to be satisfied with the web interface.
On smartphones and tablets, we have access to a mobile app, which can be downloaded from the Play Store on Android and from the App Store on iOS. Note that it is possible to use the Chromecast function from a mobile device or a computer to broadcast Paramount + content on a television.
The TV ecosystem, let’s come to that. Paramount+ is accessible from an application on Android-TV (Smart TV or TV box) and Apple TV. The subscription is also included with certain Canal+ offers, in which case you can take advantage of it from your Canal box or from the myCanal application. Finally, Paramount+ is also marketed through Orange, Apple TV+ or Amazon Prime.
What is the price of Paramount+?
Paramount+ costs 7.99 euros per month or 79.99 euros per year (i.e. two months free) if you go directly through the platform, without bundle or option of another subscription. The package is non-binding and the service offers a 7-day free trial period.
The price is the same if you subscribe from your internet service provider or from a third-party service. If you subscribe to Orange or its subsidiary Sosh for your internet connection, you can benefit from a two-month free trial. New Orange customers opting for a subscription with Livebox can benefit from six months of Paramount+ subscription offered.
Paramount+ is also included in several subscription formulas made available by Canal+. To give yourself the means to establish yourself in the French landscape when you don’t have the same aura as a Netflix or a Disney, entering into a partnership with the French audiovisual group is almost obligatory, and the American service understood it. Canal+ is the exclusive distributor of Paramount+ in our country. This does not mean that it is the only source to access it, but that he is the only one authorized to include it in his subscription bundles.
Paramount+ is like this included in Canal+ Ciné Sérieswith two subscription options available:
- €40.99 per month without commitment
- €34.90 per month with a two-year commitment
In addition, the group is offering a brand new offer for the launch of the platform, a limited series including Canal+, Disney+ and Paramount+. It is displayed at the price of 25.99 euros per month for a year, then 35.99 euros monthly beyond the first 12 months. The subscriber must commit to a two-year period.
Regardless of your length of commitment, you can terminate your Paramount+ subscription at any time, you will be able to continue accessing the platform until the end of the period for which you have already paid. To proceed with the cancellation, you must go to the account settings. A section Unsubscribe appears, click on it and then follow the on-screen steps to complete your subscription. If you have subscribed from a third-party distributor, you must then cancel from the customer area of the latter.
On how many devices can I log in with my Paramount+ account?
In its terms of use, Paramount+ indicates that it is possible to view content from the same account simultaneously on two different devices. On the other hand, it is possible to install the application and connect to the account from a greater number of devices. The service allows the creation of up to six different user profiles.
Does Paramount+ support 4K?
The French version of Paramount+ does not support 4K at launch. The maximum resolution available is in Full HD 1080p. In the United States, Paramount+ offers 4K UHD, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision for Premium subscribers, a plan that costs twice as much as the standard subscription. If the SVOD service succeeds in establishing itself in France, content compatible with these technologies could eventually be offered. But for the moment, this is a major shortcoming since the majority of competitors include 4K in their offers, often at no additional cost, sometimes as an option (Netflix in particular).
Is it possible to download content offline?
Like many other video streaming platforms, Paramount+ allows its subscribers to download certain films or series episodes onto a device so that they can then watch them without an internet connection or without the need to consume data. But restrictions apply. Not all content can be downloaded for offline viewing, you must have an active subscription to launch offline content and only mobile devices can take advantage of this feature.
Films, series, documentaries: what is the Paramount+ catalog?
Paramount is a heavyweight in the film and television industry. The group owns well-known names like Showtime, Comedy Central, CBS, Nickelodeon or even MTV, which provides it with a host of content and cult works from the small and big screen. It should be noted that Paramount+ has not yet made all of its content available on the French market, but the catalog will expand over time. The platform is mainly based on old glories, but promises to be enriched with new original and exclusive productions.
As far as films are concerned, the Paramount Pictures service can count on Paramount Pictures feature films, among which we find the sagas The Godfather, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Mission: Impossible, Transformers… Great titles like Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, Titanic, Flashdance, Scream, The Addams Family, The Incorruptibles or Top Gun are also on the program. French cinema is also represented. The Three Brothers, The Spanish Inn, The Boys and Guillaume at the Table, The Goat, The Big Blue, Jean de Florette, The Children of Paradise and The War of the Buttons (1973) are for example in the catalog.
On the series side, the platform is not to be outdone. The television adaptation of the famous video game Halo are headliners. Its season 2 should also be broadcast by Paramount + in 2023. Another original creation, The Offer is a mini-series which looks back on the creation and production of the trilogy of films The Godfather. We can also cite American Gigolo, a series based on the eponymous film, Tulsa King, in which appears Sylvester Stallone, The First Lady, inspired by the life of Eleanor Roosevelt, 1883 and 1923, two prequels to the hit series Yellowstone, or even Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and The Good Fight, respectively spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery and The Good Wife.
In addition to these novelties, Paramount+ can rely on great television classics, such as Dexter, Homeland, Shameless, Twin Peaks and Californication from Showtime, CSI, NCIS and Magnum for CBS, South Park representing Comedy Central, Jackass from MTV or even SpongeBob, Pat’Patrouille, Rugrats, Dora the Explorer at Nickelodeon, the specialized channel for youth-oriented content.
As with feature films, Paramount+ plans to integrate french productions to complete its range of series. But this time, it’s original works developed expressly for the platform, and which will be released in the coming months. Le Signal is an adaptation of Maxime Chattam’s novel, which recounts the adventure of a famous radio host who settles with her family on an isolated Breton island, plagued by disturbing phenomena and incidents. Mask: Marie Antoinette Serial Killer is a fantasy horror thriller based on the novel by Katie Alender. We follow the adventures of four young Americans spending their spring break in Paris, who will find themselves involved in a series of mysterious murders. We will also be entitled to an adaptation of the Polar Impact, by author Olivier Norek, as well as Le Stade, a docuseries following the Stade Toulousain rugby team and their star Antoine Dupont in their quest for the fifth title of European champion.
The offer in documentaries is less extensive. With Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22, we are witnessing the return of the Oasis singer during two eventful concerts, with captures of his performance, interviews, behind-the-scenes images… Creations like Le Stade or The Offer can of course also be considered to belong to the documentary genre.
Like Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ broadcasts sport events in the USA. For the moment, French subscribers do not benefit from such treatment.
What does the Paramount+ interface look like?
If we had to compare the interface of Paramount+ to that of its competitors, we would say that it is closer to that of Disney+, with a touch of HBO Max. A great classic of SVOD platforms, the reception first displays a space dedicated to the promotion of new products or flagship content of the service. Then, we can sort the content by source: original productions and exclusives Paramount+, Showtime, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. Finally, the UI highlights the list of favorites, the content that is being viewed, then offers categories. Generally speaking, we are dealing with a simple and clean interface, in which it is rather simple and pleasant to navigate and search for films and series to watch. The application has nothing to do with that of Amazon Prime Video for example, which has become a real gas plant.
Can I use a VPN with Paramount+?
Unlike other SVOD platforms, you can’t access Paramount+’s catalog in the US with the help of a VPN, as the platforms are separate. It is therefore necessary to create an American account and pay with an American bank card to be able to access the content available across the Atlantic. A VPN, on the other hand, allows you to view the catalog of other European countries. Unless you’re cunning, you also can’t pay for your subscription cheaper in another currency using a VPN.
