In recent years, it feels like streaming apps shuffle their prices and catalogs every single week, making it a total headache to figure out if you're actually getting your money's worth. If you're finally ready to dive into Apple TV, I've got you covered.
In this post, I'll explain exactly what you need to know to navigate Apple TV Plus in 2026—from the current subscription costs, tips to save money and download limits to the banger shows you absolutely cannot miss, plus my personal go-to methods for saving your favorite Apple TV+ videos so they stay yours permanently
Quick Guide:
What is Apple TV Plus?
We will begin with an understanding of Apple TV Plus and what it is all about. Apple TV Plus is a streaming service launched in 2019. The streaming service is different from the Apple TV hardware media streaming box.
Apple TV vs Apple TV Plus
Well, this is something that may be quite confusing for most of us. How do Apple TV and Apple TV Plus differ from one another? Apple TV is a physical set-top box that connects to your television via HDMI, while Apple TV+ is a streaming service like Netflix.
When Apple first launched the streaming service, it focused purely on a small handful of original shows. Today, it has grown into a major entertainment hub. What's more, the premium content surprisingly comes with generous offers and a low subscription fee.
Apple TV Plus Subscription, Free Trial & Tips
While subscription prices have generally gone up across the entire streaming industry, Apple still offers different localized pricing and quite a few clever ways to get access without paying full price. Let's break down what it actually costs in 2026 and how you can save some serious cash.
2026 Pricing of Apple TV Plus Subscription
If you're in the US, signing up for Apple TV will run you $12.99 a month, or $99.99 if you commit to a full year upfront. But if you're already paying for Apple Music, iCloud+ storage, or Apple Arcade, stop buying them separately. Grab the Apple One bundle instead. It rolls everything into one monthly bill.
| Plan | Price (US) | Free Trial | Best For |
| Apple TV+ Monthly | $12.99/mo. | 7 Days | Standard users who want flexibility. |
| Apple TV+ Annual | $99.99/yr. | None | Saving ~15% compared to the monthly plan. |
| Apple One Individual | $19.95/mo. | 1 Month | Users wanting Music, Arcade, TV+, and iCloud+. |
| Apple One Family | $25.95/mo. | 1 Month | Families sharing services with up to 5 others. |
| Student Discount | $5.99/mo. (with Music) | 1 Month | Eligible students needing Music and Video. |
| Updated on Jun 30, 2026 | |||
How to Watch for Free: Apple TV Plus Free Trial
Apple is surprisingly generous with its free trials if you know where to look. If you want to test the waters before committing your hard-earned money, check the 4 methods:
1. The Standard 7-Day Free Trial: If you have a brand-new Apple account, you can snag their standard 7-day free trial. Honestly, it's the perfect excuse to lock yourself away and binge-watch an entire season over a single weekend.
2. The 3-Month Hardware Bonus: Purchasing any new Apple device—including an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV 4K—comes with 3 free months of Apple TV+. You must claim this offer inside the Apple TV app within 3 months of activating your new device. Keep in mind that this is limited to one offer per "Family Sharing" group. (Go to Apple+ Offers Page to learn more)
3. The 30-Day Apple One Trial: Never tried the Apple One bundle? Apple gives you a full 30 days to test-drive their entire ecosystem—which is basically just their all-in-one app subscription. You get a whole month of free Apple TV+, plus premium music and cloud storage to play with.
4. The College Student Jackpot (Free Apple Music Bundle): If you are a verified college student and subscribe to the discounted Apple Music Student Plan, Apple throws in Apple TV+ completely free. As long as your student music subscription remains active, your video streaming costs exactly $0.
⚠️ Trial Tip: When signing up, don't panic if you see a tiny, temporary verification charge on your card—Apple refunds it instantly. More importantly, remember that Apple will cut off your streaming access the exact second you cancel your trial, unlike other platforms.
Supported Devices of Apple TV Plus
Apple TV Plus is accessible across a wide range of devices, extending beyond Apple devices. Here's a comprehensive list of devices where you can download and stream content via the Apple TV Plus app:
Type 1
Apple devices
Apple TV Plus is either preinstalled or comes with support for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. As for the Mac users, the Apple TV app comes built into macOS, thereby providing you with a native experience for desktop viewing.
Type 2
Smart TVs
Many leading smart TV brands have the Apple TV app available directly from their app stores, eliminating the need for an external streaming device.
For example, Samsung smart TVs manufactured after 2018 (the UHD, QLED, Serif, Frame, and Sero series genres). Other smart TVs supported include LG smart TVs, Sony smart TVs, Vizio smart TVs, Panasonic smart TVs, and Hisense smart TVs.
Type 3
Streaming devices
These include Roku devices like Roku Express, Streaming Stick, Premiere, and Ultra. It is also supported on Roku TVs. Amazon Fire TV services and Google TV devices are other excellent options for watching your favorite content on Apple TV Plus. You can also get it on Android TV streaming devices like NVIDIA SHIELD TV.
Type 4
Gaming consoles
You can expand your entertainment options by exploring the Apple TV Plus entertainment on PlayStation devices like PlayStation 4 (PS4) and PlayStation 5 (PS5). You can also install it on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
Type 5
Web browsers on Computers
There is no official desktop app. But we can watch Apple TV Plus directly through a web browser. Simply visit tv.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID. This provides access on Windows PCs, Linux machines, or any other computer where a modern web browser (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge) is available.
Type 6
Cable and Satellite Set-top Boxes
In some regions or with specific providers, the Apple TV app might be integrated into certain cable or satellite boxes, like Comcast Xfinity in the US.
Apple TV Plus DRM: Official Download Limits
If you travel frequently or live in an area with unstable internet, offline viewing is essential. Before using the official download service of Apple TV Plus, we need to check the official download limits. When downloading via the Apple TV+ app, downloads are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM).
Note: Read our post How to Download Apple TV Plus Videos in 2026? to learn the detailed steps to download videos from Apple TV+.
Limit 1
Device limitation
The downloads are available only on compatible Apple mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch), Macs, PCs (via iTunes for Windows, which also manages downloads), and Apple Vision Pro.
No Downloads are available on TVs or Streaming Devices. Crucially, you cannot download content directly to the Apple TV streaming box (the hardware), smart TVs, Roku devices (Apple TV Plus on Roku only supports streaming), Amazon Fire TV devices, or gaming consoles. These platforms are designed for streaming only, requiring an active internet connection.
Limit 2
Subscription Dependency
Downloads are tied to your active Apple TV Plus subscription. If your subscription expires or is canceled, all downloaded content will become unplayable.
Limit 3
Expiration of Downloads
The downloaded videos come with time-limited access. Most downloaded titles have an expiration period, typically 30 days from the date of download or 48 hours once you start watching the content, whichever comes first. After this period, the download will expire, and you'll need to re-download it.
Collins
Some content might have even shorter expiration windows based on specific licensing terms with the service providers.
Limit 4
Simultaneous Download Limits
There is a download limit on a per-account or per-channel basis. Some Apple TV Channels (third-party subscriptions through the Apple TV app) or even Apple TV Plus itself might impose limits on the total number of titles you can download at any given time, or the number of devices on which you can simultaneously hold downloads.
Limit 5
Content Availability
Not All Content is Downloadable. There might be rare instances where specific titles (especially live events or certain licensed movies) are restricted to streaming only. This is a typical case when you are looking to download content from third-party providers.
Why does Apple lock everything down with anti-piracy restrictions?
They have to protect their content. But honestly, it's incredibly annoying. If you're like me and want complete control over your files so you can archive a great series before it randomly disappears from the platform, these arbitrary limits feel like a total roadblock.
How to Download Apple TV+ Videos and Keep Them Forever
If you want to keep your favorite shows permanently without constantly stressing over countdown timers or losing your library the second you pause your subscription, you need a third-party backup tool. From everything I've tested, KeepStreams for Apple TV is easily one reliable way to get the job done.
This desktop tool works alongside your subscription to help you save content locally. Instead of hiding the video inside a restricted app folder, it saves the video as a standard MP4 or MKV file directly onto your Windows PC/Mac.
KeepStreams has a powerful internal browser. It's very easy to use:
Step1
Install KeepStreams on your Windows PC or Mac
Step2
Choose Apple TV Plus from the VIP Services list
Step3
Search for the video that you want to download and play it
If you need to log in first to play this video, you need to log in to your Apple TV account. KeepStreams is not able to remove or bypass DRM. It just works based on your Apple TV library. So this step is important.
Step4
Set download options and click on Download Now
When the video is playing, KeepStreams will analyze it automatically, and a settings window will follow up. Choose your preferred option and click on Download Now, just like the following pic shows.
NOTE: KeepStreams is not a substitute for Apple TV+ and must be used with an active subscription. Downloaded content is strictly for personal offline viewing and cannot be uploaded or shared. Please adhere to Apple TV+'s terms of service and respect copyright.
What to Watch: The Best Apple TV+ Shows You Can't Miss
Now you can enjoy exclusive content on Apple TV+. If you still don't know what to watch, read our post Best Shows on Apple TV Plus You Should Not Miss (2026 Updated) to take advantage of your Apple TV Plus free trial to the fullest.
Severance
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Workers at the enigmatic Lumon Industries experience a surgical process that disconnects their professional memories from their personal experiences. As a new team member shakes things up, leader Mark (Adam Scott) starts to reflect on his role and stumbles upon a disturbing secret.
Why You Should Watch: It's a wild, deeply unsettling mix of sci-fi thriller and workplace satire that keeps you glued to the screen. The sterile, eerie office visuals give me chills every time. With its gripping mystery and a powerhouse cast, it easily ranks as one of my favorite shows of the decade—the kind of series that forces you to text your friends the second the credits roll.
Slow Horses
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
A group of disgraced MI5 agents—the UK's domestic security service—exiled to "Slough House," a dead-end dumping ground for career screw-ups. They're stuck under Jackson Lamb (a wonderfully greasy Gary Oldman), a brilliant but utterly miserable boss. Somehow, this team of rejects always finds itself tangled up in high-stakes espionage.
Why You Should Watch: I love how this spy drama mocks traditional, glamorous secret agent tropes. The dialogue is razor-sharp, Oldman is spectacular, and the plots stay incredibly tight and engaging season after season.
Ted Lasso
An endlessly cheerful American football coach gets hired to manage a British Premier League soccer team, even though he knows nothing about the sport. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but he tries to win over a deeply skeptical locker room and a hostile city using pure, unshakeable kindness.
Why You Should Watch: This is the flagship phenomenon that put Apple TV+ on the map. Honestly, it’s total comfort food. The genuine warmth, laugh-out-loud humor, and heartfelt focus on humanity make it impossible not to love.
What Sets Apple TV Plus Apart from Other Services?
While competing platforms, like Prime Video and Netflix, often focus on building massive catalogs of older, licensed movies, Apple TV+ takes a completely different approach. From my point, the service stands out not because of the sheer quantity of its videos, but because of its uncompromised technical quality and consumer-friendly policies.
Near-Blu-Ray Video Quality (Industry-Leading Bitrate): Many streaming services compress their 4K feeds to save server bandwidth, which often results in blurry dark scenes. But Apple TV+ pushes an insanely high bitrate—which just means they throw way more visual data per second at your screen—frequently hitting 25 to 40 Mbps.
Premium Features with No Hidden Tiers: Think about Netflix: they force you to fork over cash for their most expensive premium plan just to unlock 4K streaming and simultaneous screens. Apple doesn't play those games. One flat sub instantly gives you the absolute best picture quality your TV can handle, no gatekeeping required.
A 100% Premium, Curated Library: Instead of filling its platform with cheap reality TV or outdated sitcoms just to look big, Apple TV+ invests heavily in massive-budget, star-studded Apple Originals. This strict commitment to quality is why it became the first streaming service in history to win the Oscar for Best Picture (with CODA), alongside dozens of Emmy Awards for shows like Ted Lasso.
Quick Bonus: Apple TV+ on Android (Skip the Sketchy APKs)
Good news if you're using Android—you don't need an iPhone to watch these shows anymore. The official app is right there on the Google Play Store for your phone, tablet, or streaming setups like the Nvidia Shield and Chromecast. It works flawlessly right out of the box, giving you clean streams, live sports, and official offline downloads without any weird workarounds.
But, whatever you do, avoid downloading third-party Apple TV+ APKs—which are basically just standalone app installation files—from sketchy websites. Bypassing the store might feel like a clever shortcut, but it's a massive gamble:
- Those shady sites love to hide malware and spyware inside files to grab your passwords or banking info.
- Apple is incredibly strict about this. Using tampered software can get your entire account banned instantly.
- You'll be stuck with a glitchy mess that never gets official security updates, meaning basic features like offline viewing will just stop working entirely.
FAQs
Q1. Does Apple TV+ crack down on password sharing outside the household in 2026?
A1. No. While Netflix, Disney+, and Prime have gone completely strict with their out-of-home sharing bans, Apple is still the good guy here. They fully back their Family Sharing feature—which is basically a built-in tool that lets you link up to five other people to your account using their own Apple IDs.
Q2. Do I need to buy an Apple TV 4K hardware box to watch the service?
A2. Absolutely not. The Apple TV 4K is just a physical hardware box you plug into your television, but Apple TV+ is the actual streaming service. You can watch their shows on pretty much any screen you already own. Whether you use a Roku, Fire TV, a smart TV, a Windows PC, or an Android device, you just need to download the free Apple TV app or load up their website.
Q3. What live sports are included with a standard Apple TV+ subscription in 2026?
A3. For your basic $12.99 a month, you get some surprisingly great live sports. You've still got the regular Friday Night Baseball (MLB) doubleheaders. But the absolute game-changer is that Apple is now the exclusive U.S. home for Formula 1 (F1). You get complete, unrestricted coverage—every single practice lap, qualifying session, and Grand Prix race. They aren't charging a single extra penny for it.
📌 Note: Major League Soccer (MLS) matches still require a separate MLS Season Pass add-on.
Q4. Is there an official Apple TV+ app for Android phones and tablets?
A4. Yes. Unlike in previous years when Android phone users were forced to use a clunky mobile web browser, Apple has officially launched the native Apple TV app on the Google Play Store for Android mobile devices. You can now download it directly to stream in high quality and use the official offline download feature safely.
Q5. Why does the Apple TV app ask me to pay extra for certain movies?
A5. Because the Apple TV app serves two different purposes. Your monthly Apple TV+ subscription mainly covers Apple Originals (marked with the "tv+" logo, like Severance or Silo) and a part of classic titles from other producers. Most Hollywood movies or digital releases you see in the app are part of Apple's digital rental/purchase store and require a separate one-time payment.
Conclusion
Apple TV Plus is one of the few streaming options that offer generous free trials and a high-quality exclusive library. In 2026, its cooperation with Friday Night Baseball and F1 makes it even better.
By understanding how to stream Apple TV Plus on different devices, use the new Windows app, and use tools like KeepStreams for Apple TV to archive your favorite content locally, you can take full control of your Apple TV Plus experience. Do not let expiring downloads ruin your next offline trip—start building a media library that truly belongs to you.
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