T-Mobile is ending its popular free Apple TV perk and moving eligible customers to a small co-pay before dropping them into full retail pricing. The carrier says it will continue to cover $9.99 of the monthly cost for a transitional period, during which subscribers pay the remaining $3. After that window, your subscription will automatically renew at Apple’s current $12.99 monthly rate. You can cancel at any time.
What’s Changing For T-Mobile Customers
The change affects T-Mobile’s premium plans, including Experience More, Experience Beyond, Go5G Plus, Go5G Next, Magenta MAX, Magenta Plus, and ONE Plus. T-Mobile has been notifying customers by text that Apple’s recent price hike prompted the adjustment. In practical terms, your bill increases by $3 a month for about six months, then your subscription rolls over to Apple’s full list price — whether you notice it or not.
If you enrolled in Apple TV through T-Mobile billing, check your account settings and set a reminder for the auto-renew date. Canceling before the transition ends will prevent your plan from converting to standard pricing, and you can always re-subscribe directly through Apple or via a bundle if you find a better offer.
Why T-Mobile Is Making This Move
Apple has raised the price of its streaming service to $12.99 per month and unified it under the Apple TV brand. Services chief Eddy Cue has said Apple has no plans for a cheaper ad-supported tier and instead will lean into premium content, including major sports like F1 and MLS, at no additional cost. As wholesale prices climb, carriers typically pass those increases along to customers, and T-Mobile is no exception.
Industry analysts at firms such as Antenna and Deloitte have tracked steady streaming price increases alongside higher churn as households rethink their subscriptions. In this environment, bundles, annual plans, and student discounts have become essential tools for keeping monthly costs under control.
How To Keep Apple TV For Less
Go annual for the biggest discount: If you stick with Apple TV and choose the annual plan, it costs $99 per year. Instead of paying $12.99 monthly, you save about $56 over 12 months and lock in that rate for a full year. If you watch regularly, this is the simplest value play.
Bundle with Peacock for more content: Apple and NBCUniversal offer an Apple TV plus Peacock Premium bundle for $14.99 per month, or a package with Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99. If you already stream Bravo, NBC, or sports on Peacock, the bundle can be cheaper than paying for each service separately.
Use the Apple Music Student plan if eligible: Verified college students can get Apple TV and Apple Music together for $5.99 per month for up to 48 months. It’s a substantial discount on two flagship services, though you will need to pass eligibility checks.
Consider Apple One bundles: If you already pay for Apple Music, iCloud+, or Arcade, an Apple One plan can trim your total. The base tier includes Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and 50 GB of iCloud+ storage for less than paying à la carte. Family and higher tiers add more storage and sharing options.
Check your home internet perks: Comcast’s Xfinity StreamSaver comes with Netflix, Peacock, and Apple TV for a relatively low monthly price that remains competitive even as it rises. Other ISPs run similar deals from time to time, so it’s worth checking your account before you pay full price directly.
Watch for limited-time promotions: Apple TV has often dropped into the single digits around major sale periods. These promos usually exclude accounts billed through third parties, so if you want to take advantage, subscribe directly with your Apple ID and set a reminder for when the promo period ends.
Tricks To Avoid Bill Creep
Audit how you’re billed: Offers can vary depending on whether you pay through a carrier, an app store, or directly. If your Apple TV subscription is billed through a third party, switching to direct billing via your Apple ID may unlock Apple’s own discounts and bundles.
Use Family Sharing: Apple TV supports Family Sharing, allowing one subscription to cover up to six people. If your household uses multiple Apple services, an Apple One Family plan can roll several bills into one discounted bundle.
Rotate and pause subscriptions: Cycle through secondary services based on what you want to watch that month. Media analysts note that pausing subscriptions between major show releases is now common and can meaningfully cut costs. Because Apple TV bills month to month, it’s easy to cancel and re-subscribe without extra fees.
Take advantage of device promos: New Apple hardware often includes extended free trials of Apple TV. If you are already planning an upgrade, cancel any paid subscription first, then activate the trial so you don’t overlap payments and free time.
Bottom Line: Keeping Apple TV Without Paying Full Price
T-Mobile’s free Apple TV perk disappearing is part of a broader reset as content costs climb across the industry. The good news is that you still have several ways to keep Apple TV in your streaming rotation without paying full freight every month. Annual billing, smart bundles, student pricing, ISP deals, and well-timed promos can all trim your total — the best choice depends on how often and how intensely you actually watch.
