Major UK television networks produce exceptional dramas, comedies, and thrillers, but only a fraction reach U.S. audiences. Fortunately, BritBox and Acorn TV provide near-complete access to this treasure trove of content.
Subscribing to both might be unnecessary, so let's compare them based on our hands-on experience: ease of use, content selection, and overall value. Which one truly delivers the best British TV streaming?
BritBox, a joint venture between BBC and ITV—the UK's top networks—launched in March 2017, just three months after its announcement. As BritBox President Soumya Sriraman told Fortune, it empowers expats and Anglophiles to stream premium British TV effortlessly.
Acorn TV arrived earlier in 2013, owned by RLJ Entertainment. Its subsidiary, Acorn Media Group, has distributed UK content in the U.S. since the mid-1990s, giving its team deep insight into American tastes.
Acorn TV extends beyond the UK to shows from Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, thanks to partnerships with ITV, Channel 4, BBC Worldwide, All3Media, DRG, ZDF, and Content Media Corp.
Content spans mysteries, dramas, comedies, documentaries, feature films, and foreign-language series. Highlights include Doc Martin, Black Books, QI, and Hinterland. Acorn produces originals too, like its Emmy-nominated Agatha Christie adaptation (Poirot, 2014), plus Agatha Raisin, Close to the Enemy, The Level, and Striking Out. It also holds U.S. premiere rights for Foyle's War, Detectorists, Vera, Inspector George Gently, and Midsomer Murders.
Some lighter fare, like The Yorkshire Vet or The World's Most Famous Train, pads the lineup.
BritBox focuses exclusively on BBC and ITV—home to the UK's finest programming. Expect soaps like EastEnders, thrillers such as Silent Witness and Waking the Dead, family dramas like Casualty, and comedies including the original The Office and The Vicar of Dibley.
It shines with classics like Porridge, Are You Being Served?, Fawlty Towers, Absolutely Fabulous, and Keeping Up Appearances. Note: No BBC America content here. For more British gems, check our guides to 8 British Comedies Every American Should Watch.
Quality matters, but so does quantity. Acorn TV boasts over 250 shows and movies—about 200 TV series, including full runs like all seven seasons of Men Behaving Badly, nine of Foyle's War, and 19 of Midsomer Murders.
BritBox matches this volume, emphasizing drama and comedy. Both offer thousands of hours, though libraries fluctuate monthly with additions and removals.
A seamless interface is crucial. BritBox edges out with a polished design inspired by top streamers like Netflix, featuring subcategories within genres. Search can be inconsistent for some, but it's generally reliable.
Acorn TV keeps it simple: a grid of shows with basic info, trailers, and episodes. No deep categorization.
Acorn TV works on browsers, iOS/Android apps, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. See our 10 Must-Have Chromecast Apps for more.
BritBox supports browsers, iOS/Android, Roku, Chromecast, and Apple TV.
Neither offers offline downloads or multi-user profiles. Both provide closed captioning.
Acorn TV wins on price: $4.99/month or $49.99/year (17% savings). BritBox is $6.99/month, no annual option.
Both are in the U.S.; BritBox also in Canada (with regional differences). Acorn TV covers much of Latin America. VPNs or Smart DNS bypass geo-blocks.
BritBox takes the slight lead for superior quality from BBC/ITV and a more intuitive interface, despite higher cost and similar volume. Choose based on your favorites—many exclusives tip the scale. Both offer 7-day free trials.
For BBC highlights on Netflix, explore our picks for 7 Best BBC Documentaries and 12 Best BBC Shows All Americans Should Watch.
