Is Discovery Plus Worth It? Take a Look at All These Discovery Plus Shows

Remember when Discovery Channel was just that — a channel? Now Discovery is a juggernaut of reality shows and channels. And until recently, you had to pay for cable to watch hit shows like 90 Day Fiance, Fixer Upper, Deadliest Catch, The Pioneer Woman, and American Pickers. Enter Discovery Plus … with all the shows from Discovery, TLC, Travel Channel, Food Network, HGTV, and more available via streaming subscription.

Is Discovery Plus worth it? If you’re a fan of reality-based content, you’re gonna want to pause House Hunters and learn all about this often-forgotten streamer on the scene.

(We’ll also talk about how the new merger with HBO Max, called Max, affects the service.)

 

What is Discovery Plus?

Discovery Plus launched in the U.S. in 2021, marking the first “factual programming” streaming service. (Apparently that’s what they call channels that mostly traffic in reality TV shows.)

It includes programming from these channels:

• A&E
• Animal Planet
• CNN (original content)
• Discovery Channel
• Food Network
• HGTV
• History Channel
• Investigation Discovery
• Lifetime
• Magnolia Network (formerly DIY Network)
• Oprah Winfrey Network
• TLC
• Travel Channel

Plus, Discovery Plus has thousands of hours of original documentaries, films, and TV series housed only on the streaming platform, including lots of 90 Day Fiance spin-offs, plus:

• Aliens in Alaska
• Bobby and Giada in Italy
• Chopped: Next Gen
• Contraption Masters
• The Diana Investigations
• Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed
• House of Hammer
• Love Off the Grid
• Oprah’s Super Soul
• The Rise and Fall of LulaRoe
• Toddlers & Tiaras: Where Are They now?
• Trixie Motel

 

How much does Discovery Plus cost?

There are currently two plans for Discovery Plus. The standard plan costs $4.99/month and will have three 30-second ads for every 60 minutes of content watched — wayyyy less than what you’d see watching regular TV.

But if you want ads banished from your viewing experience, Discovery Plus’s ad-free version costs $6.99/month.

TIP: There are Discovery Plus gift cards, but there are no discounts associated with them, and you’ll have to commit to a 6-month or year period. Discovery Plus gift cards might not have any deals, but always check to see if you can get a discounted gift card so you’ll never pay full price.

 

Does Discovery Plus have a free trial?

Yes — you can get to know Discovery Plus for a week before committing to the service. You’ll have to enter in payment information (credit or debit card), but after that, you’ll have access to all the Discovery Plus shows.

The free trial is available for both plans, and they’ll start charging you the monthly rate for the plan you choose as soon as the free trial ends. So if you don’t want to be charged, make sure to cancel before the seventh day.

TIP: Looking for more free streaming services? We know every free streaming service that’ll have you watching content without paying anything.

 

What are the best Discovery Plus shows?

Discovery Plus is host to the big names in reality TV, featuring shows from HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, Magnolia Network, and Animal Planet.

Some of the most popular Discovery Plus shows include:

• 90 Day Fiance
• Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
• Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dive
• Ghost Adventures
• Guy’s Grocery Games
• House Hunters
• Love Off the Grid
• MythBusters
• Planet Earth
• Say Yes to the Dress
• Selling the Hamptons
• Trixie Motel

 

Does Discovery Plus offer live TV options?

You won’t be able to watch live TV on Discovery Plus, but for shows that air regularly on Discovery networks, you can expect to see just-released episodes on the platform within 24 hours of the broadcast.

So if you don’t have cable, this will be the perfect platform to keep up with shows like 90 Day Fiance and The Pioneer Woman. Here are a few more Discovery Plus shows that’ll be updated the same day they air on Discovery Plus:

• Alaskan Bush People
• American Pickers
• Beat Bobby Flay
• Deadliest Catch
• Flip or Flop
• Moonshiners
• Outgrown

 

 

What about the merger with HBO Max?

On May 23, 2023, HBO Max absorbed all of the Discovery Plus programming, and rebranded as a new service, called Max.

If you were paying for the $15.99/month HBO Max and a $6.99/month Discovery Plus plan, this’ll be great news, because you can get both libraries of content now for just the fee of Max (which didn’t go up at all). We’ve got lots of tips to determine if HBO Max is worth it.

If you decide want to just stick with Discovery Plus, Warner Bros. Discovery has said that the Discovery Plus service will remain available as a standalone service.

 

How many people can stream Discovery Plus at the same time?

You can have up to five profiles on your Discovery Plus account and four streams simultaneously playing no matter which version you subscribe to.

That means, if you split your account between five people, you’d only pay $1/month for the standard version and $1.40/month for the ad-free version.

Note: If you’re thinking about switching to Max, all of them except the Ultimate ad-free plan ($19.99/month) have a limit of two simultaneous streams, so keep that in mind.

 

Can I get a free Discovery Plus subscription from Verizon?

Yes, if you have an Unlimited Plan from Verizon. Make sure to claim six months of free Discovery Plus with your subscription. Just head over to the Verizon website, enter your information, and enroll in the service through Verizon.

After the 6-month period, you’ll automatically get charged $6.99/month — the same price as the ad-free version of Discovery Plus. To cancel your Discovery Plus subscription with Verizon, you’re going to have to contact Verizon since you’ll be billed through your Verizon bill.

 

Is there a Discovery Plus student or military discount?

If you’re a student or a member of the armed forces (acting, retired, or related), you’ll be eligible for the Discovery Plus military or student discount.

You’ll only pay $2.99/month for the standard version of Discovery Plus — a 40.1% discount. Plus, you’ll still get your 7-day free trial just in case you aren’t sure if you want to commit to the service.

Before you get the discount, you’ll have to link your Discovery Plus account to your SheerID account.

TIP: There are so many student discounts and military discounts available if you have your ID. And even though Discovery Plus doesn’t have discounts, you can find plenty of teacher discounts and senior discounts with your ID as well.

 

What devices can I stream Discovery Plus on?

Discovery Plus is widely available to stream on most computers, smartphones, TVs, and streaming devices, including:

• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Desktop computers
• Android TV
• Apple TV
• Amazon Fire TV
• Samsung Smart TVs
• Roku
• Comcast Xfinity
• Xbox One, Series X, Series S
• VIZIO Smart TVs
• LG TVs

 

Can I bundle Discovery Plus with other streaming subscriptions?

Yes, in addition to the two-for-one special you get with a Max subscription, you can bundle Discovery Plus with plenty of other streaming services. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get any discounts when you bundle your services, but you can still get the 7-day free trial.

Here’s how you can sign up for Discovery Plus with your other subscriptions:

• Amazon: Activate your Discovery Plus subscription by going to their website
• Roku: Head to the Discovery Plus channel on your Roku device or add the channel through the Roku website
• Apple or Android: Download the Discovery Plus app (iOS / Android) and follow the sign-up instructions on the app.

 

 

How do I cancel my Discovery Plus subscription?

There are a few ways you can cancel your Discovery Plus subscription depending on which device you’re planning to use. Here’s how you can cancel your Discovery Plus subscription on every device:

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via web browser:

• Click the circle icon in the upper right corner of the page, and open the drop down menu
• Click on “Account”
• Head to “Manage Account” and choose “Cancel”

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via Amazon Fire devices:

• Log into your Amazon account
• Choose “Digital Content & Devices” when you hover over the “Accounts & Lists” next to the search bar
• Select “Your Apps”
• Look at the left sidebar and select “Your Subscriptions”
• Choose “Discovery+” and select “Cancel”

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via Roku:

• Hit the star button on your remote
• Select “Discovery+”
• Select “Manage Subscriptions”
• Click on “Cancel Subscription” and confirm

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via Apple TV:

• Open “Settings” on your Apple TV
• Select “Users & Accounts” and head to the “Subscriptions” page
• Choose “Discovery+” and click on “Cancel” to confirm

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via Apple devices:

• Go to “Settings” on your device and navigate to “Apple ID” and choose “Subscriptions”
• Select “Discovery+” and hit “Cancel”

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via Android devices:

• Open the “Google Play” app and hit your profile icon on the top right screen
• Locate “Payment & Subscriptions” and head to the “Subscriptions” page
• Select “Discovery+” and “Cancel” your subscription

Cancel your Discovery Plus subscription via Apple App Store:

• Go to the “Subscriptions” page on Apple’s App Store
• Scroll down until you find “Manage”
• Choose “Discovery+” and select “Edit”
• Hit “Cancel Subscription”

 

Can you watch Discovery Plus offline?

Unlike Netflix, Disney Plus, and most other streaming services, there’s no option to download Discovery Plus content for offline viewing — yet. That’s right; an internet connection is required. Discovery is working on that functionality for Android and Apple devices, but they haven’t said when it’ll be launched.