'Showtime' Launches on Apple TV for $10.99 per Month

Tuesday July 7, 2015 8:22 AM PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Showtime today confirmed that its self-titled standalone streaming service will be released today for the Apple TV, allowing viewers to pay for Showtime's exclusive series directly without needing a cable subscription (via Re/code).

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First announced just over a month ago, the service will cost those interested $10.99 per month and everyone can sign up for a 30-day free trial to test the experience before subscribing. The service will cost users a few dollars less than HBO NOW's $15 streaming cost, which debuted exclusively on Apple TV earlier in the Spring.

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Showtime's launch today comes in a bit ahead of the previously-announced July 12 release date for the standalone service, a date that coincided with the network's big summer premieres of Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex. No doubt giving users a few days to prepare before the summer premieres, those interested should be start seeing the Showtime app on the Apple TV shortly.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12
Tags: Showtime, Apple TV Guide
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
93 comments


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The_Grifter
49 months ago

HBO and Showtime are just being greedy. They both cost $9.99 to add as a cable package. Meaning, that $9.99 also includes cable's cut. I think $5.99 would have been an awesome price for these. They would get many more customers.

Yeah, and just think of how many they'd get if the services were free! Or if they paid everyone five bucks a month to use the service! Or if they made everyone in America an employee of the network with an annual salary of $100,000 and a retirement package! They'd get SO MANY more customers!

I don't know where you live, but here, the add-on channels are $19.99/month, so HBO and Showtime are significantly cheaper as standalones.
Rating: 13 Votes
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LordBeelzebub
49 months ago
By the time you add all these separate services up that cost 10+ bucks a month, (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, HBO Now, Showtime, etc) to equal that same programming you had with cable or satellite, it's going to cost virtually the same as what you was paying before, but instead of all your programming being from one provider, you now have to use all these different apps to watch what you want, different fees. Tell me again how this is better than cord cutting again?
Rating: 13 Votes
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nepalisherpa
49 months ago
HBO and Showtime are just being greedy. They both cost $9.99 to add as a cable package. Meaning, that $9.99 also includes cable's cut. I think $5.99 would have been an awesome price for these. They would get many more customers.
Rating: 9 Votes
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laurim
49 months ago
I appreciate that they are less than HBO's $15 but I don't see the reason to do $10.99. I get why they would do $9.99 to not get to a $10 threshold but the psychological difference between 10 and 11 isn't that great to need a .99 trick. I'm actually kind of tired of the whole .99 trick because my brain has to automatically round it up. The attempted manipulation is annoying. I prefer round numbers. DIE penny, die already.
Rating: 9 Votes
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TonyC28
49 months ago
$25 for two channels (HBO and Showtime). So far I'm not too excited about the future of a la carte TV.
Rating: 8 Votes
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BellsWhistles
49 months ago

$25 for two channels (HBO and Showtime). So far I'm not too excited about the future of a la carte TV.


Oh, I completely agree with you on that one. Even the package that Apple was trying to put together for $40. That's like cable ... only smaller ...

Not sure where all this is going, but so far it looks like it's simply evolving. Not getting better.
Rating: 4 Votes
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jtrenda33
49 months ago

By the time you add all these separate services up that cost 10+ bucks a month, (Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, HBO Now, Showtime, etc) to equal that same programming you had with cable or satellite, it's going to cost virtually the same as what you was paying before, but instead of all your programming being from one provider, you now have to use all these different apps to watch what you want, different fees. Tell me again how this is better than cord cutting again?


$25 for two channels (HBO and Showtime). So far I'm not too excited about the future of a la carte TV.


Oh, I completely agree with you on that one. Even the package that Apple was trying to put together for $40. That's like cable ... only smaller ...

Not sure where all this is going, but so far it looks like it's simply evolving. Not getting better.


My prediction...

First Apple Music...

Then...

Apple Cinema:

$39.99/mo - includes live streaming TV package.

$99.99/mo - includes live streaming TV package plus full, ad-free access to all movies and TV shows on the iTunes Store.

I don't see why this couldn't/wouldn't happen in the future given what's happened with the music industry.
Rating: 4 Votes
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machpost
49 months ago
Now how about a Comedy Central app for the Apple TV, like the one that just showed up on Roku.
Rating: 3 Votes
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xlost6
49 months ago

I was going to say... Really, no iPhone access?? Thanks for the heads up.

No problem :)

And for those that have their billing thru iTunes and are thinking about subscribing within Hulu I found this..

Can I add SHOWTIME® to my iTunes-billed subscription?
At this time, Hulu Premium Add-ons, such as SHOWTIME, are available to users billed directly through Hulu. If you're a Hulu subscriber with iTunes, you will need to cancel ('http://www.hulu.com/help/articles/21454771#cancel') your subscription through iTunes, and then sign up directly through Hulu at hulu.com/getshowtime ('http://hulu.com/getshowtime').

Just an FYI.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Godzilla71
49 months ago
Surprised at the price. Hulu is advertising just an extra $8.99/mo to add it to your Hulu account which would be the cheaper alternative if you already have Hulu and would also like Showtime.
Rating: 3 Votes
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