- Apple TV prefers to charge subscriptions rather than display ads… for now
- Exec says streaming service will remain ad-free but not ‘forever’
- Apple TV costs less than most competitors, but has tripled in price since launch
Apple has no plans to introduce advertising on its streaming service, according to Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Apple Services. That’s not to say that ads won’t eventually arrive, as we know Apple has explored this possibility. But that’s not on the horizon any time soon.
Cue spoke to British film industry magazine Screen International for its November issue, which asked if there were any plans to launch an ad-based subscription tier for Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+). He said: “Nothing yet…I don’t want to say no forever, but there’s nothing planned. If we can stay aggressive with our pricing, it’s best for consumers not to be interrupted by ads.”
This is good news for Apple TV subscribers who prefer not to be sold products in the middle of Pluribus or endure sales messages during Slow horses. And to be fair to Apple, even though it’s a lot more expensive than before, it still costs a lot less than many competitors, as the table below shows.
How does the Apple TV price compare to other streamers?
All major streamers have seen several significant price increases since 2021/22, including Apple TV, which announced a 30% increase in costs in 2025. The price is currently fixed at $12.99 per month in the US and £9.99 per month in the UK. There is only one subscription plan, and it’s completely ad-free, except for ads for Apple shows and movies.
When you compare Apple to its competitors, there’s more than just ads or no ads: Apple streams the highest quality, with surround sound, for everyone. Many competitors don’t, so if you want 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, you should go for the premium tier rather than the standard tier.
In some cases, this means that competitors cost more for the same quality (though of course that’s not the only consideration: There are big differences between different streamers’ catalogs of shows and movies, which is why we’ve put together a guide to the best streaming services for every type of viewer and budget).
With Hulu, you’ll pay $18.99 in the US for ad-free viewing in 4K via the Premium plan. In the UK, Hulu is sold under the Disney+ brand, where ad-free viewing with Dolby Atmos support currently costs £14.99 per month.
Netflix also offers multiple tiers, and if you want 4K video quality rather than just HD, you need Premium. That’s $24.99 per month in the US and £18.99 per month in the UK. Meanwhile, HBO Max currently costs $16.99 per month without ads; the UK service is not expected to launch until 2026.
Among the biggest streaming platforms, two are more affordable than Apple: Prime Video and Paramount+.
The ad-free tier of Prime Video is priced separately from the main subscription, which is $8.99 per month in the US and £5.99 in the UK or included as part of a Prime subscription (currently $14.99 / £8.99 per month). Removing ads (and getting Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos) costs $2.99/£2.99 per month on top.
And Paramount+ costs $12.99 for the Premium plan in the US and £10.99 in the UK. This gives you 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
In many cases, you can reduce costs with bundles. For example, my Apple TV is part of my broader Apple One subscription for iCloud storage and Apple Music. And many streamers offer annual plans with significant savings over monthly subscription prices, although that of course means you can’t pause and resume your subscription from month to month like many cord cutters do.
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