The streaming market is quickly becoming saturated with competition. With so many platforms popping up one after the other, it is becoming difficult to choose the right platform for you. To help narrow down your options, we put Apple TV+ and Netflix head-to-head to see which would give you the best bang for your buck.
Apple TV+ offers a great free trial
Apple is generous when it comes to giving out free trials for its streaming platform. Plus, if you’ve recently purchased an eligible Apple product, you can get a 3-month long free trial of Apple TV+.
But don’t worry. If you aren’t a happy owner of a new iPhone or iPad, you’re not out of luck. You can still get a free trial of Apple TV+. You’re not gonna get a full 3-month long sample, but you’ll still get to try out the platform for a week (terms and conditions apply).
Despite being the standard-bearer for the on-demand streaming business, Netflix is rather stingy when it comes to free trials, and hasn’t offered one in a long time.
As far as free trials are concerned, Apple TV+ beats Netflix in this category.
Apple TV+’s prices run laps around Netflix’s
Apple TV+ has a singular plan that comes with no ads and 6 simultaneous streams.
AppleTV Plus
Try 7 days free
- On demand content
- No ads
- Stream on six screens
- Offline viewing
$9.99/month
Netflix offers 3 different plans, with ranging prices. It’s cheapest plan, Standard with ads, is the same price as Apple TV+, but comes with ads and only two simultaneous streams. Netflix’s other two plans, Standard and Premium, are ad-free and come with two and four simultaneous streams, respectively.
Netflix Standard with Ads
- Stream on two screens
- On demand content
- HD video quality
- Downloads on up to two devices
$6.99/month
Netflix Standard
- No ads
- Stream on two screens
- HD video quality
- Downloads on up to two devices
$15.49/month
Netflix Premium
- No ads
- Stream on four screens
- HD and 4K video quality
- Downloads on up to six devices
$22.99/month
Netflix has the wider content library
Apple TV+ prides itself on housing some of the best streaming originals on the market. You can watch numerous Emmy nominated series like Ted Lasso, Bad Sisters, and Shrinking. Apple TV+ is also one of the few streamers that only has exclusive content on the platform, so you won’t be able to watch anything that’s not created or exclusive to Apple TV+.
On the other side, Netflix covers both original and licensed content to a great degree. With originals spanning all the way back to the early 2010’s, Netflix now has enough originals to fill its own small streamer. On top of that, a new batch of licensed titles cycle onto the platform every month. There’s always something to watch on Netflix, even if you’ve already seen it.
Both services offer great device support
Watching movies and series on your mobile devices is one of the joys of modern technology. For that reason, device support is a key feature to look out for when choosing between streaming services.
Let’s take a gander at how Netflix and Apple TV+ stack up when it comes to device support.
Apple TV+ Device Support
Since Apple TV+ is developed by Apple, you can expect the service to have app support on all iOS devices, Mac, and Apple TV. But besides that, most modern devices have Apple TV+ app support such as:
- Smart TVs - Select Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio models
- Web Browsers - Safari and all chromium based browsers
- Game Consoles - Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Playstation 4 and 5
- Streaming Devices - Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, and Chromecast
As you can expect from the world’s most popular tech company, Apple TV+ has an app for almost every device.
Netflix Device Support
Over the years, Netflix has expanded its device support to cover almost every modern device. These days, you can watch Netflix on devices like:
- iOS - Apple TV and all iOS devices
- Smart TVs - Select LG, Vizio, Samsung, and Xfinity models
- Game Consoles - Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Playstation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch
- Web Browsers - Safari and all chromium based browsers
- Streaming Devices - Chromecast, Android TV, Roku, and Fire TV
Besides maybe your smart fridge, you can expect your device to have a Netflix app.
Apple TV offers more simultaneous streams
One of the annoyances of cable TV is having to fight for TV time. Unless every TV in the house is hooked up with a cable connection, you’ll inevitably have to fight for your turn on the tube.
But with streaming services, arguments over who gets to watch become a thing of the past thanks to account sharing.
Apple TV+ account sharing
Apple TV+ allows the entire family to have their own screen to watch their preferred content. The service has a 6 device simultaneous login limit.
Netflix account sharing
Netflix has a simultaneous login limit based on the tier of your subscription.
- The Standard with ads and Standard plans allow two simultaneous streams
- The Premium plan has a maximum capacity of 4 device simultaneous login
While not as generous as Apple TV+, Netflix is still competitive when it comes to the simultaneous login feature.
Say goodbye to cable TV with Netflix and Apple TV+
Both Apple TV+ and Netflix have plenty to offer. If you’re looking for a great mix of originals and licensed shows and movies, Netflix would be the better option. If you’re looking for a smaller, cheaper service with great original content, Apple TV+ will be your best bet. Try them both out and see which one works for you.
Davan Hamilton • Editor
Davan Hamilton is an editor and writer based in Jacksonville, FL. Holding a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, her writing spans a wide range, from essays on film criticism and analysis to surreal poetry. Now, she works for Flixed as an editor, continuing to ignore the list of passion projects she’s accumulated. When she’s not glued to her computer, you can find her building endless amounts of Lego sets, binge-reading manga, or playing with (fighting) her cat.
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