Just over six years ago, Apple — a largely electronics and tech-based retailer — made its debut into the streaming market, with the launch of its DTC service, Apple TV Plus. While many were doubtful that Apple's entry could keep up with other streaming giants — namely Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video — it has consistently proved them wrong with an array of award-winning films and TV shows.
While its content library is not as extensive as its competitors, Apple serves subscribers a platter of high-quality originals, very much focusing on quality over quantity. Despite this, Apple claims new shows and movies are added to the platform every Wednesday and Friday and has stayed consistent with a monthly drop (or two) of original content.
However, some question whether Apple TV Plus is worth maintaining an ongoing subscription to, especially if you’re looking to cut down recurring monthly expenses. To help you decide if Apple TV Plus is best for you, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide on what the service will cost you this year, what’s included in its monthly plan and more.
If you’re interested in price comparisons across streaming services available in Australia or what the best streaming services in Australia are, we’ve got you sorted. Or if you're wondering what to watch tonight, our continuously updated guide could help you find your next binge-watch, too.
Apple TV Plus Australia plans and prices
Apple TV Plus currently offers two subscription plans:
Monthly plan | AU$12.99
Annual plan | AU$129.99
Apple makes subscribing to its TV Plus service incredibly simple by having just one tier to select. This is an ad-free monthly subscription, which you can share with up to five Apple Family members. You can experience up to 4K resolution, Dolby Atmos soundtracks and more, at a decent price of AU$12.99 p/m.
Unlike some of Apple's other products that are geared towards Apple loyalists, Apple TV Plus can be accessed by anyone, virtually anywhere. As expected, it's available on iPhones, iPads, Macs and the Apple TV media player. But you can also access Apple TV on a wide range of other devices, including games consoles, TVs or a web browser.
Aside from a monthly Apple TV Plus plan, you can bundle your Apple subs (think Apple Fitness, Music, Arcade, etc.) under a single Apple One monthly plan. Starting from AU$24.95p/m for an individual plan, these bundles automatically include Apple TV Plus, so if you've invested in an Apple ecosystem you might already have access without even knowing.
How to pick the right plan for your needs
For most streaming services — Apple TV Plus included — plan prices typically revolve around two key factors: number of screens and streaming resolution. Obviously, some other factors go into this, like catalogue access and other non-streaming-related benefits, but for the most part, plans are based on the former.
The biggest difference between Apple TV Plus and other streaming services is its accessibility. Unlike services that offer similar price points, you can stream Apple TV Plus on up to six screens at the same time — at least two screens more than any other platform. And if you’re looking to watch content offline, Apple has unlimited downloads per device.
This could mean, for larger households, you can stream on different devices under the same Apple ID. However, if you want to set up user profiles, you’ll need to add a different Apple ID per household/ Apple Family member if you want to keep viewing recommendations separate (and if you don’t want family-friendly content coming up in the middle of a Severance binge).
Are there ways to save on subscription costs?
You can access a complimentary three-month subscription to Apple TV Plus when you purchase an eligible Apple device, so you can give it a go and stick around afterwards if it's up your alley. If you haven't made a recent Apple purchase, you can take advantage of a 7-day free trial that you can cancel anytime.
If you’re on an Apple Music Student plan you’ll get a free sub to Apple TV Plus too, so that’ll save you a chunk of change if you’re a budget conscious uni student.
Meanwhile, switching to an annual sub can save you AU$25.89 per year — which leaves you a little wiggle room if you decide to rent or buy iTunes content.
How does Apple TV Plus pricing compare to other streaming services?
Apple TV Plus doesn't seamlessly compare to other services, as it only offers one subscription tier. That being said, it does offer a mid-range cost of AU$12.99p/m and AU$155.88 per year for a standard, ad-free plan. When compared to other plans, it comes in just under the average of AU$14.55p/m.
How does Apple TV Plus' content catalogue compare?
In terms of content, Apple TV Plus offerings feature primarily original content and other licensed content that is available to either rent or buy. Notably, Apple TV Plus has a running list of original content releases since its launch, and while it’s not as extensive as Netflix’s catalogue, Apple TV Plus originals are on par when it comes to quality.
Apple TV Plus is home to 269 original titles, which include 81 movies and 188 television shows. When compared to other services, Apple TV Plus has the second smallest content library, just ahead of BritBox's 227 titles.
Apple TV Plus original shows include feel-good soccer comedy, Ted Lasso, Morning Wars, an unapologetic candid workplace drama led by powerhouses Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and mind-boggling sci-fi series Severance.
Recent additions include continuing Mythic Quest's tale with spin-off series, Side Quest and a new show, Dope Thief, where an unsuspecting duo unearth the biggest drug ring on the Eastern Seaboard after robbing a house.
In April, the streamer delivers quirky family comedy, Government Cheese, premiering on April 16 and a new film starring Jon Hamm, Your Friends & Neighbours.
Has the Australian Apple TV Plus price increased over time?
Over the last 12 months, the streaming service has upped its subscription price twice, resulting in a AU$5 increase from AU$7.99 p/m to AU$12.99 p/m. Despite the increase in cost, Apple TV Plus remains one of the more affordable streaming services in Australia, especially when you factor in its lack of adverts.
However, you may incur extra costs by buying or renting other licensed content, as mentioned above. If you’re keen to rent or buy something that isn’t available to stream yet, you may want to consider Prime Video too, as it is also a prominent feature (and prices per rental can be a bit pricey on Apple TV Plus).
Is an Apple TV Plus subscription worth it?
If you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably still debating whether an Apple TV Plus subscription is worth signing up for, so here’s our recommendation.
Apple TV Plus used to be affordable enough to justify a year round subscription, but with recent price hikes and the ending of originals like Ted Lasso, some may find it hard to stick with.
However, Apple TV Plus has a plethora of new releases coming out this year and while we recommend committing to it this month, we may change our minds next month. Apple does offer a 7-day free trial, as well as other ways to access a complimentary sub, so we recommend giving that a go before deciding if it’s worth keeping or cancelling.
If you’re thinking of cancelling your subscription, we have a guide on how to cancel Apple TV Plus AU that you may want to check out.
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