Why subscribe to apple tv?

Several years on, Apple has carved out a niche for its video platform in two key ways. One is the list of must-see Apple TV Plus originals with Ted Lasso, Severance, Foundation and Slow Horses some of the shows everyone's talking about. That list is getting longer all the time.

Secondly is the surprising number of free trials that the company offers — if you buy a new Apple product, sign up to the right cell provider or sometimes just click the right link, you can get between a week and a year of streaming for free. Check our guide on Apple TV Plus free trials for all the current offers.

While Apple TV Plus doesn't quite reach the top ranking in our list of the best streaming services, it's collected a legion of fans who prefer it to bigger-name rivals like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney Plus, and maybe you'll want to join that collective.

Below we break down everything that you need to know about Apple TV Plus, from what’s on to how much it costs and how you can start watching it right now.

Apple TV Plus costs $6.99 in the US and £6.99 in the UK, after a price rise in October 2022 which bumped that cost up from $4.99 monthly.

Whilst this does mean Apple TV Plus is a little bit more expensive than it once was, it's still pretty cheap, especially in comparison to some of the other top offerings on the market.

For example, it's cheaper than both Netflix and Disney Plus' cheapest plans, and only slightly more expensive than the ad-supported versions of services like Peacock Premium and Paramount Plus, even though Apple TV Plus does not come with ads).

If you want Apple TV Plus MLS, you'll pay a lot more, as that's $14.99/£14.99 monthly (with a $2/£2 discount for existing Apple TV Plus subscribers). That service doesn't offer the movie and TV service; it's just live MLS streaming, and you can find our full guide to it here.

If you're not just looking for a basic Apple TV Plus subscription, there's also the option to bundle Apple TV Plus as part of an Apple One subscription.

Apple One is a package that allows consumers to bundle an Apple TV Plus subscription with up to five other Apple services (between Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud Plus, Apple News Plus and Apple Fitness Plus) in a single monthly subscription.

There are three different Apple One packages (opens in new tab), but all three of them include Apple TV Plus. Pricing for the cheapest option starts at $16.95 per month, but the more expensive Family and Premier plans offer additional Apple Services and include the option of sharing your subscription with up to five other people.

If you're already subscribed to some of Apple's other services but want to pick up Apple TV Plus too, it's definitely worth considering whether an Apple One package might be right for you.

Whichever way you choose to subscribe, you can cancel an Apple TV Plus subscription at any time.

If you aren't sure whether you want to commit to another subscription, Apple offers new customers a seven-day Apple TV Plus free trial. If you're in the market for a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV device, you can get also get a longer subscription to the service for free.

There are plenty more ways to get free Apple TV Plus though, so much so that we've written an entire guide on all the Apple TV Plus free trials, for you to get all the streaming you can without paying.

Students should also note that anyone with an Apple Music Student Plan gets Apple TV Plus for free.

We also should mention that Apple TV Plus often allows you to watch season premiere episodes for some of the platform's biggest shows for free, which is a great way of checking whether a show (and maybe the streaming service itself) is a good fit for you.

Ultimately, the most important thing to consider (besides the price) when it comes to picking up a new streaming service is what's available to watch. Luckily, Apple TV Plus has a solid range to choose from.

As we mentioned above, the Apple TV Plus library is comprised entirely of original content. To compensate for that smaller library, Apple has splashed a lot of cash on developing original content and acquiring titles to serve as Apple TV Plus exclusives.

The offering was a little small when the service first launched in November 2019, the selection was a little thin. As new things have hit the platform, the offering has grown significantly larger and more prominent, and several series have managed to cut through to the wider pop culture landscape.

Recent big hitters include the psychological thriller series, Severance, Best Picture winner, CODA, spy drama Slow Horses, Cooper Raiff's Cha Cha Real Smooth, the M. Night Shyamalan drama, Servant, For All Mankind and warm-hearted comedy Ted Lasso.

Here's a list of some of the best Apple TV Plus shows you can stream right now; we've also listed several examples of the movies and TV shows you can find on the service below (a full list can be found on the Apple TV homepage (opens in new tab)).

Apple TV Plus subscribers are treated to new things roughly once a month. Some of the upcoming highlights include Tetris, a new movie starring Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, one of the men responsible for bringing the titular Nintendo puzzle game to home consoles.

There's also the forthcoming third (and potentially final) season of Ted Lasso, which is dropping new episodes weekly from Wednesday, March 15, the action-packed romcom Ghosted starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, a second season of Prehistoric Planet, the highly anticipated new Martin Scorcese picture, Killers of the Flower Moon and the upcoming war drama, Masters of the Air.

So you've decided to pick up an Apple TV Plus subscription... now where can you watch it?

Apple TV Plus is available through the Apple TV app, which is available on all Apple devices. Subscribers can open the Apple TV app, click or tap Apple TV Plus and start watching the great stuff on offer. Subscribers can also download Apple TV Plus content to an Apple device to watch them anywhere with or without a Wi-Fi connection.

Here's a more specific breakdown of the other places you can watch:

An exhaustive list of model numbers and a full breakdown of supported Apple TV Plus devices (opens in new tab) can be found on the Apple website.

Unfortunately, there isn't a dedicated Android app for Apple TV Plus available in the Play Store. However, you can still watch Apple TV Plus content if you navigate to the Apple TV Plus site (opens in new tab) in your web browser on an Android device.

Apple TV Plus is currently available in more than 100 countries around the world, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Ireland and many more. You can find the full list below:

Apple TV Plus is all about original content under the Apple Originals program. These include shows, movies, and documentaries starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood. The company's deep pockets and relationships with other industries give Apple's streaming service an advantage over some competitors.

Those epic-length trials are long gone, but you can still watch Apple TV Plus without having to pay $7 per month.

In fact, it’s really easy to sign up and watch Ted Lasso season 3 (plus all of the best Apple TV Plus movies) without having to pay for the privilege. You won’t be getting any year-long free trials, but there are a bunch of different ways you can claim an Apple TV Plus free trial.

The best part is that these offers are usually available to new and returning customers — though you'll want to remember to cancel before the trial is over if you don't want to pay the monthly fee. Here’s everything you need to do to get Apple TV Plus for free (including 7 tricks for those in the U.K.).

Apple is one of the few streaming services that still offers a free trial, granting new subscribers seven days free access to its catalogue of content. It’s not enough to watch everything, but you may be able to binge one or two shows if you’re lucky.

All you have to do is sign up for Apple TV Plus, either through the app or online, and remember to cancel your subscription before that week is up. Part of the process involves handing over payment details, and Apple will charge you for a full month as soon as that free week is over.

In the old days buying an eligible Apple device would get you up to 12 months of Apple TV Plus for free. These days, that trial period has dropped down to just three months. It’s not quite as impressive, but it’s still pretty generous — especially if you were buying one of those devices for yourself already.

Eligible devices (opens in new tab) include iPhones, iPads, Macs and the Apple TV 4K. All you have to do to claim your subscription is set up your device and open the Apple TV app. You should be presented the offer right away, but if not, you’ll see it on the Apple TV Plus tab. Just remember to redeem the Apple TV Plus offer within 90 days, or you’ll miss out.

Apple One bundles Apple’s digital services into one single subscription, including Apple TV Plus. The cheapest tier costs $16.95 a month, but Apple offers a one month free trial (opens in new tab)— which is noticeably better than the 7-days Apple TV Plus offers on its own. All you have to do is remember to cancel before the month is up, so you don’t have to pay for any ongoing subscriptions you may not want.

Apple is pretty kind to college students, and one of the many perks available is the Apple Music Student Subscription (opens in new tab) — a discounted version of the Individual plan that also includes free access to Apple TV Plus. You have to verify your enrollment through UNIDAYS to qualify, and the plan still costs $6 a month, but that’s still significantly cheaper than subscribing to the two plans separately. There’s also a one-month free trial to go with it.

Believe it or not, Best Buy (opens in new tab) is currently giving away three month subscriptions to Apple TV Plus. It’s absolutely free for new or returning subscribers with no strings attached, so you don’t even need to buy anything to qualify. Just add the deal to your basket and checkout as you normally would with any other product.

Roku owners (opens in new tab) can also claim three free months of Apple TV Plus between now and May 7, 2023. All you have to do is load up the Apple TV app on your device and you’ll be prompted to redeem your extended trial. Assuming you don’t already have an active subscription, that is. Unfortunately these free deals don’t stack.

T-Mobile is also giving away free Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab) to its customers, and how much you get depends on which wireless plan you’re on. Folks on a Magenta, Sprint ONE and “equivalent voice rate plan” will get six months free access to Apple TV Plus. That’s new and existing T-Mobile customers.

Customers with Magenta Max or an equivalent voice plan also get Apple TV Plus, though this is bundled with the plan and has no expiration date. Just be aware your access to the streaming service will end if you ever cancel your plan.

For similar deals, check out our guide on how to get Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and more for free with your phone plan.

PlayStation has a history of giving people extended trials to Apple TV Plus, and that particular deal is back. PS4 owners (opens in new tab) can claim three months free access to Apple TV Plus, absolutely free. You can do that by opening the Apple TV Plus app on your console and following the on-screen instructions. Just be sure to do it before July 31, 2023.

Again these trials don’t stack, and PS4 owners can’t redeem the offer if you already have an Apple TV Plus subscription.

PS5 owners (opens in new tab) get a little bit extra for owning Sony's latest console, with the chance to claim six months of Apple TV Plus absolutely free. Interestingly this offer can be redeemed if you already subscribe to the service — but only if you have a paid Apple TV Plus subscription. Anyone using a free trial, or who has access as part of a bundle, won't be eligible to redeem it.

As with the PS4, you have until July 31 to redeem the offer, which can be done from the Apple TV Plus app on your PS5 console.

If you’re a Sky customer and part of the Sky VIP loyalty program, you’ve got until June 7 to redeem 6 months of free Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab). Just head into the VIP tab of the My Sky app to get it all setup. Best of all this offer is available to new and existing Apple TV Plus subscribers.

EE is offering anyone that buys a brand new iPhone contract six months of a standalone Apple subscription at no extra cost. That includes Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab), and all new iPhones are eligible — including the old or cheap models like the iPhone SE and iPhone 11. Used or refurbished models unfortunately don't have this perk.

More expensive plans come bundled with an “inclusive extra” which gives you access to your chosen service for the duration of your contract. Apple TV Plus is one of them. The most expensive plans offer a free subscription to Apple One as well, bundling together all the Apple services in one package.

If you have a Barclaycard, or are willing to sign up for one, then you are also entitled to five months of free Apple TV Plus (opens in new tab) — as well as four month trials for Apple Music, News Plus, Fitness Plus and Arcade. You won’t be able to redeem this offer if you have an ongoing Apple TV Plus subscription, but you do have until September 22 to take advantage of it.

EE isn’t the only mobile network giving away Apple TV Plus right now. Three month trials are also available from Three (opens in new tab), whenever you buy any iPhone, iPad or a Home Broadband with Apple TV bundles. Just be sure to redeem your free trial within 90 days of purchase, or else it’ll expire.

Retailer Currys has a loyalty scheme now that's called Currys Perks (opens in new tab), and if you sign up, you’ll be gifted a three month subscription to Apple TV Plus as a thank you. Just sign up and you’ll get a redemption email after a few days.

Currys has been giving away Apple subscriptions for some time, and recently, that’s started including three free months of Apple TV Plus. All you need to do is buy some kind of gadget or technology — even if it’s not made by Apple. Examples include TVs, laptops, tablets, games consoles and much, much more. A whole list is available on Currys’ website (opens in new tab), and you’ll receive a redemption email a few days after your order has been delivered.

If you're an existing O2 customer, you'll know all about the Priority Moments app. And right now heading into that app can net you three free months of Apple TV Plus, regardless of whether you're a new or existing Apple TV Plus subscriber. You can also three months of free access to Apple Music and Apple Fitness Plus. You've got until 11 August to redeem this offer.

Anyone purchasing (opens in new tab) an iPhone or iPad with an O2 Plus Plan will also be able to claim six months of Apple TV Plus. Again this offer will end on 11 August, and only if you haven't claimed a free Apple TV Plus subscription from O2 in the past.

Like users in the U.S., people in the U.K. can get free Apple TV Plus from Roku (opens in new tab) and PlayStation (opens in new tab). Three months for Roku and PS4 owners, or six months if you have a PS5. In all three cases just download the Apple TV app onto your machine, open it and follow the on-screen instructions.

While Apple isn’t nearly as generous with its free trials as it used to be, it’s still incredibly easy to watch Apple TV Plus shows without having to pay for a subscription. Heck, there are also a number of ways to grab yourself a free trial without having to spend any money at all.

Whether it’s because you own a PS4, a non-Apple streaming device or are willing to give Best Buy your email address, tuning into the best Apple TV shows is a lot more cost-effective than, say, subscribing to Netflix or Disney Plus.

And, frankly, that might be enough if you play your cards right. Apple may be producing content at a steady rate these days, but not so much that you couldn’t catch up pretty easily at a later date. So by the time you find another free trial, you could have banked a pretty sizable library of shows and movies to occupy your time.

Streaming cancellations are on the rise as people look for new ways to cut monthly costs. For some, that involves a rolling cycle of subscription and cancellations as they catch up on their favorite original content. The only thing that differentiates Apple is how easy (and legal) it is to do that without spending any money.

Not that we’re complaining, of course. We all love free stuff, especially when it’s high quality programming.

But still, not everyone has an Apple TV+ subscription for one reason or another, possibly because they don’t know what the service is about. If you fall into that camp, fear not, as we have put together a quick rundown of Apple TV+ and everything that comes with a subscription.

When compared to most streaming services, Apple TV+ offers a rather simple subscription model in that it has one price to enjoy all the content. Here are current plans and prices as of April 2023:

For $6.99 per month, you can watch all those original movies and shows and take advantage of one of the best deals in the world of streaming. All new subscribers get a free seven-day trial before being billed, which is great for anyone wanting to give the platform a spin.

You can also bundle your Apple TV+ subscription with a service called AppleOne, which allows you to pick up to six Apple services into a single plan ranging from $16.95 to $32.95 per month. With this you can choose from Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+.

Check out all the details about the AppleOne collection. (opens in new tab)

If you've recently purchased an eligible Apple device, or you're planning to in the near future, you may be eligible for a three-month Apple TV Plus free trial. All you have to do is go to the Apple TV app on your new device within three months of purchasing it and follow the prompts. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying all the great offerings of Apple TV+ without spending an extra dime.

Check out all the details about three months of free Apple TV+.

Also, anyone who has been lucky enough to get their hands on a PlayStation 5 has a free three-month Apple TV+ subscription waiting to be used. I personally didn’t know about this until I downloaded the Apple TV+ app on my PS5 and was met by a prompt with all the details. But act fast as one of the best streaming deals on the market expires July 31, 2023.

Check out all the details about three months of free Apple TV+ on PlayStation 5.

Ever since its launch, Apple TV+ has been the home to some of the best original shows like the soon-to-be-returning Ted Lasso, Severance, and Roar, as well as great movies like Swan Song, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Banker and more. Apple TV+ was even home to one of the best documentaries of 2020 with its phenomenal Beastie Boys Story. But the list of the best Apple TV+ movies continues to grow and become diverse with each passing month.

In October 2020, Apple TV+ drew the ire of thousands of parents after it was announced that the streaming service would be the only place you could watch the various Peanuts holiday specials like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. And while the special did in fact end up being broadcast on TV, the platform remains the streaming home of most of those beloved Charlie Brown classics.

In addition to giving you access to classic holiday specials like It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown, the streaming service is also the home of all the new programs like The Snoopy Show, Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10, and the 2021 documentary Who Are You, Charlie Brown?. And while some of the other Charlie Brown movies are on services like Paramount+ and Disney+, you will have to turn to Apple TV+ to see the latest Peanuts adventures.

It was only just a few years ago when the idea of watching live sports on a streaming service seemed like something that would never happen. Well, it’s now become a reality with platforms like Paramount+, Peacock, and Hulu giving subscribers access to games throughout the week. And now Apple TV+ has gotten in on the fun. Throughout the 2022 MLB season, the service hosted “Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+” a weekly double-header that streams exclusively on the platform.

In addition to the live games (which can also be watched on replay upon completion), Apple TV+ also provides subscribers with highlights of games throughout the week, expert analysis, classic games, and documentaries about iconic World Series matchups and other achievements on and off the field.

Apple has also announced (opens in new tab)that it will be the exclusive streaming home for the 2023 MLS season, including a nice discount for current subscribers.

Now that you know what you can watch on Apple TV+, you are probably wondering where you can check out those movies, shows, and documentaries. For starters, you can access the platform on any Apple phone, tablet with the latest version of iOS, Mac computers, and Apple TV 3rd generation and newer. Many smart TVs will allow you to watch Apple TV+ as well as Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Android and Google streaming boxes. The service is also available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 (remember the free six-month trial mentioned earlier), as well as Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

Check out the full list of Apple TV+ supported devices. (opens in new tab)