Discovery Has Finally Revealed Its Standalone Streaming App

Discovery, the media company behind channels like Discovery Channel, Science Channel, Animal Planet, and TLC, has finally revealed its own standalone video streaming app, providing fans of the network with access to its content library independent of a cable or OTT subscription. The service is called Discovery+, and it'll come with two subscription options.

The Discovery+ service will launch on January 4, offering access to Discovery Channel, OWN, Animal Planet, TLC, ID, Food Network, HGTV, Lifetime, A&D, History, DIY, and several other channels. The company says that subscribers can expect more than 55,000 episodes from around 2,500 shows.

The service will also include exclusive content, though it's not clear what subscribers can expect on that front. The app will be made available on many platforms, according to Discovery, including smart TV, mobile, desktop, and gaming consoles; specific devices that will be supported, particularly at launch, weren't provided.

The subscription service will launch with two rate options: an ad-supported version at $4.99/month and an ad-free version at $6.99/month. The service will only be available to viewers in the United States when it launches, but Discovery says it will eventually expand Discovery+ to other markets, as well.

Discovery+ joins the growing number of standalone streaming apps from media companies, notable examples including things like CBS All Access and standalone premium network subscriptions like HBO Max and Showtime. While these channels are still available through traditional live TV services, of course, standalone apps give subscribers a way to access on-demand content and limit their subscriptions to only the networks they prefer.