BritBox
From ~$8.99/mo
Acorn TV
From ~$8.99/mo
BritBox has the broadest British TV catalog, from classics to current series, backed by the BBC and ITV. Acorn TV is more curated around world mysteries and dramas, especially detective shows. BritBox wins on breadth; Acorn TV wins on curated mysteries.
Pick BritBox if you want the widest range of British TV, from classics and comedy to current series.
Pick Acorn TV if you mainly want curated world mysteries and dramas, especially British and international detective shows.
BritBox and Acorn TV both cater to fans of British and international television, and their catalogs overlap, but their personalities differ. BritBox, backed by the BBC and ITV, offers the widest range of British programming — comedy, soaps, classics, documentaries, and newer series. Acorn TV is more tightly curated around mysteries and dramas, with a strong lineup of British and international detective and crime series.
On price, both sit around $8.99 a month, so cost rarely decides it. The choice is mostly the broadest British catalog (BritBox) versus a curated world-mystery and drama focus (Acorn TV).
We compare catalog breadth, genres, exclusives, price, and overlap.
| Quick facts | BritBox | Acorn TV |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From ~$8.99/mo | From ~$8.99/mo |
| Catalog breadth | Best-in-class | Curated |
| Mystery / detective focus | Good | Best-in-class |
| Classics & comedy | Best-in-class | Good |
| Best for | Broad British TV | World mysteries & dramas |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | B BritBox | A Acorn TV |
|---|---|---|
| Range of British genres | Best-in-class | Good |
| Mystery & crime series | Strong | Best-in-class |
| Classic & archive shows | Best-in-class | Good |
| International dramas | Good | Best-in-class |
| Current / newer series | Strong | Good |
| Curated recommendations | Good | Best-in-class |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Ad-free | Yes | Yes |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-26.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
BritBox has the broader catalog, but if you only watch mysteries, much of that breadth goes unused.
Acorn TV is more focused and great for crime drama fans, but it covers fewer genres than BritBox.
Because both are inexpensive and overlap somewhat, some fans subscribe to one at a time and rotate based on what they want to watch.
The average person juggles a dozen subscriptions and forgets at least one. Subkept is a privacy-first subscription tracker: add BritBox, Acorn TV, and everything else, then get renewal reminders, price-hike alerts, and a clear monthly total, with no bank connection, ever. Free for up to 5 subscriptions, no time limit.