Acorn TV offers a free 7-day trial to first-time customers, with unlimited access to the whole service for that week. You need to add a credit or debit card to start it, and returning subscribers can't get it. If you don't cancel before the 7 days end, you're billed for the monthly or annual plan you chose at sign-up.
Acorn TV is the home of British and international mysteries and dramas, and its trial is simple on the surface. Two details in the small print change how you should use it, though: cancelling during the trial may end your access straight away, and your card can be pre-authorised before you're charged.
Acorn TV trial facts in one place
| Question | What Acorn TV says |
|---|---|
| Length | 7 days |
| Who can get it | First-time Acorn TV customers only |
| Card needed? | Yes, a credit or debit card is required to activate it |
| What's included | A week of unlimited access to Acorn TV |
| After the trial | You're billed for the monthly or annual plan you picked, plus applicable taxes |
| Prices on the sign-up page | $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, as of October 2026 |
Acorn TV describes the annual plan as 12 months for the price of 10, so if you know you'll keep it, annual works out cheaper.
The small print worth reading before you start
Cancelling early can end the trial early
Acorn TV is run by AMC, and its terms say that if you cancel during a free trial, cancellation may be effective immediately. In other words, cancelling on day two to be safe could cut off the remaining five days. If you want the full week, set a reminder for day six instead of cancelling on day one.
Your card may be pre-authorised
The terms also say your provider may pre-authorise your payment method, which can reduce your available balance or credit limit for a while. They add, in capitals, that if you cancel before the end of the free trial there will be no charges. Worth knowing if you're signing up on a debit card that's close to its limit.
Deleting the app doesn't cancel anything
Acorn TV's cancel guide warns that deleting the Acorn TV app or channel from your device doesn't cancel your subscription. You have to follow the cancel steps for the place you subscribed, or the billing carries on.
How to start the trial
- Go to Acorn TV's trial sign-up page.
- Create an Acorn TV account.
- Choose monthly or annual and add your card details.
- Start watching. Your 7 days begin now.
Acorn TV's terms say you can see the exact end date of your free trial in your account, so check it right after you sign up and put it in your calendar.
How to cancel the Acorn TV trial
Where you cancel depends on where you signed up. If you subscribed directly on the Acorn TV website:
- Log in to the Acorn TV website on a computer or mobile browser.
- Select My Acorn TV at the top right.
- Choose Manage Account from the dropdown.
- Cancel your membership from there, before the trial ends.
If you signed up through Roku, the Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon Fire TV, an Amazon Prime Video add-on, Samsung or a cable provider, Acorn TV says you need to manage and cancel the membership through that platform instead.
Not sure where you signed up?
Go to My Acorn TV, choose Manage Account and look at the Account Status section. Acorn TV says your payment method is listed there, and if the account came through a third party such as Roku or iTunes, it's noted. No note means you signed up on the Acorn TV website.
What happens if you forget to cancel
Your trial converts to a paid subscription and Acorn TV charges the plan you chose. The terms say AMC doesn't provide refunds or credits for partial billing periods or unwatched content, unless the law requires it. If you then cancel, you keep access until the end of the period you've paid for. So the realistic cost of forgetting is one month, or one full year if you picked the annual plan at sign-up. That's the strongest reason to choose monthly for the trial and switch to annual later if you love it.
Who the trial suits, and who should skip it
If you love slow-burn British detective series, cosy village mysteries and darker crime dramas, a week of Acorn TV is a good use of your evenings. It's a focused catalogue rather than a bit of everything, and that's the point: you'll know within a couple of nights whether it's your kind of television.
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If you're a returning subscriber, the trial won't appear for you, so go straight to choosing a plan if you want to come back. And if you mainly want big new films or sport, a week won't change your mind, so save the trial for a service that fits how you watch. Whatever you decide, check where you signed up before you cancel, because that's where the cancel button lives.
Is a week enough to judge Acorn TV?
For most people, yes. A week is plenty of time to watch a few episodes of two or three series and decide whether the catalogue suits you. If you're comparing services, I've also covered the AMC+ free trial, which comes from the same company, and the Peacock free trial.
My verdict
The Acorn TV free trial is a fair, no-fuss week if you're new to the service. Pick the monthly plan when you sign up, check your trial end date in your account, and cancel on day six rather than day one, because an early cancel may end your access on the spot. If you're a returning subscriber, don't waste time looking for the trial: Acorn TV says it doesn't apply to you.
Prefer a live channel bundle to a single streaming service? See our Philo guide for how Philo's tiers work.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Acorn TV free trial?
7 days. Acorn TV says the trial gives new customers a week of unlimited access before billing starts.
Do you need a credit card for the Acorn TV free trial?
Yes. Acorn TV says you need to provide credit or debit card information to activate the trial.
Can returning subscribers get the Acorn TV trial?
No. Acorn TV says the free trial doesn't apply to returning Acorn TV subscribers.
Does cancelling the Acorn TV trial end it straight away?
It can. Acorn TV's terms say that if you cancel during a free trial, cancellation may be effective immediately.
How much is Acorn TV after the free trial?
Acorn TV's sign-up page lists $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, plus applicable taxes, as of October 2026.
