Apple TV Plus free trials: how to check out Apple's streaming service for free

Apple TV Plus
(Image credit: Apple)

With new hit shows coming out all the time, Apple's streaming service has become one of the most popular for new subscribers, and Apple TV Plus free trials make it easy to test out the platform without paying for it.

Usually, it costs you $9.99 / £8.99 per month to subscribe to Apple TV Plus, but Apple offers loads of free trials which let you get between one and twelve months for absolutely no cost. This way you can dive into our list of the best Apple TV Plus shows and try and watch as many as possible without paying.

Some of these Apple TV Plus free trials are offered by Apple itself, and others are perks for signing up to other services or deals. This page is updated constantly to stay current.

So let's dive into the Apple TV Plus free trials list. Just note that these trials aren't available with the Apple TV Plus MLS plan, which offers Major League Soccer streaming, as that expansion service costs more.

Apple TV Plus free trials in the US

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Apple TV Plus standard trial — 7 days
While most of this list offers trials for customers of other services, Apple itself offers a standard seven-day free trial to its streaming service, which automatically renews into a $6.99-per-month subscription

Apple One free trial this won't work on Apple TV Plus if you've already used a free trial on it.

Apple One free trial — 1 month
Apple has loads of subscription packages, and Apple One is the big one, which includes TV Plus, Arcade, Music and more. There's a free trial of this for one month, but just note, you can only get a free trial for the individual apps you haven't already used. So this won't work on Apple TV Plus if you've already used a free trial on it.

Apple product trial

Apple product trial— 3 months
Bought an iPhone, iPad or another Apple product recently? Head to the Apple TV app on it and sign in, and you'll be automatically granted a three-month free trial. This is a great one for Apple fans.

Best Buy free trial

Best Buy free trial — 3 months
New or returning Apple TV Plus subscribers can get a free three months of Apple TV Plus for absolutely nothing, just by "buying" it through Best Buy. Is this too good to be true? No, it's really real.

T-Mobile Magenta trial

T-Mobile Magenta trial — 6/12 months
Are on one of T-Mobile's Magenta plans? Well then here's a trial for you. If you're on the standard Magenta you get a six-month trial, but Magenta MAX includes the service for free. To sign up, simply head to the Benefit Redemption section of your account menu on T-Mobile's website.

Sprint Max / One

Sprint Max / One — 12/6 months
Sprint customers can enjoy a free Apple TV Plus trial depending on the plan. Max customers get 12 months free, while One customers get six months. This is similar to the T-Mobile deal because Sprint is now T-Mobile, but people who signed up for Sprint's legacy plans get this separate deal.

Apple TV Plus free trials in the UK

Apple TV Plus standard trial

Apple TV Plus standard trial— 7 days
You can get an Apple TV Plus free trial without being a customer of any other service, with Apple itself offering a week of free streaming. You then get put onto the standard £6.99-per-month plan.

Apple One free trial this won't work on Apple TV Plus if you've already used a free trial on it.

Apple One free trial — 1 month
Apple One includes most of Apple's subscriptions including TV Plus, Arcade, Music and more in one big package. You can get a month of it for free, but only on apps you haven't already used, so this won't work on Apple TV Plus if you've already used a free trial on it.

Apple product trial

Apple product trial— 3 months
If you buy a new Apple product like an iPhone, iPad or Mac, you're automatically enrolled for a three-month free trial, saving you nearly £21. To get this one, when you've bought your new i-device, head to the Apple TV Plus app and sign in to be presented with the trial.

3 UK Apple customers

3 UK Apple customers — 3 months
If you buy an iPhone or iPad through 3 UK, or one of its home broadband bundles, you can get a three-month trial of Apple TV Plus thrown in too, to enjoy on your new device.

Currys Perks / purchase

Currys Perks / purchase — 3 + 3 months
Here's one trial that's totally free and another that's partly free. Sign up to Currys Perks (for free), and you'll get three months of Apple TV Plus for free, as well as newsletters about... well, perks for shopping at Currys. Whether or not you sign up, there's another three-month trial offered if you buy tech from Currys, and you can find devices included in the deal here.

O2 customer deal

O2 customer deal — 6 months
New customers buying an iPhone or iPad subscription from O2 can get six months free Apple TV Plus (and six months of Apple Music, and four of Apple Fitness) buy signing up to a Plus Plan contract. The extra cost of a Plus Plan is generally less than the monthly cost of TV Plus.

EE customer deal

EE customer deal— 6 months
Any EE mobile customer is eligible for a six-month Apple TV Plus trial, whether you're a new customer or an existing one (though if you're an existing Apple TV Plus subscriber you'll need to cancel first to get this). On your EE phone just text 'TV Plus' to 150 and EE will send you a code to do the rest.

Vodafone customer deal Expires Wednesday, September 4

Vodafone customer deal — 3 months
Vodafone customers can head to the Rewards section of the My Vodafone app to net a three-month free Apple TV Plus subscription. This is reduced to two months if you've previously added a free trial to the same account, but that's still a nice long time.
Expires Wednesday, September 4

Apple TV Plus free premieres

You don't even need to get an Apple TV Plus free trial to check out select originals from the streamer. That's because it lets you stream the first episode of select TV shows without even signing up, to get you hooked.

You can use the Apple TV Plus website here to find the episodes, and we'll also share a list of which shows are currently available as part of the free premiere collection:

Apple TV Plus free trial: your questions answered

Can existing Apple TV Plus subscribers get a free month?

No — unfortunately if you're already a paying Apple TV Plus subscriber, you can't use the above methods to get free months stacked onto your subscription.

Some, but not all, of the above trials are available for returning subscribers though — that's people who used to pay for their subscription, but cancelled it in the past. 

Can I stack up Apple TV Plus free trials?

Again, no.

Sadly, you can't just sign up to all of the above trials and accumulate years' worth of free Apple TV Plus — even though that would tide you over until Ted Lasso season 200. 

This is because, as soon as you sign up to one trial, you're technically a subscriber, and so you can't sign up to new trials. So we'd recommend opting for the longest-lasting trial you can.

Why do I have to put in my credit card details for the Apple TV Plus free trial?

When you sign up for an Apple TV Plus free trial, you'll have to put in your card details, so you'd be forgiven for being wary of the "free" nature of this trial.

Don't worry, it totally is, but with a catch — the trial rolls into a paid membership. You have to cancel your subscription yourself when your trial comes to an end, otherwise you'll automatically pay the monthly fee for your next month of subscription. That's how they get you!

What's the difference between Apple TV Plus and Apple TV?

Apple TV Plus is Apple's TV and movie subscription service, that lets you access a load of premium content for a monthly price.

It uses the same app as Apple TV though, which is Apple's app for all kinds of TV streaming, and you'll mainly use it on an Apple TV (the device), but it's available on iPhones, Macs and iPads too.

The Apple TV app offers content from all your streaming services that you use on the device, including Prime Video, Paramount Plus and Mubi, all in one place. You can also sign up to extra channels and pay for movies and TV shows you want to watch, either to rent or buy, similar to Roku or Prime Video.

Tom Bedford
Streaming and Ecommerce Writer

Tom is the streaming and ecommerce writer at What to Watch, covering streaming services in the US and UK. His goal is to help you navigate the busy and confusing online video market, to help you find the TV, movies and sports that you're looking for without having to spend too much money.