Peacock TV: Cost, app, shows and more NBC streaming service details

Peacock TV is one of the less talked about streaming services, but it offers a lot. As the official streaming service for NBC Universal, it has top shows from NBC, new movies from Universal Studios, a few Peacock originals and so much more. It even offers hit shows from other networks and live sports. The Premium Plus tier will even give you a live stream of your local NBC channel.

Practically, that means Peacock offers its subscribers a lot of premium content. Hit NBC shows like "The Office," unsurprisingly, live on Peacock, as do other shows from other NBC networks like Bravo's "Below Deck." But thanks to shrewd licensing deals, Peacock is also the home of hit shows on other networks, most notably "Yellowstone."

The movies Peacock offers are no slouch either. Movies from Universal Studios like this year's hit "Twisters" call Peacock home once they're out of theaters, as do movies from other Comcast-owned studios like Focus Features. But it's also the current home of the Harry Potter movies, despite that film franchise belonging to Max.

If you're like me though, it's the live sports that draw you to Peacock — specifically Premier League live streams. While some matches air on NBC's broadcast and cable networks, if you want to watch every game, you're going to also need Peacock.

So let's dive into the details. Here's what you need to know about Peacock, including the cost, details about the app, what shows you can watch and more details about the NBC streaming service.

Peacock TV cost & pricing info, availability

Formerly, Peacock was only available to those in the U.S., but that changed in November 2021. Peacock arrived in the U.K. and Ireland, and will continue expanding to other regions.

Following the death of the free Peacock tier, there are only two Peacock tiers.

Peacock Premium is $7.99 per month and has more than 80,000 hours of TV, movies and sports. It also has select live events, current NBC and Bravo shows and its linear always-on 'channels'. Select Xfinity customers can get this tier for free, but Xfinity has really pulled back on which customers are eligible for free months of this tier.

The $13.99 per month Peacock Premium Plus takes away "most" commercials, but Peacock Premium Plus isn't completely ad-free. According to the fine print, it still serves advertisements in "a small amount of programming" which includes Peacock channels, events and a few shows and movies. If you have the Premium Plus tier, then your version of Peacock has live TV, providing a live stream of your local NBC affiliate.

Both Premium tiers will have access to 15,000 hours of programming, including next-day streaming of all current broadcast shows; the entire series of "The Office"; full seasons of originals like Mindy Kaling’s "Expecting" and Sam Esmail’s "Battlestar Galactica" reboot; early streaming of NBC’s late-night lineup. Live sports such as  Premier League football and the Olympics are also available on both tiers.

Peacock TV apps and devices

The Peacock TV app is available on most major streaming devices, having finally landed on Fire TV in June 2021. Peacock is also on Roku, gaming consoles and select smart TVs

You can also get Peacock TV from the Google Play Store for Android devices and the Peacock TV on the Apple App Store for iPhones, iPads and Apple TV. 

Here's the list of which devices are compatible with the Peacock app:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Android mobile devices
• Android TV
• Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
• Apple mobile devices
• Google Chromecast 
• Comcast Xfinity X1
• Comcast Xfinity Flex
• LG Smart TVs
• Sony PlayStation 4 and PS5
• Microsoft Xbox One, Series X and S
• Roku
• Vizio SmartCast TVs

Peacock TV free trial

Formerly, when you signed up for Peacock Premium, they used to offer a 7-day free trial for both plans. 

Now, sadly, there are no more Peacock free trials.

Peacock originals: TV shows and movies

Peacock has both original TV shows and movies, though the TV shows are the clear draw of the two. While not producing as many hits as say Netflix or Max, the streaming service has had success with shows like "Bel Air," "Ted," "Poker Face" and "The Traitors." 

On the movies side of the equation, there hasn't really been a hit to write home about. However, the long-hoped-for Community movie is still on track to be an upcoming Peacock Original despite lacking a release date.

Peacock TV classic shows and movies

Much like Disney Plus, Peacock's biggest weapons (for now) are in its vault. Peacock offers a ton of titles from the library of NBC and its sister networks. That includes beloved sitcoms like "Parks and Recreation" and "30 Rock," as well as "Saturday Night Live," and "Cheers." There's also a lot of older programming for going retro, including "The Johnny Carson Show," "The Carol Burnett Show" and "The Greatest American Hero."

You also get a ton of "Law & Order" shows in a strong mix of drama programming that includes "Friday Night Lights," "House" and "Battlestar Galactica" (the original, not the upcoming series). Also "Parenthood" and "Monk," as well as other older shows such as "Murder She Wrote," "Columbo" and 'The Rockford Files."

Reality TV is also a major draw for Peacock, bringing The Real Housewives franchise, "Bethenny Ever After," "Kourtney & Kim Take New York," "Very Cavallari" and "WAGS" (and many more) to the streaming service. 

Obsessed with True Crime? Peacock's got "Forensic Files," "Unsolved Mysteries, Aaron Hernandez Uncovered," "The Case of Caylee Anthony," "Dahmer on Dahmer: A Serial Killer Speaks," "The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway" and many more.

And then there are the movies. You've got blockbusters including the entire Harry Potter film franchise, action films like the "John Wick" movies, dramas including "Children of Men," romances like "Fifty Shades of Grey" and comedies such as "The Nutty Professor."

Plenty of kids content too: Peacock will pack in new and exclusive episodes of "Curious George," "Where’s Waldo?" and "Cleopatra in Space," as well as shows from the library including including "Woody Woodpecker," "Top Chef Jr.," "New Adventures of He-Man."

The big bad news: You might think of "Friends" as an NBC show, but it's on HBO Max.

What's up with that? Oh, and Peacock is also lacking "Seinfeld," which is currently on Netflix. Its absence is utterly perplexing. But for your troubles, you do get episodes of "Yellowstone," which is equally perplexing.

Peacock now offers next-day access to NBC shows.

Peacock TV talk shows

Unlike Netflix, Max and Hulu, Peacock streams nightly talk shows, with access to "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Late Night with Seth Myers."

Peacock TV sports programming

Peacock is trying to differentiate itself from the pack by pushing hard on sports. It's been the home of the Olympics for a while now, including this year's 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. It will also be the home for the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Aside from the Olympics, there are a lot of sports regularly on the streaming service. Premier League games, select NFL live streams, WWE, NASCAR and more are among the many hours of live sports available on Peacock.

Peacock TV reviews

In our Peacock review, we praised the streaming service for its deep library of shows, including hits from NBC and Bravo and some great originals. We also love the live sports on offer, especially the Premier League live streams.

That said, the user interface could use some work, as navigating the Channels page can be a chore. And the lack of a free tier is a major annoyance. Still, it's the second-best streaming service in our professional opinion, so it's definitely worth adding to your streaming lineup.