For the fan cutting the cord, NFL+ offers a way to keep up with the action without paying for expensive cable. But picking between the standard tier and the upgraded NFL+ Premium can be tough. The key differences are simple: RedZone, game replays, and Coaches Film.
We break down the features, look at season pricing, and help you decide if paying extra for the “Scott Hanson experience” (NFL RedZone) and the post-game analysis is right for your Sundays.
A Tale of Two Tiers: Feature Comparison
The most important rule for both plans is this: Live regular season and playoff games (local and primetime) can only be watched on your phone or tablet. You cannot stream live games on a TV, computer, or streaming stick like Roku or Fire TV.
Here is a side-by-side look at what comes with each plan for the 2025 season.
| Feature | NFL+ (Standard) | NFL+ Premium | Why You Upgrade |
| Live Local & Primetime Games | ✔ (Phone & tablet ONLY) | ✔ (Phone & tablet ONLY) | Live games are mobile-only. Due to existing contracts, you cannot watch these live on your TV. |
| Live Out-of-Market Preseason Games | ✔ (All devices) | ✔ (All devices) | You can stream any preseason game not broadcast in your home area on any device, including your TV. |
| Live NFL Network | ✔ (All devices) | ✔ (All devices) | Get the 24/7 NFL Network channel on all supported devices. |
| Live Game Audio | ✔ (All games) | ✔ (All games) | Full live radio broadcasts for every game. |
| NFL RedZone | ❌ | ✔ (Live on all devices) | This is the commercial-free channel that jumps to every touchdown. Premium lets you watch it live on your TV. |
| Game Replays (Full & Condensed) | ❌ | ✔ (All devices, post-game) | Premium gives you the full game and condensed replays of every game, which you can watch on your TV after the game is over. |
| All-22 Coaches Film | ❌ | ✔ (All devices, post-game) | Access to the special, wide-angle film that shows all 22 players on the field. Great for detailed analysis. |
💸 NFL+ and NFL+ Premium Pricing for the 2025 Season
Choosing between monthly and annual is your first decision, but the price difference between the two tiers is the main thing to look at.
| Plan Option | Monthly Price | Annual/Seasonal Price | Annual Cost Savings vs. Monthly |
| NFL+ (Standard) | $6.99/month | $49.99/year | $\sim\$34$ (or 5 months free) |
| NFL+ Premium | $14.99/month | $99.99/year | $\sim\$80$ (or 5 months free) |
🎯 The Big Question: Is NFL RedZone Worth the Extra $8/Month?
The biggest and most valuable difference is NFL RedZone, which comes with the Premium tier. RedZone is a live, commercial-free channel that hops between every Sunday game (1:00 PM ET and 4:00 PM ET windows) to show every touchdown and scoring chance.
The Value Proposition: RedZone & Game Replays
Upgrading to NFL+ Premium means you pay an extra $8.00 per month (or $50 more for the annual subscription) compared to the basic plan.
The upgrade makes a lot of sense for two kinds of fans:
- The Fantasy Football Manager: If you run a fantasy team, RedZone is a necessary service. It gives you a non-stop, live feed of the action, letting you follow your players and cheer every score right when it happens. At $14.99/month, this is often the cheapest way to get RedZone without a $70+/month cable-replacement service plus an extra add-on fee.
- The Analyst and On-Demand Viewer: The other major item is game replays. The base NFL+ plan only lets you watch live games on your phone or tablet. NFL+ Premium gives you full-game replays, condensed replays, and the All-22 Coaches Film. If you want to watch your team’s game on your TV after it ends, or break down plays like a coach, the Premium tier is mandatory.
💡 The Verdict
Making the final call between NFL+ and NFL+ Premium comes down to where you watch and why you watch.
Go with NFL+ (Standard)
Choose the standard plan if you are a casual fan who mainly needs a way to watch your local game or the primetime match-ups when you are stuck away from a television, or if you just need the game audio. If you do not care about NFL RedZone and won’t watch replays or film, the $49.99 annual plan is enough.
Go with NFL+ Premium
Choose Premium if you are serious about football:
- You need RedZone. If you play fantasy football or just want to see every scoring play live, the $14.99/month for RedZone on your TV is your best value.
- You want to watch games on your TV. Since live games are mobile-only, the only way to watch a game on your big screen using this service is to use the replays that come with Premium. This tier also gives you the advanced All-22 Coaches Film.
