Image Credit: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ reportedly had 40 million users at the end of 2020, but with Apple’s one year free trials, how many of them are actually paying?

While Apple has never revealed subscriber numbers, market data, research and analytics firm Ampere Analysis estimated Apple’s ad-free subscription video streaming service had 33.6 million users by the end of 2019. A year later, Statista estimates Apple TV+ had 40 million users at the end of 2020. Apple TV+ launched in November 2019, the same month as Disney’s own video streaming service. As of March 2021, Disney+ hit 100 million subscribers, however Apple’s efforts in video streaming are still to be commended, as all of the shows and films on TV+ are new and original, whereas Disney had a massive back catalogue of family favourites to offer to potential subscribers. Apple’s advantage is hooking viewers via their one year free subscription with the purchase of new Apple products. The big question is, how many of those free trial users are being converted into paying subscribers?

Research company MoffettNathanson’s data earlier this year said 62% of all Apple TV+ users were on a promotional plan. Analysts at JP Morgan had previously forcasted TV+ could hit 100 million subscribers by 2025. For context, launching in 2014 as CBS All Access, now Paramount+ has 36 million subscriber, launching way back in 2007, as of January 2020, Hulu had 39.4 million subscribers, while Netflix sits clearly at the top with 207.64 million subcribers.