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Showtime has long been popular for its wide range of critically acclaimed, original shows and movies. In recent years, that library has become more widely accessible, available not only to premium cable subscribers but as a stand-alone streaming service. Whether directly through Showtime Anytime, the Showtime app, or another streamer, viewers now have more options than ever to view Showtime's original programming.

It's especially easy for anyone to try Showtime streaming nowadays, given the streamer's generous 30-day free trial. With its current offer, you can essentially get four months of Showtime for only $12 -- that's just $3/mo. There are also some great bundling options that will let you access Showtime for a discounted price.

If you're thinking about giving Showtime a try, be sure you read on to make sure you take advantage of the best deals available.

Showtime Free Trial

Showtime's free trial is incredibly generous compared to many other offers. While many premium channels and streaming services offer around seven days of free viewing, if any at all, Showtime is currently offering 30 days. An entire month of viewing is yours for free. Not only that, but you'll get an additional three months at only $4/mo. -- $7 off the normal Showtime price.

With a full month to work your way through the Showtime catalog, it's possible to watch an entire series from start to finish. As long as you remember to cancel your membership before the 30 days are up, your credit card won't be charged -- no matter how much you've already binged. 

With so much to watch on Showtime, there's a lot you can dive into during your 30 days. We recommend starting with the Showtime-exclusive titles. After all, you have access to it, so now's the time to check it out. Look for Billions, Homeland, Dexter, Yellowjackets, and more.   

Keep in mind, though, that the Showtime free trial might be a different length if you subscribe through other streaming services -- in fact, most of them reduce it from a month to just a week. So, if you're subscribing to a bundled Showtime deal, keep in mind you may only have a few days to cancel your plan if it's not a good fit. Be sure to double-check the fine print before you bundle, as promotions are always changing.

Showtime Bundles

Although Showtime is available as a stand-alone streaming service for a cost of $11/mo., it's also featured in a variety of bundles with other streaming plans. Not all of these offer a discount on the standard price, however. Here are three of the most popular options with the best value:

• YouTube Entertainment Plus
• Spotify, Hulu, and Showtime for students
• Paramount+ and Showtime

YouTube Entertainment Plus Bundle -- Starz, Showtime, & HBO Max

YouTube TV recently added an entertainment bundle that you can add onto its service. With this bundle, you lose the free trial Showtime usually offers, but you have access to an array of favorites from entertainment giants HBO, Showtime, and Starz.

• $30/mo.

• Starz, Showtime, HBO Max

• Access to all three entertainment service's on-demand libraries and channels

• Individually, the three streaming services cost $35/mo., so this package saves you $5/mo. or $60/yr. if you're subscribing to all three. If you don't need all three, though, it's not worth the spend. Keep in mind this is also on top of the monthly cost of YouTube TV. A standalone Showtime subscription is also available through YouTube for $11/mo. and includes a free seven-day trial.

Learn more and sign up on YouTube TV.

Spotify, Hulu, and Showtime for Students

Spotify has a bundle deal for currently enrolled students to get a bundle with Hulu and Showtime. While you can't bundle this plan with a current Hulu subscription, it's worth it for students to create a new account to take advantage of this significant discount.

• $5/mo.

• Spotify Premium, Hulu with ads, Showtime

• Access begins with Spotify Premium, and then Hulu and Showtime are added on from there

• Individually, Spotify Premium is $10/mo., Hulu with ads is $6/mo., and Showtime is $11/mo., for a total of $27/mo. This provides an incredible savings of $22/mo when you bundle them through this deal. 

Learn more and sign up on Spotify.

Paramount+ and Showtime Bundle

Paramount+ also offers a Showtime bundle, which provides access to both services at one low monthly cost. A free seven-day trial is available, and you can change or cancel the plan at any time without any additional charges.

• $12/mo.

• Showtime, Paramount+

• Individually, Paramount+ Essential is $5/mo. and Showtime is $11/mo., for a total of $16/mo. Opting for an annual plan that bundles Paramount+ Essential and Showtime will save you $6/mo. at $120/yr.

• You can upgrade your plan to Paramount+ Premium with Showtime for an additional $3/mo. or $2.50/mo. when billed annually.

Learn more and sign up with Paramount+.

Other Showtime deals and discounts

$33/yr. off annual subscription

If none of the above bundles is appealing to you, a Showtime annual plan might be a good option. Subscribing to Showtime for a year up front can save some money in the long run.

• $99/yr.

• Subscribing on a month-by-month basis is $11/mo., but a year is $99/yr. up front.

• Overall you're saving $33/yr., which is worth it if you know you want to commit for an entire year. If you're unsure of whether you'll use Showtime much over the course of a year, it may be smarter to start with the monthly plan.

Sign up for Showtime.

Showtime Deals Compared

Showtime offers a few deals, but so do top competitors like Starz, Disney+, and Hulu. These often come in the form of a long-term commitment or longer free trial periods to test out the streaming service. 

Starz, for instance, currently offers a free seven-day trial. Meanwhile, Disney+ offers a discount for paying for a year up front. The price currently stands at $8/mo. or $80/yr. -- for a savings of $16/yr. By the numbers, Showtime's year deal is a better bet.   

One of the most popular streaming bundles is the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ bundle that saves you about 25 percent per year. With this, you get all three streaming services for $14/mo., including Hulu with ads. You can also opt for $20/mo. to upgrade to Hulu (No Ads), $70/mo. to add live TV and Hulu with ads, or $76/mo. for live TV and Hulu (No Ads). Each of these bundles offers a significant savings compared to subscribing to each service separately. 

Another attractive deal with Hulu is the student discount. As long as you're enrolled as a student, you can subscribe to Hulu (ad-supported) for just $2/mo., which is a savings of $6/mo. While Showtime doesn't offer a standalone student discount, it is part of the Spotify and Hulu student discount for only $5/mo.  

We also recommend checking with your local cable provider if you currently have cable at home. Sometimes local companies are able to bundle premium channels together for a better value.

Our Final Take

Showtime's free trial is the star of the show. Free access to the network's entire catalog for 30 days is an incredibly generous offer these days, when few services come close to being as charitable.

Although it's a bit of a letdown that some third-party Showtime bundles reduce your free trial time, it's still beneficial to have a free trial available across a wide spectrum of platforms. And while its on-demand library is lacking compared to industry giants such as Netflix and Hulu, there's no denying the appeal of the Showtime exclusives you won't find anywhere else. 

If you're unsure about adding Showtime to your subscription library, there's no harm in taking advantage of the free 30-day trial. If you like what you find, opt for the yearly plan over paying monthly installments, as this will save you a bit more cash in the long run.