- Four ways to start a discovery+ free trial
- The Prime Video catch
- Adding the trial through Sling or Roku
- Ads or ad-free?
- How to cancel before the 7 days end
- What happens if you don't cancel
- Getting the most from seven days
- Already have DIRECTV?
- If your first month isn't free
- Who to contact if something goes wrong
- My verdict on the Discovery Plus free trial
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Discovery Plus has a free trial. discovery+ says new members are eligible for a 7-day free trial, either on discoveryplus.com or in the discovery+ app on a supported device. You can also get 7 days free when you add discovery+ through Sling TV, The Roku Channel or Prime Video Channels, but each route works a little differently, and discovery+ says trial availability can change.
The route you pick decides where you watch and who you cancel with, so it's worth choosing on purpose. Here's how each one works, according to the discovery+ help centre.
Four ways to start a discovery+ free trial
| Route | Trial | Who handles your plan | Where you watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| discoveryplus.com or the app | 7 days for new members | discovery+ | The discovery+ app and website |
| Sling TV add-on | 7 days for new members | Sling | Through Sling |
| The Roku Channel | 7 days for new members | Roku | The Roku Channel |
| Prime Video Channels | 7 days for new customers | Amazon | The Prime Video app only |
The Prime Video catch
This is the one to know before you tap the button inside Prime Video. discovery+ says that if you sign up through Prime Video Channels, you watch discovery+ in the Prime Video app, and your channel doesn't include access to the discovery+ app. If you prefer the discovery+ app on your TV, start the trial directly instead.
To cancel a Prime Video channel, discovery+ says you go to Manage Your Prime Video Channels, find discovery+ under Your Channels, and choose Cancel Channel.
Adding the trial through Sling or Roku
Through Sling, discovery+ says you sign in at sling.com, choose your profile, then My Account, Manage Add-ons, and find discovery+ in the Premium section. Through Roku, you sign in to The Roku Channel, scroll to the premium row, and choose discovery+ or discovery+ Ad-Free. In both cases, discovery+ says Sling or Roku handles the plan, so that's where you go to cancel.
Ads or ad-free?
discovery+ has two plans: discovery+ with limited ads, and discovery+ Ad-Free. It says it monitors the number and variety of ads, and you can move to Ad-Free any time. If you start on the plan with ads and change your mind, discovery+ says a move to a higher plan happens straight away, while a move to a lower plan applies from your next renewal date.
How to cancel before the 7 days end
- Work out who handles your plan. discovery+ suggests searching your email for a discovery+ confirmation, or checking your account settings.
- If it's discovery+ itself, sign in at discoveryplus.com, choose your profile, then the plan section, and choose Cancel.
- If it's Apple, Amazon, Roku, Sling or DIRECTV, cancel through them. discovery+ lists the steps for each.
- Do it at least a day before your renewal date. discovery+ says that's the cut-off to avoid the next month starting.
- Don't just delete the app. discovery+ says deleting it doesn't cancel anything.
After cancelling, discovery+ says you'll get a confirmation email and can keep streaming until the end of the current period.
What happens if you don't cancel
discovery+ says your plan renews automatically every month until you cancel, based on the date you signed up. If your first month looks different from what you expected, discovery+ points to taxes added in some locations, or a plan change made by someone with access to your account.
Getting the most from seven days
Seven days is enough for a few series if you plan it. Pick two or three shows before you start, watch on the device you'll use most, and decide by day five. If you're into documentaries, my take on whether a side hustle documentary on Netflix is useful shows what to look for, and here's my guide to where to watch free movies once your trial ends.
Already have DIRECTV?
discovery+ lists DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM among the companies that can handle a discovery+ plan as a premium add-on, and it says you cancel those add-ons through your DIRECTV account. If you're already with DIRECTV, check your add-ons before starting a separate trial, so you don't end up with discovery+ twice.
If your first month isn't free
discovery+ says new members are eligible for the trial, and it adds that trial availability is subject to change. If you've had discovery+ before, or a trial isn't running on the route you picked, the plan starts straight away. Read the sign-up screen before confirming, because that's where discovery+ shows whether a trial applies to you.
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Who to contact if something goes wrong
The answer depends on who handles your plan. For a direct plan, discovery+ says to contact its support team. For Roku, Amazon or Sling, discovery+ points you to their help centres, because it can't change plans it doesn't manage. Keep the confirmation email from the day you sign up, since discovery+ suggests searching your inbox for it to find out who handles your plan.
My verdict on the Discovery Plus free trial
Go direct unless you live inside Sling, Roku or Prime Video already. Direct sign-up gives you the discovery+ app, one place to cancel, and the same 7 days. Whichever route you choose, cancel at least a day before renewal, and don't treat deleting the app as cancelling.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Discovery Plus free trial?
discovery+ says new members are eligible for a 7-day free trial when they sign up at discoveryplus.com or in the discovery+ app.
Can I get a discovery+ free trial through Amazon?
Yes. discovery+ says Prime members can start a 7-day free trial through Prime Video Channels, but that route doesn't include access to the discovery+ app.
Does Sling TV offer a discovery+ free trial?
Yes. discovery+ says new members are eligible for a 7-day free trial when they add discovery+ through Sling TV. Sling handles that add-on.
When should I cancel my discovery+ trial?
discovery+ says to cancel a day before your next renewal date to avoid the next month starting.
Does deleting the discovery+ app cancel my plan?
No. discovery+ says deleting the app doesn't cancel your plan.
Does discovery+ have an ad-free plan?
Yes. discovery+ offers discovery+ with limited ads and discovery+ Ad-Free, and you can move up to Ad-Free at any time.
Can I keep watching discovery+ after cancelling?
Yes. discovery+ says you can keep streaming until the end of your current period.
