- Apple TV would rather charge subscriptions than show 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 bring advertising to its streaming service, according to Apple Services senior vice president Eddy Cue. That doesn’t mean ads won’t come eventually, because we know Apple has explored the possibility. But it’s not just on the horizon.
Cue spoke to British film industry magazine Screen International in its November issue, who asked him if there were plans to launch an ad-based subscription tier for Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+). He said: “Nothing at this point… I won’t say no forever, but there are no plans. If we can stay aggressive with our pricing, it’s better for consumers not to be interrupted with ads.”
This is good news for Apple TV subscribers who would rather not be sold products in the middle Multibus or endure sales messages under Slow horses. And in fairness to Apple, while it’s a lot more expensive than it used to be, it still costs significantly less than many competitors – as the table below shows.
How does the Apple TV price compare to other streamers?
All the major streamers have had several significant price increases since 2021/22, including Apple TV, which announced a 30% increase in costs in 2025. It currently comes in at a flat $12.99 per TV. month in the US and £9.99 per month in Great Britain. There’s only one subscription plan, and it’s completely ad-free except for ads for Apple’s own shows and movies.
When you compare Apple to its rivals, there’s more to it than just ads vs. no ads: Apple streams in the highest quality with surround sound for everyone. Many rivals don’t, so if you want 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos, go for the premium level rather than the standard level.
In some cases, that means rivals 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 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, with ad-free viewing with Dolby Atmos support currently costing £14.99 a month.
Netflix also has multiple tiers, and if you want 4K video quality rather than just HD, you need Premium. It is $24.99 per month in the US and £18.99 per month in Great Britain. Meanwhile, HBO Max currently costs $16.99 per month for ad-free; the UK service is not expected to launch until 2026.
Of the major streaming platforms, two are more affordable than Apple: Prime Video and Paramount+.
Prime Video’s ad-free tier is charged separately to the main subscription, which costs $8.99 per month. month in the US and £5.99 in the UK or included as part of a Prime membership (currently $14.99 / £8.99 monthly). Removing the ads (and getting Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos) costs $2.99 / £2.99 per month on top of that.
And Paramount+ is $12.99 for the Premium plan in the US and £10.99 in the UK. It gives you 4K with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
In many cases you can cut costs with bundles, so for example my Apple TV is part of my wider Apple One subscription for iCloud storage and Apple Music. And many streamers offer annual plans with significant savings over monthly subscription prices, though of course that means you can’t pause and resume your subscription from month to month like many cord cutters do.
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