Should you sign up for Peacock?
Peacock is the streaming service from NBCUniversal, named after the iconic NBC logo. But it's more than just NBC for cord-cutters. Boasting offerings both from the long-running and storied broadcast channel and its corporate sibling, Universal Pictures, Peacocktv.com/tv library includes popular TV shows like The Office and hit theatrical releases like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Five Nights at Freddy's. But that's not all.
Also included in Peacock's platform: NBC Sports, the Hallmark Channel, Bravo, and WWE. Sports coverage encompasses American football, rugby, NASCAR, and college ball (and much, much more). Hallmark presents a slew of feel-good TV movies for every season. Bravo has a myriad of reality TV, like The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Vanderpump Rules, and Below Deck, while World Wrestling Entertainment has "All Things WWE" from Raw to Smackdown, NXT to Superstars.
Peacock has two price tiers: Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus.
The base subscription, Peacock Premium costs $5.99 a month (+tax). Or you can subscribe annually for $59.99 per year (+tax), a 17% discount. On top of a catalog from NBC, Universal Pictures, NBC Sports, Hallmark, Bravo, and WWE, this subscription also includes access to over 50 "always-on" TV channels, which can be browsed through an easy-to-find pulldown menu on the Peacock.com/tv website.
But hey, what if you're not into sports, but relish all things Real Housewives? Peacock Premium allows for up to six user profiles with customizable avatars. So you can tailor your experience to which shows and movies speak to you. And if you've got kiddos sharing your account, you can use parental controls to adjust their access accordingly.
Can I password share on Peacock?
Netflix may have cracked down on password sharing, but Peacock allows for it. With Peacock Premium, you can stream on up to three devices at a time. This means you can be kicking back to some reruns of New Girl while your roommate is indulging in their true-crime obsession and your bestie across the country is catching up on Yellowstone. If you've got a valid login and password, you can log in from your computer or the app anywhere in the U.S.
But what if your password gets shared too much? (Exes aren't owed access to infinity!) The account holder gets an email to note that a new device has logged on, giving a general idea to the location. The account holder can also change passwords, delete profiles, and add a pin lock to any account, which gives an added layer of protection against unwanted users.
Can I opt out of ads on Peacock?
Yes. Opting out of commercials may be the biggest benefit of upgrading to Peacocktv.com/tv Premium Plus, which is an additional $6.00 a month (+tax) or an additional $60.00 per year (+tax). So, that's $11.99 a month (or $119.99 a year if you subscribe annually).
Slight disclaimer: Even Peacock Premium Plus isn't entirely ad-free. Per the site's breakdown, *"Due to streaming rights, a small amount of programming will still contain ads (Peacock channels, events, and a few shows and movies)." For what it's worth, I use this level and the only ads I recall are promos ahead of my chosen title playing.
This tier also offers access to your local NBC Channel live and the ability to download some titles from the mobile app.
Can I download movies and shows from Peacock?
If you upgrade to Peacock Premium Plus, you can download select titles to watch offline anytime.
The good news is there are excellent options to download to your phone or tablet, including buzzed-about movies like Asteroid City.
The bad news is the Peacock.com/tv app doesn't offer a button or clear option to sort titles by what is downloadable. Instead, you have to select a title, go to its page, and see if there's a download button there.
My recommendation would be to build your queue on +My Stuff first, then click through the titles to see which of your selects are downloadable. From there, it's just the click of a button. Once it begins downloading, that title will pop up in your downloads section, easy to find when you're ready to watch.
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