Discovery+ launches Jan. 4 in the U.S. for $4.99/month

Discovery has finally taken the wraps off its direct-to-consumer streaming service, Discovery+, which launches in the U.S. on Jan. 4, 2021 priced at $4.99 per month.

The service will also have an ad-free version available for $6.99 per month. Each account will include up to five user profiles and four concurrent streams. Discovery said the service will be available across major platforms including connected TVs, web, mobile and tablets.

Discovery+ is launching in partnership with Verizon, which will give many of its subscribers a free year of the service. At launch, new and existing wireless customers with a Play More or Get More Unlimited plan will get 12 months of Discovery+ on Verizon; customers with Start or Do More Unlimited plans will receive six months of streaming on Verizon. New customers who sign up for Verizon 5G Home Internet or Fios Gigabit Connection can receive 12 months of Discovery+ on Verizon; new Fios customers may also be eligible for three to six months depending on their plan.

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In the U.S., Discovery+ will offer more than 55,000 episodes with more than 2,500 current and older shows from Discovery’s networks including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, OWN, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Viewers in the U.S. will also get new series from franchises and personalities including Chip and Joanna Gaines; Will Packer and Kevin Hart; 90 Day Fiancé; Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis; Duff Goldman; Amy Schumer; Carla Hall; David Schwimmer; Sir David Attenborough; Ben Napier; Sebastian Maniscalco; Joe Kenda; and Mike Rowe. Discovery+ will also feature non-fiction content from A&E, The History Channel and Lifetime.

Discovery+ already launched with Sky in the U.K. and Ireland last month, and Sky is currently offering Discovery+ to its Sky Q customers for 12 months at no extra cost. Discovery+ will be offered by TIM in Italy in early 2021.

The service is also planning 2021 launches in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Brazil and in parts of Asia.

“We have been working methodically the past two years to bring all of our strategic advantages to the launch of Discovery+, including distribution and advertising partnerships around the world, a world-class offering of quality brands, authentic personalities and the largest content library at launch, as well as a broad slate of exclusive programming,” said Discovery CEO David Zaslav in a statement. “With Discovery+, we are seizing the global opportunity to be the world’s definitive product for unscripted storytelling, providing households and mobile consumers a distinct, clear and differentiated offering across valuable and enduring lifestyle, and real life verticals. We believe Discovery+ is the perfect complement to every streaming portfolio, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Verizon to bring this incredible content to their customer base.”