How to watch Apple TV free in December 2025, from free trials to special deals (original) (raw)

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Having trouble determining which streaming services to sign up to? (Here's a guide to the best streaming services if so.) We get it. They each have their own unique flavour, and they all cost money). Regardless, that money still adds up. Fast.

The trouble with streamers, aside from cost, is the content landfill – a million shows to watch, but you're only interested in three of them. Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) isn't like that, though, as its production house is far more bespoke and selective.

While there's a lot less on the platform than you might find on Prime Video or Netflix, every show counts, and they all punch above their weight – from Ted Lasso (season four is on its way!) and Slow Horses to Ben Stiller's Severance. It's like the HBO of streamers: quality over quantity.

adam scott, severance

Apple

Want to know more about Apple TV+'s content? Fill your boots. But what about all the ways to get it free, or for less money? There are quite a few, and not all of them require purchasing something else.

Get Apple TV free trial

The usual fee for subscribing to Apple TV is £9.99/month in the UK or $12.99/month in the US (up from £8.99/$9.99), which is comparable to the other streamers on the market.

Prices last rose in August 2025 – Apple TV's first price increase in nearly two years – although the UK yearly fee of £89/year was frozen.

But if you want to try before you buy, save on the full subscription price – or are only really interested in one or two shows that you reckon you can binge fairly swiftly (no judgment here) – there are a few ways to do it.

Seven-day Apple TV free trial

Apple TV offers all new customers seven days' worth of access completely free. You know how a try-before-you-buy works: a week to try out (or indeed binge entirely) the shows you think you'll like, and if you don't, cancel your subscription before the period ends and walk away. If you decide to stay on the hook, you'll be paying the £9.99 monthly fee as above.

Get 7-day free Apple TV trial

One free month of Apple One

An even better option might be to try out Apple One, its bundle that includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, Apple Music and 50GB iCloud+ storage. You can get one month's service free before paying £18.95/$19.95. (For an individual, it's £24.95/$25.95 for a family subscription or £36.95/$37.95 per month for the Premier bundle, which also includes Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+.)

Try Apple One free for a month

Apple TV three-month free trial

Another way to do it is to buy some Apple hardware. If you purchase a new iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac, you'll get Apple TV free for three months.

Admittedly, you're spending a fair wedge to get the tools, but if you're buying, say, an iPhone 17 anyway, consider the TV package a bonus at no extra cost. Find out more about how to redeem here.

If you purchase an Apple TV hardware device, you'll get the three months free, too.

That's not the only way in through Apple itself. If you're a student, you can get a discounted Apple Music account, and Apple will throw a TV account in "for a limited time" (the site doesn't specify how long, but it's basically while you're still officially a student).

Already used up your free trials? There are still other ways to get Apple TV+ without paying.

Get Apple TV free trial

Six months of Apple TV free with EE

UK EE customers can get six months free with their plan – find out more information here.

Three months of Apple TV free with Three

Are you with Three? You could have three months free!

Six months of Apple TV free with T-Mobile

If you're based in the US, you can get Apple TV free with selected T-Mobile plans. (Eligible plans as of December 2025 include Experience More, Experience Beyond, Magenta MAX, Magenta Plus, Magenta MAX Welcome, Magenta Amplified, ONE Amplified, and ONE Plus.)

Three months of Apple TV free with Currys

There's more! If you sign up for the Currys Perks customer loyalty scheme, you can get Apple TV free for three months.

Headshot of Chris Longridge

Editor, Digital Spy Chris has over 25 years' experience as a writer and editor, having worked as a journalist covering TV and movies since the '90s. Starting out as a TV listings editor at the Press Association, he was quickly hired by the nascent Heat magazine, where he rose to become Senior Editor, interviewing the likes of Simon Cowell, Boris Johnson and Paris Hilton. Over the years he has written about entertainment with clarity and wit for Heat, Elle, Q, The Telegraph and of course Digital Spy, and has served many times as a judge in the Royal Television Society awards. He has written and recorded a novelty single with Lord Lloyd-Webber, written scripts for the National TV Awards, made Noel Edmonds cry, accidentally punched an Inbetweener and stolen a small piece of rubble from the Battle of Hogwarts movie set. (They can't have it back.) LinkedIn