Forget Netflix. Apple TV+ is the streaming service you need right now.

Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022 and continued losing subscribers in 2023, and you may be one of the people who is growing tired of what the streaming service has to offer.

But don’t let streaming fatigue get you down. After password crackdowns and new streaming services, Netflix isn’t what it used to be. There are plenty of other services that have stepped up their game.

There’s one, in particular, that doesn’t get the same attention Netflix and Hulu get, but may just be the best one available right now: Apple TV+.

Although it started out small and slow, Apple TV+ has grown enormously. At its launch, it offered a handful of original TV series for a $4.99 monthly subscription (which has grown to $9.99/month in 2024 due to the success of the platform and the addition of MLS Season Pass). The initial response from critics and viewers was lukewarm, with many finding the price too high for such a paltry offering.

Apple’s future in the streaming game looked grim.

But over time, the service has flourished. With Emmy juggernauts like “Ted Lasso,” critical darlings like “Mythic Quest” and “Severance,” and now an Oscar-winning film in “CODA,” Apple TV+ has become a must-have streaming service for anyone who loves TV.

That $4.99 price tag has evolved from an anchor to an asset, too.

Here’s everything you need to know about the hottest streaming service you probably don’t have, including a look at some of its best shows.

How much does Apple TV+ cost?

Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month, and that’s still lower than other major streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu and Max (formerly known as HBO Max).

Netflix, for example, costs anywhere from $10-$20 per month, depending on the plan. And Hulu ranges from $8/month (with ads) to $18 (with no ads) to $77 for Hulu + Live TV. Max is $10/month (with ads) and $16/month (ad-free).

What shows are on Apple TV+?

Apple TV+ has a significant library of new and original content. Some of the biggest shows you can watch through the service include:

“Ted Lasso” - A wholesome sports comedy series in which Jason Sudeikis plays a charming, optimistic American college football coach who ends up at the helm of an English soccer team.

“Masters of the Air” - From Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman - the producers of Band of Brothers and The Pacific. During World War II, airmen risk their lives with the 100th Bomb Group, a brotherhood forged by courage, loss, and triumph.

“Lessons in Chemistry” - Starring Brie Larson, this is set in the 1950s and follows Elizabeth Zott’s dream of being a chemist that is put on hold when she finds herself pregnant, alone, and fired from her lab.

“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” - Set after the battle between Godzilla and the Titans, revealing that monsters are real, follows one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to Monarch.

“The Morning Show” - Although not the most critically acclaimed Apple TV+ show, this was the streaming service’s first major original series. It stars Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.

“Pachinko” - An adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s masterpiece in which generations of a Korean family confront the difficulties of immigrating to Japan.

“Severance” - A psychological thriller in which an employee of the mysterious Lumon Corporation undergoes a medical “severance” of his work and non-work memories.

“WeCrashed” - A show, inspired by actual events, starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway about the rise and fall of the company WeWork.

“Foundation” - A big budget adaptation of the Isaac Asimov series in which a band of Galactic Empire exiles attempt to save the empire by defying it.

“Central Park” - A musical sitcom in the style of “Bob’s Burgers,” this animated series follows a family living in Central Park as they defend their home from a greedy land developer.

Does Apple TV+ offer a free trial?

Apple TV+ offers a seven-day free trial that doesn’t require much effort if you already have an Apple ID.

Any purchase of an Apple device comes with three full months of the service. It can also be bundled with other Apple services as part of Apple One.

How to subscribe to Apple TV+

Try out the free trial or sign up for a subscription by going to Apple TV+’s website here.

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Joseph Rejent covers TV, writing about live television, streaming services and cord-cutting. He can be reached at jrejent@njadvancemedia.com.