NFL Plus Review
NFL+ is the new NFL Game Pass, now offering live local and primetime games, and we tested it right out of the gate to determine if it’s worth signing up for this season.
NFL+
Price: $6.99–$14.99/mo.
Free trial: N/A
Features: Live in-market NFL games and full-game replays
NFL+ is your one-stop shop for watching full NFL game replays—replacing NFL Game Pass in the U.S.
You might ask, why the name change? Well, the service now includes live local and primetime NFL matchups—a feature previously available for free in the NFL mobile app. You also get access to the NFL Network and NFL RedZone channels, depending on your chosen base plan.
But don’t expect to ditch your TV service for NFL+. Most of its live regular-season and postseason games are only available on phones and tablets.
Pros
- Every NFL game after it airs
- Commercial-free on-demand content
- Live out-of-market preseason games
Cons
- Device restrictions for live games
- No live out-of-market regular season games
- Clunky interface
Is NFL Plus worth it?
NFL+ is not worth it for every football fan because its live regular-season and postseason games are accessible only on phones and tablets. Though, you can stream out-of-market preseason games on any supported device.
Live in-season games on NFL+ are also restricted to local and primetime broadcasts. This limitation makes sense because the league already has NFL Sunday Ticket dedicated to out-of-market coverage during the regular season.
Pro tip: Wondering which NFL games will air in your area? During the regular season, 506 Sports publishes an NFL broadcast map to illustrate the specific regions CBS and FOX games will air on Sunday afternoons.
The main reason to sign up for NFL+ is the same reason you previously would’ve signed up for NFL Game Pass. At $14.99 a month, NFL+ Premium gives you every NFL game on demand after the initial broadcast ends. The best part is that no device or location restrictions exist for on-demand games, and you even get matchups dating back to the 2009 season.
NFL+ Premium also includes NFL RedZone and All-22 Coaches Film, benefits that weren’t a part of Game Pass. NFL RedZone allows you to watch whip-around coverage of Sunday afternoon games to see the best parts of every game, regardless of blackout restrictions. Meanwhile, Coaches Film gives you a bird’s-eye view of games—showing every player on offense and defense at all times.
Ultimately, whether you sign up for NFL+ depends on your viewing habits. If you don’t mind watching local games on your phone or tablet, then NFL+ will get you through the season. But many other NFL viewing options provide a more suitable game day experience. After all, you can’t throw an NFL watch party with all your friends and family huddled around your phone.
NFL Plus deals and promotions
NFL+ currently offers a discount on its yearly plans, but the subscription is only good through September 3, 2024.
NFL Plus plans and prices
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
The basic NFL+ plan is available for $6.99 a month and comes with the service’s live games, on-demand NFL Films library, and NFL Network. But most subscribers will want NFL+ Premium for $14.99 a month, offering the same condensed and full game replays that NFL Game Pass previously provided on top of NFL RedZone. The premium plan is also the only way to watch the Coaches Film from each game.
Pro tip: When NFL Game Pass became NFL+, all annual Game Pass plans automatically updated to NFL+ Premium.
NFL Plus vs. NFL Sunday Ticket
| Service | Price | Live games | Video | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL+ | $6.99–$14.99/mo. | 150+ | 1080p | View plans |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | $349.00–$489.00/season* | 200+ | 1080p | View plans |
Data effective as of post date. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Plus $72.99/mo. recurring for YouTube TV subscribers.
NFL+ and NFL Sunday Ticket are very different viewing options for football fans. Both streaming services come with live games, but NFL+ carries live in-market games, while NFL Sunday Ticket has live out-of-market games.
The main reason to get NFL Sunday Ticket is to watch the CBS and FOX Sunday afternoon matchups that don’t air in your broadcast region. But unlike NFL+, NFL Sunday Ticket isn’t limited to live mobile viewing. You can watch NFL Sunday Ticket on any device that offers the YouTube or YouTube TV app.
NFL Sunday Ticket is available exclusively through YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels as an add-on package. Depending on how you sign up, NFL Sunday Ticket costs between $349.00 and $489.00 per season. You must also pay YouTube TV’s monthly subscription fee if you sign up through the live TV streaming service.
Getting NFL Sunday Ticket through YouTube TV is the best way to watch the most live NFL games. The biggest downside is that you’ll need a strong internet connection and separate subscriptions to Amazon Prime Video and ESPN+ for complete live NFL coverage.
NFL Plus shows and documentaries
NFL+ has an inconsistent library of on-demand programming. Besides a few excellent shows from the NFL Films archive, most of the service’s content feels outdated and irrelevant. But then again, a lot of it is recycled from other NFL Media properties like NFL Network and NFL Game Pass.
While NFL+ presents all shows and movies without ads, we don’t recommend signing up solely for its on-demand offerings. Some of these series are accessible for free on the NFL’s various YouTube channels. You can even catch select programs on the NFL Channel, a 24/7 ad-supported channel available in the NFL app and on free streaming services like Pluto TV and Tubi.
- A Football Life
- America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions
- Good Morning Football
- Hard Knocks
- NFL 100 All-Time Team
- NFL 360
- NFL Explained
- NFL Film Session
- NFL Game Day All Access
- NFL Game of the Week
- NFL Going Global
- NFL Mic’d Up
- NFL Replay
- NFL Top 10
- NFL Total Access
- Super Bowl Classic Games
- The Timeline
- Undrafted
Pro tip: NFL+ is missing the last couple of Hard Knocks seasons. For on-demand access to the documentary series’ most recent episodes, you’ll need Max (formerly HBO Max).
NFL Plus specs and features
On the technical side, NFL+ is very standard with its delivery of games and on-demand content. The biggest benefit is that NFL+ Premium includes NFL Network and NFL RedZone across all devices. Plus, additional NFL Network content is available on demand—giving you the best access to NFL Combine and NFL Draft content. All on-demand video is ad-free, and you get unlimited simultaneous streams.
Video and audio quality
NFL+ supports video resolutions up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. But video quality can vary based on the capabilities of your device and internet connection. If your speeds don’t meet the minimum of 750 Kbps, you may experience audio-only playback.
Speaking of audio, one of the best features of NFL+ is that you can access various radio feeds for live games—including home and away radio broadcasts. These feeds are available in every NFL+ subscription plan and stream in 2.0 stereo sound at 128 Kbps.
If you need faster internet service, check out our Best Internet for Streaming guide for a play-by-play look at some of the top internet providers around.
NFL app-compatible devices
NFL+ is accessible within the NFL app and on NFL.com. While the app is widely available, you may encounter a more optimized experience on newer devices.
It’s also important to highlight again that live regular-season and postseason NFL games are only on phones and tablets with NFL+. And you can forget about casting games from your phone to your TV. The NFL has restrictions in place preventing subscribers from casting live in-season games. (But you can cast other content.)
| Device | NFL app | Live games |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fire Cube, Stick, TV | ✔ | — |
| Android phones, tablets | ✔ | ✔ |
| Android TV | ✔ | — |
| Apple TV (4th gen.) | ✔ | — |
| Apple TV 4K | ✔ | — |
| Chromecast, Chromecast with Google TV | — | — |
| Facebook Portal | — | — |
| Echo Show | — | — |
| iPhone, iPad | ✔ | ✔ |
| LG TVs (select models) | — | — |
| Nintendo Switch | — | — |
| NVIDIA SHIELD Pro TV | — | — |
| PC, Mac web browsers | ✔ | — |
| PlayStation 4, 5 | ✔ | — |
| Roku Ultra, Express, Premiere, Stick, TV | ✔ | — |
| Samsung TVs (select models) | — | — |
| TiVo Stream | — | — |
| Vizio TVs (select models) | — | — |
| Wii | — | — |
| Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X | ✔ | — |
| Xfinity X1 | — | — |
Data effective as of post date.
NFL Plus introduces new features
In 2023, NFL+ went up in price but also increased its features. The service is evolving beyond its basic NFL Game Pass origins, now offering access to NFL Network and NFL RedZone on all devices. However, some device limitations still apply to live local and primetime games.
Until NFL+ can bring in more exclusive on-demand content, the service is not worthwhile for casual football fans. Having live local and primetime games on your phone or tablet was a free feature for NFL app users before NFL+. Now, the league wants you to pay for content you can easily access in other ways—including for free.
NFL plus review FAQ
How much is NFL Plus?
NFL+ offers two subscription plans. The basic NFL+ plan costs $6.99 a month, while NFL+ Premium is $14.99 a month and includes NFL RedZone, full-game replays, and Coaches Film.
How does NFL Plus work?
NFL+ allows you to stream live and on-demand NFL games. The types of games and content you have access to are based on your NFL+ plan, geographic location, and viewing device. We explain this more in our Is NFL+ Worth It? section.
Is NFL Plus the same as NFL Sunday Ticket?
No, NFL+ and NFL Sunday Ticket are two separate streaming services. NFL+ features every NFL game on demand after it airs, plus live local and primetime games for mobile streaming. Available through YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels, NFL Sunday Ticket is an add-on subscription that provides live access to out-of-market NFL games.
How do you sign up for NFL Plus?
You can sign up for NFL+ by heading to NFL.com and selecting the NFL+ tab at the top of the page. You’ll then see a blue Subscribe button that will take you to a page where you can choose your NFL+ plan. If you have an existing NFL.com account, you can use that when signing up for NFL+.
How can I stream NFL games?
NFL+ has live local and primetime NFL games for mobile device users, plus every game on demand after the final whistle. Live TV streaming services like fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV carry national channels that air NFL games. You can stream select games on services like Amazon Prime Video, ESPN+, Peacock, and Paramount+.
Methodology
Our sports experts spent over 15 hours hands-on testing and analyzing NFL+. We examined the service’s features and functionality across multiple platforms, including Mac web browsers, an iPhone, and a Roku Streaming Stick+. We also compared its content and pricing to other methods for watching NFL games before establishing our recommendations.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
