Peacock has a wide range of TV shows, movies, live sports and originals like The Traitors, Bugonia, Black Phone 2 and NBA games. Previously, the streaming service -- which is part of Comcast-owned NBCUniversal -- offered a free subscription option. But new customers now have to pay to watch its programming.

Peacock is home to Universal films, NBC series and Bravo hits, but to stream favorites like Chicago Fire, Love Island, Yellowstone, Bel-Air, NFL games, the English Premier League and other content, you need a Peacock Premium subscription. 

Three paid tiers are available: $8 Peacock Select with only NBC and Bravo content; ad-based Peacock Premium, at $11 a month; and Premium Plus, the ad-free version that costs $17 monthly. However, if you receive certain Xfinity internet services, are a Spectrum TV customer or have Instacart, you could take advantage of discounts on the price of Peacock -- or even get Peacock Premium free. 

Here's how to unlock a free subscription.

Instacart Plus comes with free Peacock

The companies announced a joint venture in 2023, making Peacock the first streaming partnership for the digital shopping platform. Instacart Plus members in the US can receive a free Peacock Premium subscription as a membership perk. Instacart Plus costs $10 per month -- or $100 per year -- and grants members unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. Unsure about committing fully? There's a 14-day free trial of Instacart Plus. 

Sign up for Peacock via the Instacart app

Peacock Premium for Xfinity subscribers 

You can choose to activate a Peacock subscription at no extra cost in these ways:

• Sign up for Comcast's Now TV streaming service, and you'll be eligible for a free Peacock Premium subscription. Now TV is a newer streaming platform that includes more than 40 live channels from A&E, AMC and Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as 20-plus integrated free ad-supported channels from NBC, Sky and Xumo Play, and a subscription to Peacock Premium at no additional cost. Now TV costs $20 a month, doesn't require equipment and can be canceled anytime. Xfinity internet is required for Now TV, and customers can sign up through Xfinity's website. You can activate your Peacock Premium subscription via email after setting up Now TV or by logging in to your account. 
• If you're an internet subscriber who's enrolled as a Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards member, you can redeem a reward for a free Peacock Premium subscription. Log in to your account and follow the redemption instructions.  
• New or existing Xfinity internet customers with Gigabit or Gigabit Plus service are eligible to receive Peacock Premium for 2 years at no charge. You will need to sign in to your account to activate your subscription. 
• The Xfinity World Soccer Ticket offering and the Sports & News TV package include Peacock Premium at no extra charge. 

Spectrum TV Select gets Peacock and more

Customers with Spectrum TV Select can now get the ad-based Peacock Premium included with their package. If you have a Xumo Stream box, you can access Peacock content immediately, or you can activate your streaming account via the Spectrum site. This TV Select package also includes free ad-supported subscriptions for Disney Plus, AMC Plus, Max, Paramount Plus and ViX.

Though the ad-supported Peacock Premium is available for free with these deals, you can always upgrade your account to Premium Plus for an ad-free viewing experience at an additional cost. 

What about a Peacock free trial?

The streaming service doesn't offer a free trial, but you can occasionally find discounts and promotional offers throughout the year.