The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

How much does Apple TV+ cost? Everything you need to know

You can sign up today with the links below

Steve Hogarty

Thursday 11 January 2024 17:32 GMT

Watch exclusive TV shows on a wide range of devices (The Independent)

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Apple’s streaming service is one of the most popular entertainment platforms in the UK, and as of last year, it has more than 25 million paid users worldwide.

But Apple TV+ is not exclusive to anyone with an iPhone, Mac or iPad. Even if you have a PC, an Android device, a games console, smart TV, laptop, tablet or most smartphones, anyone can access the streaming service for a monthly fee. And if you’re a fan of excellent telly, you should be subscribing.

Since launching in 2019, AppleTV+ has built up a solid library of original shows aimed at a broad demographic with dramas, comedies, documentaries and even kids’ shows. Unlike competitors, Apple TV+ is hyper-focused on original programming and is the only place to watch critically acclaimed shows like Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, Pachinko and Severance.

Even better, if you want to see what all the fuss is about without actually committing to a subscription, whether it’s to watch a trending show, or to take the platform for a test drive, Apple has recently launched a free seven-day trial.

If you want to get the best deal on Apple TV+, we’ve rounded up all the best prices so you can get the most out of your subscription.

Get Apple TV plus

Free seven-day trial is for new subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.

How much does Apple TV+ cost and what is the cheapest option in the UK?

Apple TV+ costs £8.99 a month, up from the original launch price of £4.99. If you’re an Apple devotee you can bundle five Apple services into one to save money. Apple One combines Apple Music, 2TB of storage on iCloud+, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade for £18.95 per month, a saving of £9 versus purchasing each service separately.

Ted Lasso fans might be interested in the Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass, which streams live Major League Soccer games and unlocks fan pages and bonus content for £14.99 per month.

The MLS Season Pass is in addition to your regular Apple TV+ subscription, but subscribing to both will give you a £2 discount.

How much does Apple TV+ cost and what is the cheapest option in the US?

In the United States, an Apple TV+ subscription costs $6.99 per month. The separate Apple TV+ MLS Plan costs $14.99 per month, with a $2 discount when you subscribe to both services.

What’s included in the regular monthly price?

In terms of what you get access to, Apple TV+ provides you with all of Apple’s exclusive shows and movies such as Ted Lasso, The Killers of the Flower Moon, Silo, The Changeling and more.

Don’t get Apple TV+ confused with the free Apple TV app that appears on your iOS devices. That app simply acts as a dashboard for seeing all of your various streaming services in one place, including Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+, all of which have their own subscription charges.

If you have family sharing enabled, you can share your membership with up to five other family members across different devices, which is great news if you are worried about Apple cracking down on password sharing.

How does the price of Apple TV+ compare to Netflix?

Despite the price increase, Apple TV+ remains one of the cheaper streaming options available right now compared to equivalent plans from other platforms.

The most basic package on Netflix is cheaper at £4.99 but comes with ad breaks and no option to download shows. The standard package costs £10.99 a month, while the 4K HDR streaming plan (the nearest equivalent to Apple TV+’s £6.99 plan) costs £15.99 per month.

How does the price of Apple TV+ compare to Disney+?

Disney+ costs £7.99 per month, but you have the option to pay for an entire year for the discounted price of £79.90. That means paying for a full year works out to £6.66 per month, or£2.33 less than Apple TV+’s £8.99. It also means you’re locked into Disney’s streaming service until 2024.

How does the price of Apple TV+ compare to Prime Video?

Amazon Prime bundles together Amazon perks with Prime Video, so it can be tricky to compare like-for-like. Prime gives you next-day delivery when shopping on Amazon, as well as access to sales events, such as Amazon Prime Day and of course the ability to stream original and blockbuster content on Prime Video.

Amazon Prime is currently priced at £8.99 a month or you can pay £95 a year, which works out at around £7.92 a month.

Ultimately the decision is yours. Whether you subscribe to AppleTV+ or one of the other services listed above will depend entirely on your budget and the type of content you wish to stream.

Try Apple TV+ for free