Warhammer+ Review — Is the Subscription Worth It?

What Is Warhammer+?

Warhammer+ is Games Workshop’s official subscription streaming service, launched in 2021. It bundles together animations, lore content, painting tutorials and app features into a single monthly or annual subscription, and subscribers also get exclusive miniatures.

Think of it as Games Workshop’s answer to streaming platforms — except instead of movies, you get animated shows set in the 41st Millennium and the Mortal Realms, plus practical hobby content and digital tools. The service has grown steadily since launch, but whether it justifies the cost depends entirely on what kind of hobbyist you are.

Games Workshop positions Warhammer+ as the ultimate companion for dedicated Warhammer fans. It sits alongside their physical products and retail stores as a digital hub for the community. But does it deliver? Let’s break down everything included.

What You Get with Warhammer+

Animations

The headline feature of Warhammer+ has always been its animated content. The service launched with shows like Hammer and Bolter (an anthology series covering both 40k and Age of Sigmar stories) and Angels of Death (following a Blood Angels squad), alongside a re-release of Syama Pedersen’s fan-made Astartes, which helped inspire the service.

Since then, the library has grown with series such as Interrogator, Iron Within and Pariah Nexus, plus various one-off shorts, and Pedersen’s follow-up Astartes II is set to arrive in December 2026. The animation quality varies — Astartes and the bigger recent series set the standard, while some Hammer and Bolter episodes use a simpler style that divides opinion and can feel more like motion comics than full animation.

For lore fans, the animations bring beloved stories to life in ways that Black Library novels and codex entries simply cannot. Seeing a Space Marine in motion, hearing bolter fire, and watching Chaos corruption unfold visually is genuinely compelling. However, the release cadence can be slow, and you may find yourself watching everything available within a few weeks.

Battle Reports

Warhammer+ features official battle reports produced by the Warhammer team. These are polished, well-filmed games with painted armies on stunning terrain. They cover both Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar, and often showcase new releases or demonstrate how recently updated armies play.

The production quality is noticeably higher than most YouTube battle reports. However, some viewers find them less engaging than community-produced content because they tend to be more “showcase” than competitive. If you prefer tight, rules-focused competitive games, community channels may serve you better.

Painting Tutorials

The Citadel Masterclass painting tutorials are arguably the most practically useful content on the platform. These go well beyond the basic “two thin coats” guidance from free YouTube videos. You get detailed, step-by-step guides for painting specific models, techniques like non-metallic metal (NMM), object source lighting (OSL), and weathering effects.

The tutorials are presented by Games Workshop’s own ‘Eavy Metal team and other studio painters. The quality of instruction is excellent, and these videos alone have helped many hobbyists improve dramatically. If you’re serious about painting, this is one of the strongest selling points.

The Warhammer Vault

The Vault gives you digital access to older publications, including White Dwarf back issues and other archive material. This is great for lore enthusiasts who want to dive into older material without hunting down out-of-print books.

What’s in it changes over time, so don’t assume a specific book will be there. Think of it as a library rather than a collection you own. For newer players exploring the hobby’s rich history, the Vault is a genuine treasure trove.

Apps

Your subscription unlocks subscriber features in the official Warhammer 40,000 app and Age of Sigmar app, which provide army building tools and rules references. The apps themselves are free to download, and faction rules are generally unlocked with the code from your codex or battletome, so check the app store listings and the official Warhammer+ page for exactly which features currently need a subscription.

If you play regularly, having your rules and army lists on your phone at the table is convenient, and that bundled app access adds value, especially if you play both game systems. See our Warhammer 40k app review for more.

The Subscriber Miniature

Each subscription year comes with subscriber-only miniatures. From the 2026–27 year (starting 25 August 2026), Games Workshop says a subscription includes both of that year’s miniatures, Wrath of Macragge and The Plague Knight’s Burden, plus a Warhammer Yearbook for the first time, with annual subscribers receiving them earlier. These models aren’t sold through Games Workshop’s normal channels. Past miniatures have included alternative sculpts of characters and special edition models.

The miniature alone can be worth a significant portion of the subscription cost, and some past exclusives have become highly sought-after collector’s items on the secondary market. We cover this in detail in our Miniature of the Month guide.

Warhammer+ Pricing

Warhammer+ launched at £4.99/month or £49.99/year, with equivalent pricing in other regions. Prices can change and vary by country, so check the official Warhammer+ page for the current figure before subscribing. Whatever the exact price, the annual plan works out cheaper per month (12 months for the price of 9) and gets you the subscriber miniatures earlier, making it the better value option for most people.

Games Workshop occasionally runs promotions or bundles the subscription with other purchases.

Compared to other streaming services, it’s on the cheaper end. But compared to what you get — a niche hobby service versus a mainstream platform with thousands of hours of content — the value calculation is different. You’re paying for exclusive Warhammer content, not competing with Netflix.

Pros of Warhammer+

Exclusive animations you genuinely can’t watch anywhere else
Painting tutorials from the world’s best Citadel painters that can genuinely level up your skills
App access bundled in — saves buying the army builder separately
Exclusive subscriber miniatures, some of which hold their value well
Warhammer Vault gives access to out-of-print lore content
High production quality across all content types
No ads — clean, focused experience
Supports the franchise — funding goes toward more Warhammer content creation

Cons of Warhammer+

Limited content library — you can watch everything in a few weeks, then wait for new releases
Slow release cadence — new animations drop infrequently compared to mainstream streaming
Animation quality varies — some shows feel more like motion comics
Niche audience — if you’re only casually interested, the value drops significantly
App stability has improved but still has occasional issues
No competitive play content — battle reports lean toward showcase rather than tournament play
The Vault changes over time — content you want may not always be there
Price adds up alongside an already expensive hobby

Is Warhammer+ Worth It?

The honest answer depends on what type of hobbyist you are.

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For Lore Enthusiasts: Yes

If you love Warhammer lore, Warhammer+ is worth it. The animations bring stories to life, the Vault gives you access to decades of background material, and the exclusive content feeds your passion. The annual subscription costs roughly the same as a couple of Black Library novels, and you get far more content.

For Painters and Hobbyists: Strong Yes

The Citadel Masterclass tutorials alone can justify the subscription if you’re actively improving your painting. The techniques taught by ‘Eavy Metal painters would cost far more in workshop fees or Patreon subscriptions to independent painters. If you paint regularly, subscribe for at least a few months and binge the tutorials.

For Competitive Players: Maybe

If you only care about winning tournaments, Warhammer+ offers less direct value. The official app is useful for list building, though many competitive players also use free third-party builders such as New Recruit. The battle reports won’t teach you meta strategies. However, the app features bundled in may tip the scales.

For Casual Fans: Probably Not

If you play a game or two a year and occasionally paint, the subscription may not offer enough to justify even the modest cost. You might be better off subscribing for one month, watching the animations you want, and cancelling. The annual plan only makes sense if you’ll engage with the content regularly.

For Collectors: Yes

The exclusive miniature alone can be worth a large chunk of the annual subscription. If you collect exclusive or limited-edition models, the annual plan can pay for itself with the miniature, and everything else is a bonus.

The Subscriber Miniature in Practice

The annual exclusive has become one of Warhammer+’s biggest draws. Each one is offered to subscribers for a limited claim window, and once that window passes you miss out unless you buy from the secondary market, where prices are often inflated.

For more on the exclusive miniatures and how to claim yours, check our subscriber miniature guide.

Alternatives to Warhammer+

Before subscribing, consider whether free alternatives cover your needs:

YouTube — Thousands of free battle reports, painting tutorials, and lore videos from creators like Luetin09, Midwinter Minis, and Auspex Tactics
Wahapedia — Free rules reference (though its legal status is debated)
New Recruit — Free third-party army builder (BattleScribe, once the go-to, is no longer maintained)
Lexicanum / Warhammer Wiki — Comprehensive lore databases
Black Library — Novels and audiobooks for lore (purchased individually)

Warhammer+ doesn’t replace these — it complements them. The exclusive content (animations, Masterclass tutorials, subscriber miniature) is what you’re really paying for, since much of the general hobby content has free alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my Warhammer+ account?

Warhammer+ is designed for individual use. While there’s no strict device limit publicly stated, sharing accounts violates the terms of service. Each subscription is tied to a My Warhammer account.

Can I cancel anytime?

Monthly subscriptions can be cancelled anytime. Annual subscriptions run for the full year. You retain access until the end of your paid period.

Do I keep access to content after cancelling?

No. Once your subscription ends, you lose access to the animations, the Vault and the subscriber-only app features. However, any physical miniatures you’ve claimed are yours to keep.

Is there a free trial?

Games Workshop has occasionally offered free trial periods, but availability varies. Check the official Warhammer+ page for current offers.

Does Warhammer+ include all codex rules?

No. Core rules are free, but faction content in the official apps is generally unlocked with the code from your codex or battletome, so Warhammer+ doesn’t replace buying the books you need. Check the app for current details, as Games Workshop adjusts what’s included from time to time.

Is Warhammer+ available worldwide?

Yes, Warhammer+ is available globally, though content availability and pricing may vary by region. The streaming content is accessible anywhere with an internet connection.

Is Warhammer TV the same as Warhammer+?

No. Warhammer TV is Games Workshop’s free channel on YouTube and Twitch, carrying previews, reveal shows, painting videos and live streams. Warhammer+ is the paid subscription service that holds the exclusive animations, Citadel Masterclass tutorials, battle reports, the Vault and the subscriber miniature. Plenty of hobby content is free on Warhammer TV, so it is worth watching before deciding whether to subscribe.

How do you watch Warhammer+?

You watch Warhammer+ by logging in with your My Warhammer account, either in a web browser or through the Warhammer+ app on phones and tablets. Your subscription is tied to that account rather than to a device, so you can switch between screens. The bundled Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar apps are separate downloads that unlock their subscriber features when you sign in with the same account.