Acorn TV Review

What is Acorn TV?

If you’re a lover of TV shows from countries other than your own, especially the UK, then Acorn TV might be for you. Acorn TV offers exclusive access to popular British TV shows, specializing in comedies, dramas, mysteries, and thrillers. The service also features content from Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand.

While it’s not as popular as other subscription video-on-demand services like Hulu with a similar price point, it’s still gained one million subscribers since it launched in 2011. It’s even started releasing its own original shows such as Ackley Bridge and Manhunt, which you can’t stream anywhere else.

Do you want to see exactly what Acorn TV has to offer? This Acorn TV review will help you determine if it’s the streaming service for you.

Acorn TV Plans and Pricing

Acorn TV Supported Devices

The Acorn TV app is compatible with many popular devices, including a range of smart TVs, mobile devices, laptops, and desktops. It can be integrated with Amazon Prime Video, too. However, Acorn TV doesn’t work on game consoles, so you can’t stream from your PlayStation or Xbox One, for example. 

Here’s the full list of Acorn TV supported devices:

• Amazon Fire TV
• Android phone and other devices
• Apple TV
• Chrome browser
• Chromecast
• Firefox browser
• Internet Explorer
• iPad
• iPhone
• iPod Touch
• Roku
• Safari
• Xfinity

What to Watch on Acorn TV

Acorn TV offers a hub of great content. It’s specifically designed for anyone who enjoys binge-watching British comedies, dramas, and mysteries. And there’s a fair amount of other international content thrown in, too. You have over 320 titles to choose from, including 100 Acorn TV-only shows and several feature films. Everything you watch is completely ad-free, which is a huge plus for any streaming platform.

You can choose to browse all shows on offer, or select one of the following categories to narrow down your search:

• Most Popular
• Irish Tales
• Leading Ladies
• Only on Acorn TV
• Drama
• Mystery
• New Releases
• Comedy
• Documentary
• Foreign Language
• Feature Film

Acorn TV has a nice selection of drama and mystery shows. There’s a whole host of old school and modern titles to choose from, including popular choices like Murdoch Mysteries, Line of Duty, and Vera. If you’re a lover of classic dramas, you can binge-watch series like Midsomer Murders from series 1 right through to series 21.

There are 100 exclusive shows to enjoy, mostly for those who like suspense dramas. Some of the most popular exclusives include titles such as Manhunt, Blood, Mystery Road, and Foyle’s War. You can find some comedies if you prefer light-hearted entertainment, including Detectorists, Pitching In, and Finding Joy. But when it comes to comedy, Acorn TV generally has a way to go.

Historical costume dramas are available, too, such as The Churchills, Monarchy, and even The Diary of Anne Frank. And of course, there’s a selection of 30+ feature films if you’d rather leave TV shows behind.

Unfortunately, the service simply doesn’t have children’s programming. But if you combine your Acorn TV subscription with a service like Amazon Prime Video, you can probably make up for that elsewhere.

Acorn TV is definitely designed for a specific audience — British TV and cinema fans — and if you fall into that category, you’ll probably enjoy the service. 

Acorn TV adds new shows weekly, so you always have something new to watch. You can also browse the TV schedule on the Acorn TV website to look at recently added, coming soon, or leaving soon titles. Plus, you can watch trailers and read short overviews to see if there’s anything that catches your eye.

Acorn TV Features

Aside from best of British TV, Acorn TV doesn’t offer much extra. You can’t stream any shows live — you just have to wait for them to appear in the library. If they don’t, you can contact customer service to request a title.

Acorn TV doesn’t offer any cloud DVR storage, so once something’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t record a show to watch later. To avoid missing out on your favorite TV programs, keep an eye on the Leaving Soon section of the schedule.

If you’re planning on binge-watching with your family, you’ll need to guess if the content you plan to watch is appropriate for different ages before you start streaming. The service doesn’t have parental controls, so there’s no way to limit what your family watches if they have access to the service. Nor can you add user profiles.

There is one plus, though – Acorn TV allows unlimited simultaneous streams, so you can share your subscription and watch multiple shows at once, on as many devices as you like.

The Final Cut

If you fit into Acorn TV’s niche audience, then it might be the right streaming service for you. It features British TV shows galore, with plenty of binge-worthy box sets, old-time classics, and modern-day features. But if you’re looking for variety, cloud DVR storage, and parental controls, it might be better to look elsewhere. Nevertheless, the one-week free trial is worth a shot, and you might just find something you love.

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