Prices and plan details were checked against Apple’s official US and UK Apple Music pages on 20 October 2026. Apple can change prices and offers at any time, so confirm them before you subscribe.
Apple Music plans are monthly subscriptions that give you ad-free access to more than 100 million songs, with offline downloads, Lossless Audio and Spatial Audio. Apple offers three main plans: Individual, Family and Student. It also includes Apple Music in its Apple One bundles. All plans share the same core catalog and sound quality. What changes is the price, the number of people covered and who qualifies.
Apple Music Plans at a Glance
Individual is the standard single-user plan. It includes everything Apple Music offers, plus access to the Apple Music Classical app at no extra cost.
Family covers up to six people through Family Sharing. Each member gets their own library, recommendations and playlists, so nobody’s listening history gets mixed up.
Student gives verified students the full Individual experience at a lower price. Apple also includes Apple TV access with it at no extra cost.
All three plans renew automatically until you cancel. Apple states “No commitment. Cancel anytime” on both the US and UK pages.
Apple Music Plans Price Comparison: US vs UK
| Plan | United States (USD) | United Kingdom (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $11.99/month | £11.99/month |
| Family | $19.99/month | £19.99/month |
| Student | $6.99/month | £5.99/month |
| Apple One (starting price) | $21.95/month | £18.95/month |
| Free trial (new subscribers) | 1 month | 1 month |
| Free trial with an eligible new audio device | 3 months | 3 months |
The Apple One figure is the lowest of Apple’s three listed tiers. Apple lists the three Apple One prices as $21.95, $27.95 and $39.95 in the US, and £18.95, £24.95 and £36.95 in the UK. Check Apple One’s own page for exactly what each tier includes.
The Individual and Family numbers are identical in both markets, but the currencies differ. UK students pay less each month than US students.
What You Get With Every Plan
Ad-free listening and offline downloads
Apple says Apple Music has zero ads. You can download songs to listen offline, so a commute or flight doesn’t depend on a signal.
Lossless Audio
Apple’s full catalog is available in Lossless Audio. “Lossless” covers quality up to 48kHz and “Hi-Res Lossless” runs from 48kHz up to 24-bit/192kHz. Both use much more bandwidth and storage than standard files. Hi-Res Lossless also needs external equipment, such as a USB digital-to-analog converter. You switch it on under Settings > Music > Audio Quality in the latest Apple Music app on iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV 4K.
Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos
Spatial Audio places sound all around you. It needs compatible hardware and software, and not every track is available in it. With compatible Apple or Beats headphones, or most Bluetooth headphones, Dolby Atmos tracks play automatically when a song offers them.
Personalized recommendations
Apple Music suggests artists and albums based on your listening history. You’ll also find curated playlists, live radio, Apple Music Live performances, Concerts Near You and Apple Music Sing, which shows real-time lyrics with adjustable vocals.
A regional difference worth knowing
Apple’s US page promotes Playlist Playground, which builds playlists from a song or mood. Apple describes it as a beta available in the US in English only. It doesn’t appear on Apple’s UK page, so don’t count on it as a reason to subscribe if you’re in the UK.
Family Sharing: How Many People Can Use the Family Plan?
Apple words this in two ways. The plan card says you can share with “up to five people”, while the FAQ says “up to six people in the family” can use it. Both are correct. The organizer plus five others makes six accounts in total.
To set it up, start Family Sharing on an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Android phone and invite members. Apple states that each person gets their own library, recommendations and playlists. If you’re in the UK, you’ll find the same setup steps on Apple’s UK pages.
Student Plan Eligibility and Verification
Apple’s student plan has several conditions:
- Only verified college or university students qualify. Apple’s US page says “college students” and its UK page says “university students”.
- Verification is required, and Apple’s support pages name UNiDAYS and SheerID as the verification services.
- Student pricing lasts for up to four years while you remain a student. After that, your plan continues at the Individual price.
- If you don’t reverify when asked, your subscription renews automatically as a standard Individual subscription. You’d need to resubscribe as a student to get the discount back.
- The student offer doesn’t extend to a Family Sharing group.
Apple also says the student offer is a limited-time offer that may end at any time, and that Apple TV access ends when you stop qualifying.
Apple One: When It Offers Better Value
Apple One bundles Apple Music with Apple TV, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+ and iCloud+, up to six services in total depending on the tier. Apple describes it as one subscription and one monthly bill. It includes both the Individual and Family Apple Music plans.
It tends to make sense if you already pay for two or more Apple services, or if you want more iCloud storage anyway. If Apple Music is the only service you need, a standalone plan is cheaper. Before switching, add up what you’re paying today for each service and compare it with the bundle price.
Apple also advertises 3 months of Apple One free with any new iPhone, iPad or Mac on both the US and UK sites. This is for new and qualified returning subscribers only, and some conditions apply, such as one offer per Apple Account and per Family Sharing group.
Free Trials, Managing Your Subscription and Cancelling
New subscribers get one month free on the Individual, Family and Student plans. Anyone with an eligible new audio device may qualify for three months free. You have three months from first activating the device to redeem it, and it’s limited to one offer per Apple Account.
Free trials convert to paid subscriptions automatically. If you only want the trial, set a reminder and cancel before it ends. You can manage or cancel any Apple subscription through your Apple Account settings, in the Subscriptions section. Check Apple Support if the menu names differ on your device.
Which Apple Music Plan Is Best for You?
- Solo listeners: The Individual plan is the straightforward choice.
- Households of two to six: The Family plan costs $19.99 (US) or £19.99 (UK). A single Individual plan costs $11.99 or £11.99, so the Family plan works out cheaper per person as soon as three people share it. The Individual plan costs less overall for one or two people.
- Students: The Student plan costs the least and includes Apple TV, provided you’re verified.
- Apple ecosystem users: Price Apple One against your current subscriptions.
- Classical fans: All plans include Apple Music Classical, so you don’t need a special tier.
- Audiophiles: Every plan has the same audio quality, and Hi-Res Lossless needs extra equipment on your end.
Apple Music Plans FAQs
How much do Apple Music plans cost?
In the US, Individual is $11.99, Family is $19.99 and Student is $6.99 per month. In the UK, Individual is £11.99, Family is £19.99 and Student is £5.99 per month.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, one month free for new subscribers on the Individual, Family and Student plans. A three-month trial is available with an eligible new audio device.
How many people can share the Family plan?
Up to six people in total, using Family Sharing.
Can I listen to Apple Music for free?
Apple says some radio stations, including Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country, are available without a subscription. Full on-demand streaming requires a plan.
How long can I stay on the Student plan?
Up to four years while you remain a student. After that it moves to the Individual price.
Conclusion
The right choice among Apple Music plans mostly depends on how many people are listening and whether you’re a student. Check live prices and current offers on Apple’s official pages: Apple Music US and Apple Music UK.
