How to Create a Peacock Account and Start Watching
Getting started with Peacock is easy. Try it out for free, and then decide if a Premium or Premium Plus account is worth it for you. Follow these steps to sign up:
How to Upgrade to Peacock Premium or Premium Plus
When you upgrade your Peacock account, you automatically start a free seven-day trial. You’re charged if you don’t cancel before the end of the trial.
What Content Does NBCUniversal’s Peacock Offer?
TV shows, movies, channels, and original content abound on Peacock.
TV Shows
NBC shows anchor Peacock’s lineup, including comedy favorites like Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and Saturday Night Live, which are available to stream anytime. If you’re in the mood for some substance, stream episodes of NBC dramas, including Dateline, This Is Us, and Friday Night Lights, anytime you like. Stream daily news broadcasts from NBC and MSBC, as well.
Movies
An impressive slew of Universal movie favorites is also on hand, including everything from The Bourne Identity and the Jurassic Park franchise to The Bride of Frankenstein and Shrek. Movie categories include Rotten Tomatoes-Approved, Comic Relief, Serious Cinema, Action-Adventure, Indies, Thrillers and Suspense, and more.
Original Content
Peacock’s big bet is on original content. Like Netflix, Peacock invests in big-budget original talent and projects, including reboots of Battlestar Galactica, Punky Brewster, and Saved by the Bell. New original scripted and unscripted series are available, and more are in the works. Highly anticipated shows include Tina Fey’s Girls5Eva and Mindy Kaling’s Expecting.
Children’s Programming, Sports, and Channels
Children’s programming is also a huge part of Peacock, with animated adventures like Curious George, original programming like Life Hacks for Kids, movies, and more. Peacock’s sports offerings are also impressive, with documentaries, highlights, specials, and live sports events, including Premier League matches. Peacock Channels are curated content feeds from every genre imaginable. Some highlights include SNL Vault, which hosts the series’ funniest clips, and Reality Check-In, which revisits dramatic moments from famous reality shows.
NBCUniversal Peacock Plans
Not all of this content is available with a Peacock free membership. There’s a lot of content to watch for free on Peacock, but there are some limitations. For example, you can’t watch Peacock originals or see NBC shows the day after they air. When you upgrade to Peacock Premium for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, you can access all Peacock’s content, including full seasons of original series, original movies, and live sports. Upgrading to Peacock Premium Plus costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year, and you’ll see few ads. There’s no way to guarantee an ad-free experience with Peacock because its streaming agreements vary. Some programming has ads, though this is limited with Premium Plus. You get a free seven-day trial when you upgrade to Premium or Premium Plus, so you have time to cancel if you change your mind.
Account User Numbers and Internet Speeds
Peacock allows three concurrent streams per account, no matter what tier you’re on. So three members of your household can watch three separate programs simultaneously. Watch out for buffering if your internet speeds lag. The service recommends a minimum of 2.5 Mbps for buffer-free streaming. However, you may need a stronger connection if there are heavy demands on your household’s internet service.
Where to Watch NBCUniversal’s Peacock Service
Peacock is available through Cox and Xfinity cable set-top boxes. If you subscribe to Xfinity and have an X1 set-top box or a Flex device, you can access Peacock’s Premium tier (normally $4.99) for free. Cox Contour and Contour Stream Player customers get Peacock Premium for free until 2021. You can also watch Peacock on multiple Roku devices.
