Streaming price hikes have become the norm, but that doesn’t mean any of us like them. With the sudden Apple TV Plus hike, you still have several ways to avoid the increase without giving up your subscription and missing out on your favorite Apple originals.
Cancel Apple TV Plus for a Temporary Discount
Any time a streamer jacks up their price suddenly, users show their displeasure by canceling. For those that waited until the price hike went into effect, Apple is offering a temporary two-month discount. Instead of the new $12.99/month, you’ll get two months at $5.99/month.
Personally, Apple TV Plus’s library isn’t that massive, which is why so many users are angry about the increase. So, if you just have a handful of shows you want to finish up, use your two-month discounted rate to finish watching and then cancel until something else pops up you’re interested in.
The way you cancel depends on what device you’re using. The universal method is to use a web browser. Go to Apple TV. Login and click your profile icon at the top right. Then, go to Settings -> Subscriptions -> Manage (under Apple TV+). Click Cancel and confirm your choice.
It’s possible you won’t receive the offer, but most users are receiving it.
Switch to an Annual Plan
Locking yourself into an annual plan might not be for everyone. But, if Apple TV Plus is your go-to streaming service, the discount is well worth it. Instead of $12.99/month, the annual plan is just $99/year. This works out to just $8.25/month.
Be aware that Apple may raise the annual rate at any time. However, if you lock in before it goes up, you get that much lower rate for a year. Just remember to cancel before the year ends or it’ll automatically renew at whatever the then current price is.
Sign into your Apple account on the web or any of your Apple devices. Access your subscriptions and change your Apple TV+ plan from monthly to yearly.
Take Advantage of Mobile Carrier Deals
If you’re looking to switch mobile carriers or plans while avoiding the Apple TV Plus price increase, check out Verizon and T-Mobile. Both offer discounts on Apple TV Plus.
With Verizon, the discount isn’t all that great. You get $5 off a monthly Apple One bundle subscription. It’s $15/month and you can’t share it, so it’s $15 per line. The plan itself is $95 for a single line, but it drops if you add more lines.
T-Mobile’s offer is far more attractive. You get Apple TV Plus, Netflix with ads, and Hulu with the Experience Beyond plan for $100/month for one line. Just like with Verizon, the cost decreases as you add more lines. You also get T-Satellite. If you’re not interested in Hulu, the Experience More plan is $85/month.
Bundle Apple Services and Save
If you use multiple premium Apple services, the easiest way to avoid the Apple TV Plus price hike is to bundle. Apple offers three Apple One bundles – Individual ($19.95/month), Family ($25.95/month), and Premier ($37.95/month).
If you don’t have anyone to share the bundle with, stick with the Individual plan. You get access to iCloud+, tv+, Music, and Arcade. This saves you $12/month versus buying each separately.
If you want to share with up to five other people, opt for the Family or Premier plan. Family is identical to the Individual plan, but adds sharing and more iCloud+ storage. With Premier, you get even more storage along with Fitness+ and News+. Sharing means everyone gets their own profiles, which works great for sharing Apple Music and TV where everyone has their own tastes.
Wait for Discount Periods
If you tend to binge then not watch for a while, cancel Apple TV Plus and wait for discount periods. The trick to this is you have to be a new subscriber. This means you’ll need a new email address and a new payment method.
If you have multiple email accounts (temp emails won’t work for this) and multiple credit cards, you can sign up as a new user multiple times. Some people buy prepaid credit cards just for this purpose. You can easily create new, free email accounts just for streaming services or any subscriptions.
Typically, you’ll find Apple TV Plus discounts during major shopping holidays, such as Black Friday. Roku created National Streaming Day in 2014. This occurs in May and leads to numerous streaming discounts as well.
I personally saw Apple TV Plus for $2.99/month for two months this past May. But, Black Friday deals are often even lower.
Use Your Student Email
If you’re a college student, use your student email (must have a .edu domain) to sign up for a discounted Apple Music plan. It’s just $5.99/month. For now, it also includes free access to Apple TV Plus.
You may need reverify at times to prove you’re still a student. You can’t share your subscription. It’s only available for up to 48 months, but take advantage while you can.
While you might not be able to avoid the Apple TV Plus price hike forever, enjoy discounts while you can. And, if you can’t watch anything because you’ve lost your Apple TV remote, here’s what to do.
