Walmart just dropped its biggest membership deal of the year - half-price Walmart+ with free streaming thrown in. The retailer's slashing its $98 annual membership to $49 through December 2, and sweetening the pot with a full year of either Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential at no extra cost. For anyone already juggling multiple subscriptions, this bundle could reshape how you think about membership programs.
Walmart is making a serious play for your subscription dollars this Cyber Monday, and the math is pretty compelling. The retail giant's cut its Walmart+ membership in half - from $98 to $49 annually - while throwing in a full year of premium streaming that would normally cost $60-80 on its own.
The timing isn't coincidental. While Amazon has long dominated the membership space with Prime's shipping-plus-streaming formula, Walmart's doubling down on a different approach: give customers more choice in their entertainment while undercutting on price. Members can pick between Peacock Premium, valued at $80 annually, or Paramount+ Essential at $60 per year.
What makes this particularly interesting is the flexibility built in. Unlike most bundled deals that lock you into one service, Walmart+ members can switch between Peacock and Paramount+ every 90 days through what the company calls its "Benefits Hub." That means you could binge NBC's content for three months, then flip to CBS shows and movies for the next quarter.
For Peacock subscribers, the value proposition is substantial. The service has been aggressively expanding its sports coverage, with 100 NBA regular-season games available and exclusive Sunday Night Basketball launching in January. Add in WWE content, NBC Universal's film library (including recent hits like Oppenheimer), and originals like the Fresh Prince reboot Bel-Air, and you're looking at a pretty solid entertainment package.
Paramount+ brings its own heavyweight content, anchored by South Park's complete catalog and a growing roster of originals like Yellowjackets and the upcoming Dexter: Resurrection. The service has also secured key NFL games, including holiday matchups that typically draw massive audiences.
Walmart is clearly betting that consumers are getting tired of subscription sprawl and want more integrated solutions. The company's been quietly building out its membership program since 2020, adding perks like free grocery delivery, fuel discounts, and early access to deals. But the streaming partnership represents its most aggressive move yet into Amazon's territory.
