AMC Plus is a streaming service that combines a mini live TV bundle and an on-demand library of movies and TV shows.
I recently signed up for an annual subscription to AMC+ to see what it was all about. Previously, I tried the service briefly through Amazon Prime.
- What is AMC Plus?
- How much is AMC Plus?
- How to get AMC+ on TV
- Does AMC+ have a free trial?
- Does AMC Plus include the live AMC channel?
- AMC Shows
- Sundance Now & Shudder
- About the commercials
- AMC+ app
I learned a couple of things along the way about its pricing and availability that I wish I knew before I paid for an annual subscription. It’s currently the cheapest way to watch new seasons of AMC shows, including “Fear of The Walking Dead”, “Happy Valley” and older shows like “Killing Eve.”
The service touts itself as being an ad-free service, but that’s not completely accurate. There are commercials on the live TV channels just like you would with cable TV. Everything else is commercial free.
So here is a breakdown of everything you need to know before deciding whether to sign up and try out AMC Plus.
What is AMC Plus?
AMC+ is a streaming service that currently has six live TV channels. They are The Walking Dead channel, AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV and AMC+.
The other side of this streaming service is its on-demand library. which rolls together Sundance Now, and Shudder which are two other smaller streaming services that have been around for years.
The other on-demand hubs are made up of various parts of AMC Networks, including BBC America, IFC Films Unlimited and the Walking Dead Universe.
One perk of AMC+ is that subscribers get commercial-free, early access to new shows. The episodes are available a week before they air on TV providers.
When The Walking Dead was still churning out new seasons, fans could see the latest episodes early on AMC+.
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How much is AMC Plus?
AMC+ costs $8.99 per month, but you can sometimes get a discount depending on where you sign up for a subscription.
While it may be tempting to quickly go for the cheapest option, you should consider where and how you will be watching. (This is something I learned the hard way.)
How to get AMC+ on TV
AMC+ currently has streaming apps for Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV, and Android TV devices. Samsung Smart TVs, Vizio TV, and Smart TVs powered by Google TV are supported.
You can go to the AMC+ website, sign up for a 7-day free trial.
I recommend signing up for AMC+ through Amazon Prime Video Channels. You can get a free 7-day trial through Amazon Channels, and the subscription is $8.99 per month.
When I locked in my annual subscription, I was taking advantage of a promotional offer that was on the AMC+ website.
What I didn’t pay attention to at the time was that AMC+ doesn’t warn you with a courtesy email that you’re subscription is about to renew. So, I ended up paying the full price for the second year of my subscription.
I should have stuck with an monthly subscription instead.
You can also sign up for AMC+ through third-party services, including Roku, Apple TV Channels, Sling TV and YouTube TV.
The AMC+ mobile app now supports Chromecast, so you can stream to Smart TVs powered by Android TV and Google TV. The mobile app now supports casting to Google Chromecast and other Chromecast-supported devices.
Does AMC+ have a free trial?
Yes. AMC+ is currently offering a free 7-day trial on its website and through a number of third-party services such as Amazon Prime.
Does AMC Plus include the live AMC channel?
Yes. I have crossed checked the live AMC channel with its counterpart on other live TV streaming services such as Philo and Sling TV. And they are indeed the same channel.
And that brings up an important point about AMC+. After using the service for a couple of months, I think AMC+ is being undersold.
I see it as a mini live TV bundle first with the on-demand library playing a supporting role. The biggest value here is the ability to see new episodes of AMC shows when they air, and having the library of older titles.
AMC Shows
AMC+ subscribers have full access to original series and the back catalog of shows such as “Better Call Saul”, “Killing Eve” and “The Walking Dead.”
There are a couple of new series that I’m excited about. I have watched some episodes of “Dark Winds” and “Interview with a Vampire”, and I have been pretty impressed so far.
If you are looking to watch all seasons of “The Walking Dead”, you will have to look elsewhere. Currently, Netflix has Season 1 through Season 11 of “The Walking Dead” while AMC+ has the rights to all Walking Dead spinoffs.
You can also find season 8 of “Fear of The Walking Dead” and season 1 and 2 of “The Walking Dead World Beyond.”
I’m starting to pick off some of the “Doctor Who” specials on here under the BBC America hub. Every season of “Mad Men” is also on the service.
Sundance Now & Shudder
When I first signed up to AMC plus I was watching “The Bureau”, which is a French spy thriller.
I’m not a huge fan of horror, but I watched the first season of “Channel Zero: Candle Cove.” I really enjoyed the story, and the overall low-budget vibe of the series.
About the commercials
One quick note about commercials on this service. AMC+ is advertised as being commercial free, but that isn’t always the case.
If you’re watching live channels such as AMC or BBC America, you are going to see commercials just like with cable or a live TV streaming service.
It’s actually the on-demand shows and movies that are commercial-free so you don’t have to worry about ad interruptions when you’re watching that way.
AMC+ app
One last thing I want to mention is that I think the menu and overall user interface for AMC+ has improved in the last year, but still needs some work.
The best improvement is AMC+ now has its network hubs front and center on its homepage. If I want to see everything from Sundance Now or Shudder, I can click on that tab and find what’s popular, and what’s news.
The most useful way to navigate through service is the “Explore” tab, which filters originals and new shows so you can quickly find new shows and originals.
You can filter by movies and series, and genres including drama, true crime, horror and comedy.
In my experience, a hub system is the easiest way to navigate through a big library of movies and TV shows without feeling like I’m lost in a maze.
If you want a good example of what I’m talking about, you can take a look at the main menus for Paramount Plus, which has all of its hubs for each channel front and center. Disney Plus does this really well too.
Overall, this service is a good deal for people who want to live stream AMC without a cable subscription. And if you like thrillers, documentaries, horror movies and true crime, you’ll find a lot to dig into.
Sundance Now and Shudder are still operating as separate streaming services. A subscription to Sundance Now alone is $6.99 per month, Shudder starts its plans just under $5 per month.
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NOTE: This article was published on February 18, 2022, and has been updated.
AMC+ has been reduced to scamming to make money. It advertises monthly fees and then charges you an annual fee. When I accepted the reality that I had been charged for a year, I made sure that I canceled my subscription at the end of the year. They must have spotted me for a fool for taking the annual subscription, because this year they are not honoring my cancellation made last year. In other words, they pulled an automatic renewal on me when it was canceled a year ago. Oh, and don’t think for a minute that they offered me any of my “annual” subscription charge last year when I did cancel.
Please don’t get hooked into this payment scam. Find your programming elsewhere !
I’ve viewed AMC+ on Xfinity and Amazon Prime and I’ve noticed that AMC+ through the Prime app gives you far more content than Xfinity does. Why?