If you’re looking to have fun on a budget in 2025, Apple TV+ has a great opportunity for you: free access to its TV series and movies for a full weekend! The streaming service’s offer is a great way to kick off the new year for entertainment fans. Keep reading to find out more about this limited-time Apple TV+ deal, plus other streaming services that offer free trials.
What is the Apple TV+ free weekend?
Streaming service Apple TV+ is looking to entice potential customers with a fantastic deal: free access to all of its content during the first weekend of 2025. It’s an easy way to check out award-winning “Apple Originals” like The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, Bad Sisters, Slow Horses and movies like Fly Me to the Moon. The platform boasts on its website that new original content drops monthly and is always ad-free.
The all-access deal will be available worldwide, but for a limited time. The free pass is only available to use from January 3 through January 5—perfect for a cozy January weekend!
How to access the AppleTV+ free weekend
Though Apple TV+ does offer a regular free trial, this free weekend is a first for the streaming service, reports TechRadar.com. Best of all? You don’t even have to formally sign up to watch the content!
Interested customers just need to have an Apple ID to access the platform. Then you can watch on any device where Apple TV+ is available. According to the Apple website, these include iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and AirPlay. You can also watch AppleTV+ online at tv.apple.com or via the Apple TV app.
Other Apple TV+ trials
If you miss the opportunity to take advantage of the free weekend or are still unsure after January 5 if you want to subscribe, the platform offers other ways to try it out for free.
- Free 7-day trial. You can test out the monthly subscription and get 7 days free by signing up on the Apple website.
- Free 1-month trial. If you choose to opt into Apple One, you can bundle Apple TV+ with up to five other services: Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+ and iCloud+. You’ll pay one monthly price for all of these services, but start off with a free 1-month trial.
- Free 3-month trial. Purchasing an Apple device will automatically grant your three free months of Apple TV+. You just need to redeem the offer within 90 days.
After any of these free trials have ended (except for Apple One), you can continue to use the service by paying a monthly subscription of $9.99. The subscription can then be shared with up to five people.
Other free streaming trials
Apple TV+ isn’t the only platform where you can watch your favorite TV series and movies for free on a short-term basis. Here are other streaming services that offer limited trials:
Hulu
When you sign up for Hulu, you’ll be able to enjoy episodes of original series, classic shows and hit movies for free over a 7-day period. Hulu can be watched online or on Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV (4th gen), Chromecast, Fire TV & Fire Stick, Xbox One and Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch and select LG TV models. The normal cost for the service starts at $7.00 per month with ads.
Paramount+
Similar to Hulu, this platform offers customers a mix of classic and nostalgic options for viewers of all ages—all of which can be watched for free with a 7-day trial. After, you can stay subscribed for a minimum of $4.00 per month. Paramount+ is also included in a Walmart+ membership and allows for access to its content.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV isn’t just a satellite TV service these days; they now offer a streaming service full of movies, TV series and even some live T. Their free trial is available for a 5-day period. Customers will then be paying a minimum of $79.99 per month for continued access.
Amazon Prime
This streaming service offers one of the best free trial deals out there! Potential customers can work their way through the Amazon Prime catalog for 30 days before deciding whether to continue subscribing. If they do, they’ll be paying $8.99 per month for just Prime Video Membership or $14.99 for the tier that also includes free shipping orders on any shopping purchases.
