Discovery entered the streaming wars today with the launch of another platform, Discovery+. At this point, signing up for every streaming service will cost you almost as much as a cable subscription, so is adding yet another one of them worth it? Here are some facts to help you decide if Discovery+ is worth the money.
How much does it cost?
Discovery+ is offering a seven-day free trial, allowing you to test drive the service before paying for it. After the trial period, the ad-supported tier will run you $4.99 a month, which is the same price as Peacock’s ad-supported tier (if you don’t mind ads, this price is not too shabby). The higher “ad-free” level is $6.99 a month (the same as Disney+, at least until they raise prices in March.)
The service comes free for twelve months with a Verizon Unlimited subscription. You can sign up for Verizon Fios or upgrade or switch to Unlimited to receive the same offer. (This offer is only available to new Fios and 5G home internet customers.) If you already have Verizon Unlimited, just add Discovery+ to your account and you’ll be able to stream Discovery+ programming free for a year.
Bang for your buck
Discovery+ has partnered with primetime networks like HGTV, Food Network, A&E, TLC, Animal Planet, Lifetime, and the History Channel to give subscribers access to more than 55,000 episodes of some 2,500 shows. Along with the partnered content, Discovery+ is producing original programming from popular DIY and Food Network stars. Original, exclusive shows include Bobby and Giada in Italy and Home Town: Ben’s Workshop. This means the new streaming service could be a particularly tantalizing option for DIY fans and foodies.
For the reality show addict, Discovery+ delivers all the 90 Day Fiance your heart desires. The service will also introduce 90 Day Journey, which follows popular 90 Day Fiance couples after the show, and 90 Day Bares All, which uncovers content not previously shown on television.
Discovery+ will also be home to BBC’s Natural History Collection, bringing viewers Blue Planet, Blue Planet II, Serengeti, and more. Aside from BBC content, Discovery+ will offer Discovery network’s homegrown nature programming, including Shark Week. Expect some exclusive Shark Week content to be streaming on Discovery+ coming this August.
How to watch
Unlike HBO Max, which finally announced their app on Roku last month—six months after launch—Discovery has made it easy to discover their streaming content. The Discovery+ app is available on all major devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, iPhone, iPad, tablet, Xbox One, and Series S/X devices, Chromecast, Android TV, and Samsung Smart TVs (2017 and newer). Unfortunately, signing up with your cable provider is not an option; you will need to be a Verizon customer or sign up separately, and your cable subscription won’t grant you access.
I recommend taking advantage of the free trial (set an alarm for the sixth day to remind yourself to reassess and cancel if need be). If you find yourself hooked, you might as well pay the $4.99 and check it out for a whole month. Thankfully, the platform lets you cancel at any time (in case the hype wears off.)