Apple TV Plus Review

Our Verdict

Apple TV Plus is an interesting first foot frontward from Apple tree in the streaming wars, but the company's non quite there yet.

For

Big-budget shows
Wide availability
Low price

Against

Few must-see shows

Tom'southward Guide Verdict

Apple TV Plus is an interesting offset foot frontwards from Apple tree in the streaming wars, but the company'due south not quite there notwithstanding.

Pros

+
Large-budget shows
+
Wide availability
+
Depression price

Apple TV Plus, the company'due south 4th premium subscription service (joining Apple tree Music, Apple News Plus and Apple Arcade) is here, and it'southward … interesting. Priced too low to write off immediately, Apple Tv set Plus aims to worm its way into your streaming habits with big names, important premises and a surprising amount of supported devices (at least for Apple). It's even on the Fire Tv set Stick (which Disney Plus can't claim still).

Having spent a weekend poking around the service's initial offerings, I've found that Apple Television set Plus package isn't exactly ready to compete with Netflix, even though some of the Apple tree service'southward shows can exist pretty entertaining. But our listing of the best Apple Television receiver Plus shows and movies shows that the service is building a decent catalogue.

The best Netflix shows: 55 serial to binge sentinel

TV is a medium where commercial (Big Blindside Theory) and disquisitional (The Wire) success can be mutually exclusive, so my lukewarm thoughts nearly some of Apple's shows may bear witness irrelevant over fourth dimension. The success of Apple tree TV Plus, notwithstanding, depends on many of its shows can detect a potent audition that makes the service a must-take.

Apple TV Plus pricing, availability and deals

Priced lower than any major streaming service, Apple Television set Plus costs $four.99 per month (with a one-week gratis trial). That includes 4K streaming (which costs $15.99 on Netflix) and family sharing, with a full of vi shared accounts permitted. Apple TV Plus is bachelor in more than than 100 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Yous can get a gratis year of Apple tree Tv set Plus past buying a device to watch it on; that could be the iPhone, iPad, Apple Boob tube, iPod touch or whatsoever Mac. Students paying for the $4.99 Apple tree Music account go Apple Television Plus for free.

We're not exactly plussed with Apple TV+. — (Image credit: Future)

Apple TV Plus app and device support: Flawed

Apple could not hope for its streaming service to succeed if it were express to just Apple's hardware; neither the Apple TV Hard disk drive ($149) nor the Apple TV 4K ($179) is affordable. Then, the good news is that the service isn't limited to the Boob tube app (available on tvOS, iOS, iPadOS and macOS).

There'south an Apple tree TV app for both Roku and Amazon Fire Television devices.

How well those apps run, though, is a different question. Apple tree TV Plus operates smoothly on Apple's own devices, only things didn't run as smoothly elsewhere. Users (including my colleague Andrew Due east. Freedman at Tom's Hardware) have reported random crashing in the web browser mode, and I saw the Amazon Fire Television receiver app stop mid-episode in Dickinson, which kicked me to the Apple TV app's home screen.

I couldn't sentinel in a web browser for long plenty to see a crash, however, every bit I saw bumpy video quality, especially when people were moving in both See and Dickinson. Frustratingly, any progress made in a web browser doesn't deport over to other apps. That stack of browser-based bug might seem pocket-sized for those with a streaming stick or box, only those who use their laptop for their TV would say otherwise.

A less annoying, but nonetheless noticeable issue happened equally I streamed Apple Television set Plus shows on the Fire Boob tube Stick 4K; the load time later fast-forwarding or rewinding a show was nigh 8 seconds on average, while Netflix (5 seconds) and Prime number Video (four seconds) loaded footage faster.

My Roku Ultra had the least-annoying issue of all outside platforms, equally I noticed a slight lag betwixt clicking a button on the remote and the on-screen graphics responding.

Apple TV Plus library: Not aiming for quantity

Apple TV Plus' $four.99-per-month price makes sense given that you can fit the nine entries in the Apple Idiot box Plus launch listing — The Morning Show, See, For All Mankind, Dickinson, Ghostwriter, Helpsters, Snoopy in Space, Oprah's Volume Club, The Elephant Queen — in a single smallish paragraph. A few of those originals made our list of the best Apple Goggle box Plus shows and movies, but it was a later release (Ted Lasso) that truly made people sign up.

Y'all can't say the same nearly Netflix's originals lineup, which earns its college price (Hard disk drive streaming costs $15.99 per month) with quantity, offering hundreds of shows and movies. Disney Plus launched with nine originals, and those shows will debut one episode per week, merely the service rolled out many more than new hits and Curiosity and Star Wars shows that nigh make it a value pick at $7.99 per calendar month.

Outlook: Waiting on more than hits

Is Apple Television set Plus worth it? Well, the shows certainly wait similar they cost a lot to make, but based on my feel, I have to say the service'due south value is on a case-by-example ground. You can watch all of Ted Lasso and love it, simply across that you might want more (and not detect information technology).

I'll exist updating this review equally Apple Television Plus evolves, as it's a living, breathing affair. I currently pay for Apple TV Plus as a part of an Apple tree One package.

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Henry is a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past half dozen-plus years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Mag. He'south also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.