What Apple TV shows are free?
You can find the Apple TV app on a range of different devices: from your iPhone to your Samsung Smart TV. But the Apple TV app doesn’t make it immediately clear what shows you can watch for free.
That’s what we’re here to show you.
Related:
Is the Apple TV app free to use?
The Apple TV app itself is completely free. But this app is merely a portal to access video content from a range of other services, most of which require a subscription or a separate purchase.
For instance, if you want to watch something from HBO Now or SHOWTIME, you need an active subscription to those services.
That said, some ad-supported services let you watch their content for free. The Apple TV app often lists these services alongside paid content, so it isn’t always clear what is and isn’t free.
What’s more, you usually need to use the dedicated app for each service when you want to watch its shows anyway. Think of the Apple TV app more like a high-tech TV guide.
What can I watch for free on Apple TV?
The shows you can watch for free vary based on the country or region you’re in. Here in the UK, you can watch anything on BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, and My5 for free. In the US, you’re likely to have different options.
To find out if a show is free to watch, tap it from the Apple TV app. You should see a blue button linking to the app that show is on, this usually says if you can play an episode or if you need to pay for it first.
Can I watch Apple TV+ for free?
Apple TV+ is Apple’s subscription streaming service, and the only place to watch Apple’s original shows, such as The Morning Show, For All Mankind, or See.
Apple TV+ isn’t free, but it is quite easy to get a free trial to watch those shows.
If you’ve never used the service before, you can get a free seven-day trial by signing up in the Apple TV app. Even better than that, you get an entire year of Apple TV+ for free when you purchase any of the following products:
- iPhone
- iPad
- iPod touch
- Apple TV
- Mac
After making the purchase, the Apple TV app should prompt you to activate your one-year trial. If it doesn’t, go to Apple’s website and sign in to activate it instead.
Is there a monthly fee for Apple TV+?
After your free trial ends, you can renew your Apple TV+ subscription for $4.99 per month. You can also choose to cancel your subscription if you don’t plan to keep using it.
To cancel your subscription, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions > Apple TV+ from an iPhone or iPad.
Do I need an iPhone or iPad to watch Apple TV+?
You can watch Apple TV+ on any device with the Apple TV app, including:
- iPhone
- iPad
- iPod touch
- Mac
- Apple TV
- Windows PC
- Samsung Smart TV
- Roku
- Amazon Fire Stick
What can I watch for free on Apple TV+?
You can watch any of Apple’s content on Apple TV+ for free if you have an active subscription or a trial. That includes kids shows like Snoopy in Space, mature dramas like For All Mankind, and even feature films like Hala.
Apple TV+ doesn’t have as many shows as Netflix or Amazon Prime. But everything is made by Apple and exclusive to this service.
Some of the highest-rated shows include:
- The Morning Show
- Snoopy in Space
- The Elephant Queen
- Helpsters
- Servant
- See
- Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet
- For All Mankind
- Truth Be Told
- Dickinson
Check out our other posts to find out more information about Apple TV+.
Dan is a freelance writer based in South West England.
He spent two years supervising repairs as a Genius Admin for Apple Retail and uses that knowledge to keep our troubleshooting guides up to date.
Long before that, Dan turned to Apple products from a musical background. Having owned iPods for years, he bought a MacBook to learn sound recording and production. It was using those skills that he gained a first-class Bachelor of Science in Sound Technology.
