Acorn TV Australia Review: Price, features and content

Acorn TV is the streaming home for British television from the folks at AMC Networks, who also own Shudder and Sundance Now. Acorn TV offers a wide selection of TV shows from the United Kingdom and beyond at an affordable monthly price. With new episodes added every month and some quality originals being created for the service, it's not a bad deal for fans of British telly.

What is Acorn TV?

Acorn TV is a subscription video-on-demand service with a strong focus on British television shows. Users pay a monthly or yearly fee to access a growing library of television shows in Acorn's library. The platform primarily offers TV series from the United Kingdom, but there are also some classic Aussie shows, like Jack Irish, available to stream.

Acorn first started distributing British television in the United States in 1994; first on VHS, then DVD and Blu-ray. In 2013 it eventually launched a streaming platform and quickly became a service focused on offering British dramas, comedies, mysteries and documentaries, all ad-free.

It's similar to BritBox, but with not as many new titles.

How much does Acorn TV cost?

Due partly to its niche selection of television shows and a comparatively small library, Acorn TV comes at a fairly generous $6.99 per month. Better yet, you can knock 2 months off the price if you subscribe to a full year of Acorn TV, paying $69 for a 12-month subscription. That's a good deal for anyone still paying for Foxtel to access UKTV.

There's also a one-week free trial if you're curious to check out what's on offer.

How much content does Acorn TV offer?

Acorn TV is a one-stop shop for anyone with a taste for British comedy and drama. While Acorn TV's hook might be its access to classy classics like Doc Martin and Foyle's War, there are a few popular Aussie shows in the mix too, with Jack Irish and A Place to Call Home both making the cut. Some Acorn TV originals include Agatha Raisin, Striking Out and Queens of Mystery.

Which devices are compatible with Acorn TV?

Acorn TV works with several devices, ensuring a smooth user experience regardless of what screen you're watching on. Check to see if your device is listed below.

• Computer

  PC, Mac

• Mobile and tablet

  iOS and Android devices both have an app available to download

• Smart TV, streaming media player and other

  Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV

How to set up Acorn TV

• Step 1: Ensure that you have 1 of the above devices to watch Acorn TV on
• Step 2: Head to the Acorn TV site
• Step 3: Select a package, enter your personal and payment details
• Step 4: Log in on 1 of your compatible devices and you can start watching titles on Acorn TV

Acorn TV FAQs

• Is my broadband fast enough to stream with Acorn TV?

  Most likely, yes. Acorn TV requires consistent bandwidth of 1,600kbps (1.6mbps) or above.

• Does Acorn TV offer closed captions?

  Yes, closed captioning is available.

• How much data will Acorn TV use?

  As with every streaming service, watching content with Acorn TV will burn through your data allowance. The platform doesn't offer any official information on data usage, but streaming can usually burn anywhere from 300MB/hour on the lowest video quality to 3GB/hour for a high-quality HD stream.

• Can I download shows to watch later?

  No, Acorn TV doesn't offer an offline viewing feature yet.

How does Acorn TV compare?