apple music for business plans

'Apple Music for Business' to bring licensed music playback to retail stores

What you need to know

• Apple has announced its brand new service, Apple Music for Business.
• It's run by PlayNetwork.
• It will allow users to get licensed music to be played in retail locations and will feature human-curated playlists and custom recommendations matched to store brands.

Apple has announced the launch of its new Apple Music for Business plans, in partnership with PlayNetwork.

According to WSJ via 9to5Mac, the service will allow businesses to sign up for licensed music that they can play in retail stores.

It will feature human-curated playlists, much like regular Apple Music, but it will also come with custom recommendations matched to individual store brands. There's a dedicated Apple Music for Business app with a user-friendly interface, which gives employees instant access to playlists. Users can control music so as to choose which playlists will appear in each setting or locale, and there are scheduling controls to set specific times and dates for when playlists are played. According to the website:

Partners receive dedicated support designed to get more customers to listen to and share your music—all while earning your brand additional revenue. It's a total end-to-end customer engagement and retention experience.

Businesses will receive marking toolkits that allow them to advertise to customers exactly what music is playing and where they can find it (Apple Music), If customers see this info and sign up for an Apple Music trial, the business will get a referral fee with no cap on earnings. According to WSJ, Harrods and Levi Strauss and Co. have been quietly piloting the service. The website states that the service is now available to enterprise brands.

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Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9

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How much is Apple Music? Plans and pricing explained.

Published on September 11, 2023

Apple Music is a household name in audio streaming, with a vast music library and exclusive content. With multiple subscription plans available, it’s worth understanding the pricing and features before buying. This guide will walk you through the various Apple Music plans and their costs, including Voice, Student, Individual, and Family subscriptions. We’ll also compare these plans with alternatives like Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, and Deezer to help you make an informed decision.

QUICK ANSWER

There are four Apple Music plans you can choose from. The Apple Voice plan costs $4.99 a month, the Student plan costs $5.99 a month, the Individual plan costs $10.99 a month, and the family plan costs $16.99 a month.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How much is Apple Music per month?

• Apple Music plans vs the competition

Apple Music offers a range of plans, including individual, student, and family subscriptions. Its popular individual plan is priced at $11 per month. Whichever plan you choose, ad-free content, access to exclusive releases, Apple Music 1, and on-demand radio shows are included.

The most affordable plan at Apple Music is the Voice Plan, starting at just $4.99 per month. With the Voice Plan, you can stream music on any Apple device, but the catch is that you can only control it through voice commands with Siri.

If you want more flexibility, the Student and Individual plans are priced at $5.99 per month and $10.99 per month, respectively. Both these plans give access to Apple Music not only on Apple devices but also on Android and other compatible platforms. If you’re looking for a family-friendly option, Apple Music offers a monthly Family Plan for just $16.99. This plan supports family sharing for up to six users and provides personalized music recommendations and individual libraries for each family member.

Apple Music vs. the competition

Apple Music offers a fantastic audio streaming experience with high-quality sound and exclusive content. However, before choosing it’s wise to compare the pricing and features with other top competitors like Spotify , Amazon Music , YouTube Music , and Deezer .

Each platform has advantages, so taking the time to evaluate the options ensures you find the one that best suits your preferences and budget.

Frequently asked questions about Apple Music plan pricing

Yes, Apple Music does offer a yearly subscription plan. It’s an excellent cost-saving option, priced at $99 annually for individuals, compared to the monthly subscription cost of $9.99, which amounts to $119.88 annually. This annual plan can be found within the app’s settings under Subscriptions.

Yes, new Apple Music subscribers can enjoy a six-month free trial with their new iPhone or an eligible audio device. To activate this trial, ensure your iOS version is up to date. Alternatively, you can also opt for a 1-month free trial. For that, simply select Try 1 month free on the website or the Apple Music app and sign up for Apple Music using your email or Apple ID.

Yes, Apple Music offers a free 6-month trial for new subscribers who have bought a new iPhone or a supported audio device and a 1-month free trial for other users wanting to try and experience it. However, it’s important to note that once the trial period ends, you’ll have to pay monthly or annually to continue using Apple Music on your account.

Yes, Apple Music automatically renews after the free trial ends. If you don’t want to continue the service, turn off the automatic subscription renewal before the billing date. To disable automatic renewal on Apple Music, go to music.apple.com , sign in to your account, and tap the profile icon. Then go to Settings , and under Subscriptions , select Manage . Finally, click Cancel Subscription .

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Apple Testing 'Apple Music for Business' Plans at Retailers Like Harrods and Levi's

Apple has been trialing a new version of Apple Music , dubbed ‌Apple Music‌ for Business, which will provide retail partners with access to streaming music for their stores. The company has been testing out ‌Apple Music‌ for Business for the last six months (via The Wall Street Journal ).

Apple is partnering with PlayNetwork Inc. for the project, which specializes in providing music for commercial use by handling licensing and operating the service for Apple. In turn, Apple contributes by creating hundreds of unique playlists for each client.

In these retail spaces, there are currently a few streaming services that offer business contracts for retailers, including Soundtrack Your Brand (formerly Spotify Business), Sirius XM Holdings, and more. These services cost between $25 to $35 a month per retail location.

‌Apple Music‌ for Business will now be a player in this space, but there is no indication yet as to how much Apple will charge for its service. In its six months of operation, Apple has landed 25 clients, which are estimated to deliver music to more than 10,000 store locations, including Apple's own retail stores.

One client includes Harrods in London, which had its own custom "Harrods Playlist" built by Apple. The retailer advertises this list of classical, ambient, and electronic music on screens in its stores, which users can search for and listen to in the consumer version of ‌Apple Music‌.

“We were captivated by their proposition that we could have our brand reflected in our own curated playlist,” said Guy Cheston, Harrods’s director of partnerships. Apple Music for Business has so far focused on retail chains with 100 stores or more. But it plans on expanding into small and midsize businesses.

On the regular version of ‌Apple Music‌, the company just launched a "Replay" feature , which provides subscribers with a way to track the artists, albums, and songs they listen to the most every year. This has been a long-awaited feature on ‌Apple Music‌, and one that many of the service's rivals, like Spotify, have been doing for years.

‌Apple Music‌ still trails behind Spotify in terms of paid subscribers, with 60 million paid subscribers as of June 2019 compared to Spotify's 113 million Premium subscribers as of September 30, 2019.

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Apple Enters Background Music Market With Apple Music for Business

Apple Music has partnered with PlayNetwork to launch Apple Music for Business, a service geared towards providing a fully licensed — and customizable — soundtrack to retail stores, restaurants and…

By Marc Schneider

Marc Schneider

Got a business? Apple Music wants your business. The No. 2 music streaming service has partnered with PlayNetwork to launch Apple Music for Business , an exactly-as-it-sounds service geared towards providing a fully licensed — and customizable — soundtrack to retail stores, restaurants and other commercial outlets.   

“Each brand has an identity, a voice, and a story they want to tell — and now they can, with music,” the companies said in a joint announcement. “Apple Music for Business centers on human curation that requires attention and skill to make it a seamless part of the experience. With this understanding, we’ve taken the expertise of both Apple Music curators and PlayNetwork music supervisors and injected it into this service to ensure you have the sound right in every location.”   

With its PlayNetwork push, Apple Music officially joins competitors including Pandora for Business, SiriusXM for Business and the Spotify-backed Soundtrack Your Business in the background music market. There’s also Mood Media, which purchased the pioneering Muzak brand of in-store tunes in 2011.   

Trending on Billboard

Soundtrack your brand, the spotify for background music, launches wide as it secures direct….

Apple Music for Business says it is breaking “new ground” in the music-for-business sector by providing music experts to “develop the music identity of your brand,” as well as “business-focused features” allowing for flexible levels of corporate and store-level control for what plays. There is also an integrated marketing program that aims to help brands connect with customers through existing channels, such as websites and social media.

“All partners receive an Apple Music marketing toolkit containing creative assets, digital tools, and brand guidance to help you clearly communicate what music is playing and where to find it,” Apple says.  

According to the Wall Street Journal , Apple Music has been piloting a version of its business service at various stores, including Harrods and Levi Strauss & Co stores.

Muzak Files For Bankruptcy

Seattle area-based PlayNetwork was founded in 1996 and specializes in custom and channel-centric music for businesses, along with original videos and other services. According to its website , it has accumulated over 450 partner brands in more than 135 countries.

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The complete guide to Apple Music: Get the lowdown before you sign up

Apple singlehandedly turned the digital music marketplace on its head when it launched the iTunes Store in 2003 . Since then, the iTunes Store has evolved into Apple Music , a music streaming service to compete with the likes of Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, and other services.

Whether you’re new to Apple Music or have been a subscriber since day one, there’s a lot to take in—especially if you’re considering jumping ship from another service. Our guide to everything Apple Music can help set the record straight.

Update 03/10/23: Our guide is updated to include details on Apple Music Classical.

What is Apple Music?

Apple Music combines subscription-based music streaming with global radio-like programming. It’s an all-you-can-eat service for subscribers: Pay a flat fee, and you unlock all of Apple Music’s extensive 90-million-song library.

The Music app, which is how you use the service, comes pre-installed on all new iPhones, iPads, iPod touches, and Macs. The app is also available for Android phones, on many smart TVs, streaming boxes, and even game consoles. You can also access Apple Music on the web at music.apple.com .

How does Apple Music differ from the iTunes Store?

Not at all. The iTunes Store is all about media purchases , functioning as both a virtual record store  and  an efficient digital library for music that you own personally. On the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, you’ll find an iTunes Store app separate from the Music app.

On the Mac, the iTunes app went away; Apple released new Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. The iTunes Store is now a section of the Music app and you can still buy music there.

Starting with macOS Catalina, the iTunes Store can be found in the Music app on the Mac.

Apple Music is all about streaming. You pay a flat fee to unlock access to Apple Music’s entire catalog, but you don’t actually  own  the music you listen to. The files don’t live individually on your devices; you’re instead just listening to tracks stored remotely, that are owned by Apple.

What makes Apple Music different from Spotify, Tidal, etc? 

While the premise and nearly all of the music is the same, Apple puts a lot of emphasis on Apple Music’s radio stations and its curated playlists. 

Apple Music 1 is its main radio offering, which features an around-the-clock worldwide live broadcast from DJs based in Los Angeles, New York, and London. It delivers a curated selection of songs, pop culture news, and interviews with artists. There’s also Apple Music Hits , with everyone’s favorite songs from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, and Apple Music Country , featuring country music.

Speaking of curation, Apple Music also offers up recommendations tailored to your tastes, looking at artists you like and serving up other artists and playlists for you to listen to. But instead of being built by algorithms, they are built by real people, according to Apple. You can find these in the For You section of the app—but first you’ll have to set it up by following the prompts to select genres and artists you like.

Apple Music’s library has over 100 million songs. Oh, and you can also watch music videos without ads, and check out Apple’s exclusive original content.

Apple Music used to have an artist-based social networking feature called Connect. Artists were able to share special content with fans through Connect. For example, hip-hop artist Drake used the service to post behind-the-scenes photos of his life, share snippets of new songs, and other content. But Apple discontinued the Connect service.

How much does Apple Music cost?

Apple Music costs $10.99/£10.99 per month, or $16.99/£16.99 per month for a family subscription for up to six people (which requires iCloud Family Sharing ). College students can subscribe for $5.99/£5.99 per month – students also get Apple TV+ for free with an Apple Music subscription!

You can find the plan that’s right for you on Apple’s website . An Apple Music Voice plan , with limited functionality, became available with iOS 15.2 and macOS 12.1 for $4.99/£4.99. Read: Apple Music Voice Plan vs Apple Music for more information.

There is no free version of Apple Music, but you new subscribers can sign up for a free trial. If you cancel during the trial, you do not get another opportunity at a free trial. The free trial length is one month for new subscribers, though there are longer offers in conjunction with the purchase of audio hardware or Apple hardware from specific retailers. See: How to get Apple Music for free

What devices can get Apple Music?

Apple Music is available for all iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch models that are running iOS 8.4 or later. It’s also available on the Mac and PC (via iTunes 12.2 or later, or through the Music app starting with macOS Catalina), Apple TV (running tvOS 9 and newer), and on Apple Watch. Android users can join in on the fun, too, if their device is running Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) or newer. Apple Music is available on several smart TVs and streaming boxes, as well as some game consoles. Apple Music Voice is only supported on Apple devices, however.

Which countries have access to Apple Music? 

Apple Music is available in more than 100 countries worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Japan, Brazil, and India. Check out  Apple’s complete list  for more info.

What is Apple Music Classical?

When Apple purchased Primephonic in 2021, it promised its own classical music streaming service in 2022.

Apple Music Classical is that curated service, launching on March 28 2023.

This is a separate app, with a separate library of over 5 million tracks focused on classical music with quality up to 192 kHz/24-bit Hi-Res Lossless.

It has a similar interface to Apple Music, but is customized for the classical genre.

Most importantly, Apple Music Classical requires an Apple Music subscription (and Apple Music Voice does not qualify). There is no separate subscription just for Apple Music Classical .

What is Apple Music Voice?

Apple Music Voice is a cheaper tier for its music streaming service. It differs from the normal Apple Music subscription as it relies on Siri as the way to control playback and other interactions.

It lets you play tracks, albums, radio stations and Apple’s own playlists, but there are limitations. All 90 million tracks from Apple Music are available but you can’t download any tracks–this is a streaming only service–and you can’t queue up tracks to play. This means you can’t just create an Apple Music playlist on your iPhone and ask Siri to play that. There are thousands of playlists curated by Apple to choose from though.

Apple Music 101: Quality, compatibility, offline listening, and more

How’s the music quality?  Apple Music streams songs at 256kbps, which is the same rate as iTunes Match. That’s a bit of a drop from Spotify, which tops out at a 320kbps bitrate. Select Apple Music tracks and albums are available with Apple Music Lossless at no extra charge. But the big advantage of Apple Music is the newer Spatial Audio feature for select music. It’s not available for most of the 100-million song catalog, but it makes a big difference for those tracks where it is available.

Can I save music to listen to offline?  Yep! Apple Music lets you save tracks to listen to offline—you can save as many songs as you’d like, as long as your device has space for them.

But remember: You won’t own those files and you won’t be able to offload them anywhere else. You can’t burn them onto a disc, use them in separate video projects, or put them on other devices that aren’t linked to your Apple Music account. If you decide to cancel your Apple Music subscription, you’ll lose access to those songs.

The offline listening feature is a great option if you’re concerned about data overages, or if you know you’ll be in an area without a good wireless connection.

Is there a limit to the number of songs you can have in a playlist?  Not that we’re aware of! Add away.

How do you tell it what songs you don’t like?  When listening to a playlist or radio station, you can skip any song you don’t like (except for in Apple Music 1, which is live). While this should signal to Apple Music that you don’t want to hear that song or artist again, it might be finicky at times. You can hit the three dots menu (…) and choose “Suggest less like this” to show your displeasure.

Why is there stuff on the iTunes Store that isn’t on Apple Music?  It all comes down to the deals Apple has made with various artists and record labels. Some artists are not interested in streaming services.

What about podcasts?  Apple makes podcast available through its Podcasts app on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. 

Can I use Apple Music through the web? Yes, there is a web interface. In your web browser, go to music.apple.com . You can log into your account and access you playlists, songs, and more. The web interface is a lot like the Music app for the Mac, and it’s a handy way to access your music when you’re not using one of your own devices. Don’t forget to log off if you’re using computer that others can use.

‘Apple Music for Business’ is providing Muzak to retailers like Levi’s and Harrods

Since its initial debut, Apple Music has catapulted in the rankings to become one of the most popular music streaming services out there. And now the company behind the service is getting into the Muzak business (that’s the quiet music you hear playing in public spaces).

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is teaming up with PlayNetwork Inc. to get “Apple Music for Business” up and running. The company has already been testing out the new option for retailers for weeks in retailers like Harrods and Levi’s. And in total Apple Music for Business has been in testing for almost half a year already.

PlayNetwork Inc. handles the operations of the service in retail stores, and also handles the complicated licensing deals that need to be worked out to get these songs played in retail stores. Apple will be handling the music curation, building unique playlists for each client.

There are other options out there, including Mood Media Corp. (formerly known as Muzak), Soundtrack Your Brand, and Sirius XM Holdings, Inc., which costs somewhere between $25 and $35 per month per location. At the time of publication there is no word on how much Apple Music for Business costs, but PlayNetwork Inc. says the cost is competitive with the other services out there.

Since its debut six months ago, Apple Music for Business has landed a total of 25 clients. The report states that when those accounts are fully operational, Apple Music for Business will be providing easy listening Muzak through retail speakers at over 10,000 retail locations. That includes Apple’s own physical retail stores.

Harrods started using Apple Music for Business in its London store a few weeks ago. The giant department store has drawn on Apple Music playlists to create its own custom Harrods Playlist, an eclectic mix of classical, ambient, electronic and experimental music. Large screens around escalators in the store prompt customers to listen to the Harrods Playlist on Apple Music. For every trial of Apple Music that such promotions generate, Apple pays a referral fee to the business. The retailer also has a page on the Apple Music consumer app, featuring the main playlist, as well as others it recommends, such as the Harrods Christmas Playlist, which includes songs by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Herb Alpert.

This is a new arm for Apple Music, but one that certainly makes sense. Especially if Apple can get retail partners to actually promote the playlist in their stores, like Harrod’s is doing. Of course, it helps that Apple owns the music identification service Shazam, so even if someone doesn’t know the Muzak they’re listening to is coming from Apple Music, they can use that Apple-owned service to identify the song.

Apple Music

Apple music pricing: individual, family, and student plans, and how to save.

Considering signing up for Apple Music for the first time or returning to the service? Follow along as we break down how much Apple Music costs including details about the family plan, student discount, carrier deals, Apple One bundles, and how to save money on the service.

Update 5/17: Apple Music is becoming an even better deal with Spatial Audio and Lossless support coming in June at no extra cost.

Apple Music is the company’s streaming music service that offers users access to 75 million songs. The service lets users stream as well as download albums and tracks to devices for offline playback on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and more. Apple Music is also available on Android.

Apple Music is particularly compelling for those tied into the Apple ecosystem with great Siri support, the option to follow what friends are listening to, and a seamless HomePod/mini experience.

And now with Spatial Audio via Dolby Atmos as well as HiFi Lossless audio streaming coming to the service starting in June for free, Apple Music is an even better value.

• Apple Music adding Lossless streaming to entire catalog at no extra cost, Spatial Audio support with Dolby Atmos
• Apple Music Lossless tidbits: iOS 14.6, HomePod support, compatible headphones, more

If you’re looking for a tool to help transfer your songs, albums, playlists, and more to Apple Music, SongShift and FreeYourMusic are two good options.

In addition to the various plan costs below, we’ll look at some ways to save money with Apple Music.

How much does Apple Music cost?

Apple Music offers a free 3-month trial for most new users. After that, here are the main pricing options:

• $9.99/month  or $99/year for individuals
• $14.99/month for families (up to 6 users)
• $4.99/month for college students
• Included with Apple One bundles from $14.95

Here’s a breakdown of the features included with each plan:

How to pay less for Apple Music

In the past, picking up iTunes gift cards on sale was a good way to save money on services like Apple Music. However, with Apple launching unified gift cards , finding discounted ones is more difficult. But you can keep an eye on 9to5Toys for any that pop up.

Here are some more ways to save on Apple Music:

• If you subscribe to multiple Apple services, going for an Apple One bundle can save you anywhere from $6-25/month (learn more in our full breakdown here )
• Some unlimited plans with Verizon include Apple Music at no cost (check with Verizon for more details)
• If you’re a student, here’s how to get 50% off
• If you go for a standard plan, paying yearly will save you $20 ($99 vs $119 when paying monthly)
• Consider buying a family plan and using Family Sharing

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Introducing Apple Music for Business Brought to You by PlayNetwork

News provided by

Nov 20, 2019, 09:00 ET

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Next-Gen Business Music Service Connects Brands and Customers In-Store and Beyond

NEW YORK , Nov. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --  PlayNetwork , in collaboration with Apple Music, today introduced a new business music service for enterprises. Apple Music for Business , brought to you by PlayNetwork, allows businesses like retailers, restaurants, and hotels to create their unique brand sound and deepen the connection, affinity and loyalty between their brand and their customers. The service also ensures artists and creators are compensated for their work.

Apple Music for Business has already signed on many leading enterprises including Harrods, Levi's, PizzaExpress, Everyman Cinema and Apple's own retail stores.

Apple Music for Business enables enterprises to play a curated mix of Apple Music and custom playlists that express their brand and connect with their customers. Powerful tools, including the Apple Music for Business app, make it easy to schedule and manage music, and a flexible technology platform built for enterprise environments provides the reliability, scalability and control businesses need.

Apple Music for Business is available in 15 countries today, with many more on the horizon.

In an industry first, customers can discover on Apple Music the songs that they hear in-venue, thanks to an innovative marketing program that combines in-store and digital marketing tools.  This empowers businesses to add music-based content to the marketing channels they already use and extend their reach across new touch-points. PlayNetwork engagement experts help plan, launch, and optimize campaigns, and reports show businesses how their music strategy is driving end-to-end customer engagement. 

PlayNetwork, an Octave Group company, is the provider of Apple Music for Business and responsible for technology development, music curation, licensing, marketing and sales, and owns the direct relationship with the brands. A global provider of business music services and audio/visual systems, PlayNetwork partners with many of the world's most well-known brands.

For more information, visit applemusicforbusiness.apple .

Executive Perspective

Ross Honey , CEO, Octave Group

"Enterprises want to provide a great music experience to their customers, and we're proud to be working with Apple Music on this service. Apple Music has world class curators and playlists, and when paired with PlayNetwork's expertise in music curation for businesses we're able to offer the very best in both music and technology. This service takes brand-curated music beyond the store into consumers' lives -- inspiring their connections to the brand while offering marketers fresh insights and a clearer ROI on their investments in music."

SOURCE PlayNetwork

Related Links

https://www.playnetwork.com

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How Much Does Apple Music Cost?

Apple Music plans range from $5.99 to $16.99 per month.

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Making its debut in 2015, Apple Music started with 30 million songs in its library. Today, it offers more than 100 million songs, plus 30,000 curated playlists, ad-free listening and live radio. But with all of these features, how much does Apple Music cost per month?

Apple Music subscription cost

Apple Music plans include Student for $5.99 per month, Individual for $10.99 per month and Family for $16.99 per month.

Individual: $10.99 per month

The Individual plan offers access across devices and curated playlists as well as Apple Music Sing real-time lyrics, the option to download songs to your library to listen online or off, and the ability to see what friends are listening to.

It also includes Apple Music Classical. This separate app hosts more than 5 million tracks and a search feature designed for classical music lovers to locate works, composers, artists and conductors.

Student: $5.99 per month

The Student plan comes with all the features as the Individual plan, plus free Apple TV+ access. College students can choose the Student plan for up to four years, as long as they remain a student during that time. After four years, membership continues at the Individual price per month plan unless canceled.

Family: $16.99 per month

The Family plan includes the same features as the Individual option, including the Apple Music Classical app, but with access for up to six people. Each person on the plan gets their own personal account.

MORE: How much do YouTube Music and Spotify cost?

How does Apple Music fit into your budget?

As you decide if an Apple Music plan fits into your budget, consider the 50/30/20 budget framework . In this budgeting approach, 50% of your take-home income is allocated to needs, 30% to wants and 20% to savings and debt paydown.

A music subscription service like Apple Music would be considered a “want.” If you’re already maxed out on wants, consider cutting back elsewhere in the category, such as on movie tickets or cable.

Another option to make a music streaming plan work in your budget is to investigate rewards categories on credit cards you may have in your wallet. Some cards offer perks and cash back for streaming services. Similarly, consider using Amazon Music Prime rather than an additional paid service, since it's already included in your Prime membership cost.

Apple also offers several options for free trials and bundling services. All plans come with the option for a free one-month trial for new subscribers. After the month ends, you can cancel or renew at the stated price per month of the plan you selected.

You can also get Apple Music for free for six months with the purchase of an eligible audio device such as certain AirPods, Beats models and HomePod. Subscribers have up to 90 days after pairing a device to start the six-month free trial.

One other alternative is to bundle services. Subscribers have the option to upgrade to Apple One, which bundles various Apple subscriptions — including Apple Music — into one monthly price. Apple One offers plans ranging from $19.95 per month for Individual to $37.95 per month for Premier. Bundled services include Apple iCloud+, Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+ (Premier plan) and Apple News+ (Premier plan).

Dive even deeper in Personal Finance

Personal Finance Defined: The Guide to Maximizing Your Money

6 ways to track monthly expenses, how to lower your bills: 43 ways to save.

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Apple Plans to Provide Music to Stores with “Apple Music for Business’

As expected, Apple Music is partnering with retail businesses, which will allow companies to stream music in their stores. Apple has been testing the new feature for some time now and feels it’s ready for the next step. In their partnership with PlayNetwork , interested businesses will be able to sign up for specific Apple Music Business Plans. In doing so, the business will receive licensed music to play at their locations.

Compared to setting up a basic streaming account like Spotify or even the radio to a store’s speaker system, ‘Apple Music for Business’ , will provide stores custom-curated playlists. For example, the iconic Harrods department store in London, England, began using Apple Music for Business just recently. It’s reported that their custom playlist included a mix of electronic, classical, and ambient music.

“This revolutionary service combines world-class music curation, proprietary technology, and easy-to-use tools to let customers listen to, share, and enjoy the music your brand plays…”

In today’s age, both employees and customers do not want to listen to radio advertisements or the same songs on repeat all day. Successful businesses want to create a welcoming and comfortable environment where shoppers want to be. Additionally, it’s reported that consumer streaming licensing terms do not allow the playing of music in commercial centers. Due to this, Apple Music for Businesses will allow stores to safely and legally play music on their property.

Stores that choose to take advantage of these new plans will receive custom playlists from Apple. These unique playlists will fit the theme of the store. In terms of price, it is believed that the business plans will go for about $24-$35 a month. An official price was not released, so interested stores should contact Apple directly.

Lastly, read more about Apple’s jump into the storefront world here .

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Apple's Music for Business Service Will Offer Commercial Use of Music to Retailers

Competing with spotify business and sirius xm holdings..

Apple has begun testing a new version of Apple Music directed at retailers to have commercial use to streaming music in stores. The company has been trialing Apple Music For Business for the last 6 months and is partnering with PlayNetwork Inc. to license music for commercial use and operating the service itself. Apple, on the other hand, will create hundreds of unique playlists for each retail client.

The service allows PlayNetwork to provide business contracts to use certain pieces of music without the cost of high licensing fees. In the retail market, Spotify and Sirius XM already offer contracts to retailers, which cost between $25 USD to $35 USD a month per retail location. Although it’s currently unknown how much Apple will charge businesses for its service, Apple has already landed 25 clients and is slated to deliver music to over 10,000 store locations, including Apple Stores .

Apple Testing ‘Apple Music for Business’ Plans at Retailers Like Harrods and Levi’s https://t.co/pZxo9LfAdY by @mbrsrd pic.twitter.com/GJZ12I8XxJ — MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) November 20, 2019

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Get an Apple Music family subscription

With an Apple Music family subscription, up to six people can enjoy unlimited access to Apple Music on their devices.

Each member of an Apple Music family subscription can stream millions of songs from the Apple Music catalog. And each family member gets their own personal music library, and music recommendations based on what they love to listen to.

Learn more about Apple Music and pricing and if Apple Music is available in your country or region .

First, set up Family Sharing

Set up Family Sharing on your device. Then invite family members to join your family group.

If you already set up Family Sharing, everyone in your family group will automatically have access to Apple Music after you subscribe.

Already subscribe to Apple Music? Learn how to change to a family subscription .

If someone in the family group already has an individual or student subscription to Apple Music, renewal of that subscription is automatically canceled when they join the family group.

Then follow these steps to subscribe

Open the Apple Music app or iTunes.

Go to Home.

Tap or click the trial offer, (one trial per person or family).

Choose Family, then tap or click Start Trial.

Sign in with the Apple ID and password that you use to make purchases. If you don’t have an Apple ID, choose Create New Apple ID, then follow the steps. If you're not sure if you have an Apple ID, we can help you find out .

Confirm your billing information and add a valid payment method .

Tap or click Join.

You can also get an individual subscription or student subscription to Apple Music.

With Apple One, you can bundle Apple Music with Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud storage, and more for a low monthly price. Learn how to sign up for Apple One .

Learn how to view, change, or cancel your subscription .

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Find what’s been asked and answered by Apple customers.

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How much is Apple Music, and how can you get it for free?

If you’re in the market for a music streaming service, you can’t really go wrong with Apple Music. With a catalog of more than 100 million songs, all in high-quality lossless audio at no additional cost, Apple’s been a contender in this space for nearly as long as music streaming has been a thing.

Apple Music plans

How apple music compares to the competition, frequently asked questions.

Here’s how much each Apple Music plan costs:

• $11 per month for an Individual plan
• $6 per month for a Student plan
• $17 per month for a Family plan

While you can sign up for a free trial of Apple Music, if you stick with the service long enough, you will end up paying. However, Verizon unlimited plan customers have a way around this, as they get Apple Music absolutely free—more on this later.

Let’s take a closer look at what you get with each Apple Music plan.

Before we dive into the different pricing tiers Apple Music has to offer, note that each subscription plan offers access to the same catalog of ad-free content, offline listening, Apple Music 1 live and on-demand radio shows, and exclusive releases.

Apple Music gives you streaming access to:

• More than 100 million songs, ad-free (all now offered in lossless audio for nothing extra)
• Dolby Atmos Music tracks (which are excellent on the new Sonos speakers , and A pple’s new HomePod , by the way)
• Exclusive playlists
• The karaoke-like Apple Music Sing feature
• Live radio that you can listen to across all of your devices

The main difference between the plans comes in the form of the Family membership (more on that in a bit), which lets you create up to six individual accounts in a subscription that’s billed as one flat fee per month — regardless of how many people you add on.

Apple Music Individual — $11/month

To reiterate, Apple Music doesn’t have a free plan, so if you’re looking for the most basic way to get your foot in the door — or if you don’t qualify for the following discounts — you’re going to need an $11-per-month Individual subscription.

Keen to lock people in, Apple also offers customers the option to pay for a year’s worth of service upfront for $109 — a discount of $23 — which isn’t bad. However, you should always compare with alternative subscriptions (we talk more about this below with our Spotify comparisons). Note that users don’t always see the option for the discounted annual plan until they actually sign up for Apple Music on a monthly plan and go back into their subscriptions.

Apple Music Student Subscription — $6/month

Just like Spotify , Apple Music offers all students (with a valid student email address from a supported educational institution) half-off an Apple Music membership. That drops the monthly subscription payment down to a modest $6. The offer is available only for college students at this time.

Apple Music Family Subscription — $17/month

Looking to enroll up to six people in your household in an Apple Music plan? Subscribe to the Apple Music Family plan for $17 per month. That works out to a total savings of $5 per month for two members, $15 for three, $25 for four, $35 for five, and $45 for six family members.

You also have the option to choose an Apple One plan , which combines several of Apple’s services into several tiers of single discounted payment plans. That includes not only Apple Music but Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, News+ and more. Apple hiked the prices of these plans in October of this year, though. Individual Apple One plans now start at $20 per month and come with 50GB of iCloud storage, Apple Music, and Arcade, while the Apple One Family plan starts at $26 per month and adds up to five members and 200GB of iCloud storage. You can also sign up for a Premier plan that adds Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+ to the mix, as well as a whopping 3TB of iCloud storage, for $38 per month. These options may offer a lot of value if you use other Apple services in combination with Apple Music.

Apple Music with Verizon

If you’re a Verizon Unlimited customer, we have some good news: You’re eligible for a free Apple Music subscription. If you are on the 5G Get More Unlimited plan, you get Apple Music included for free as long as you have the plan.

You can also score a six-month Individual membership for no cost. Currently, to qualify for the free six months, you must be signed up for an eligible Verizon Unlimited Plan. After six months, Apple Music will cost $11 per month per line. As with a subscription directly from Apple, you will have access to the Apple Music library, download songs for offline playback, and stream your favorite songs over 5G, 4G LTE, or Wi-Fi.

Apple Music with discounted Apple Gift Cards

If you look at payment options for Apple Music subscriptions, you’ll see that you can use Apple Gift Cards, to pay for Apple Music and pretty much everything else Apple . This opens up a new method to save on your subscription by paying for it with discounted Apple Gift Cards. The key is finding them, though.

You can look for special store deals, like Best Buy’s offer to buy Apple Gift Cards. Sometimes, there will be a special promo that will include Apple Music free for four months with the gift card .

Apple Music free deals for new buyers

If you’re a brand new Apple Music subscriber, you should try to find deals that give you free months when signing up as a new user, purchasing specific products, etc. These deals can vary over time, but some of the top current examples include:

• Best Buy is offering a deal for up to four months , which new or returning subscribers (they get three months) are eligible for when they start Apple Music. The only thing you need to get this deal is a Best Buy account.
• Apple also continues to offer free subscriptions occasionally for new buyers of products like Macs or iPhones, as they did with Apple TV+ when it made its debut.
• Buying newer Apple headphones (AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or Beats) or HomePod or HomePod mini qualifies new subscribers for six months of free Apple Music . Older generations, such as first-generation AirPods and some Beats models, are not eligible.

Spotify not only has the lead over Apple Music when it comes to global reach , but in the United States, it resumes its lead over Apple Music with its 210 million Premium subscribers worldwide, compared to Apple’s 98 million. But still, Apple is by no means a slouch, offering 100 million songs, 30,000 playlists, and best-in-class human-run radio stations along with other exclusive content, giving it an extensive fan base in America. Spotify recently increased its pricing (as of July 2023) putting it on par with Apple Music.

Music and podcast selection

Spotify reigns king over Apple when it comes to its enhanced music-discovery tools, but its library is somewhat more limited (although that difference is narrowing). Many eclectic music lovers will appreciate Apple Music’s broader catalog . While Apple has exclusive releases and live radio stations, Spotify tends to have more popular podcasts and has been pushing human-curated playlist content to counter Apple’s live stations. Both services also allow for any streaming track to be downloaded offline for later listening.

Some feel that Apple’s playlists are a bit more in-depth and personalized than Spotify’s and other major streamers such as  Amazon Music or YouTube Music, which, if we’re honest, both kind of take more than a few pages from Spotify’s design playbook. Apple Music’s 2021 update added hundreds of new human-curated playlists for moods and activities, making it a lot easier to find a playlist for just about anything, from dinner parties to a creative drawing session to snowboarding. Apple also added enhanced Siri abilities when you tell the assistant, “Play more like this.”

Free version

Of the two top competitors, Spotify remains the only one with a free version available, which still allows users to play on-demand tracks (with some limitations on mobile devices but none on desktop) in exchange for ads. That makes it an easy choice if you don’t want to pay anything for your music service. Apple Music used to have its $5 per month Voice option as its least expensive, but the company axed it abruptly in November 2023 . Amazon Music Free, Deezer, and YouTube Music also offer free, ad-based options as well.

Sound quality

If audio format and quality are important to you, Apple is clearly at the head of the pack when compared to Spotify, whose long-rumored hi-res tier is still a no-show (although a June 2023 report from Bloomberg says that this is the year). That said, Apple Music is no longer one of the few hi-res lossless games in town, with pretty much every other service, including Tidal, Amazon Music Unlimited, Qobuz, and Deezer offering lossless audio, which starts at CD quality (16-bit at 44.1kHz) and goes up from there depending on the service. If this is a game-changer for you, here’s how they all compare:

• Apple Music: AAC, ALAC formats at up to 24-bit/192kHz, as well as Dolby Atmos Music
• Tidal HiFi : AAC, ALAC, FLAC, MQA formats at 16-bit/44.1kHz (HiFi) and 24-bit/96kHz (HiFi Plus), as well as 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos Music.
• Amazon Music HD : FLAC format at up to 24-bit/192kHz
• Deezer Premium: FLAC format at up to 16-bit/44.1kHz
• Qobuz: AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, WMA Lossless formats at up to 24-bit/192kHz

What’s the cheapest way to get Apple Music?

The cheapest way to get Apple Music is to make use of its free trial offer: you can get one month free by signing up directly with Apple Music. Alternatively, Verizon offers a free Apple Music subscription with its 5G Get More cell phone plan. Finally, buying new Apple headphones qualifies new subscribers for six months of free Apple Music.

Is Apple Music really free for 6 months?

Yes, you really can get 6 months of Apple Music for free. When you buy a new iPhone, AirPod, HomePod, or Beats product, the company will throw in 6 months of its streaming service in for free. You can use your free subscription to stream Apple Music across all your devices.

Is there a way to get Apple Music free forever?

There’s no way to get Apple Music for free, forever, unless you’re on Verizon’s 5G Get More Unlimited plan—the carrier includes a free Apple Music subscription for as long as you’re on the plan. Apple Music doesn’t have a free, ad-supported version of its service like competitor Spotify.

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It's a jungle of music streaming platforms out there, so it stands to reason that Amazon would have one among its massive kingdom of services. And while Amazon Music might not be top of mind among the Spotifys and Apple Musics of the world, you might be surprised by its 100-million-song library, high-resolution and spatial audio offerings, podcast library, Alexa voice control, and a pretty amiable user interface that makes finding music pretty easy.

Amazon Music's subscriptions range from free to its premium Music Unlimited tier, which can be added for $10 per month on top of a subscription to Amazon Prime. But they all come with some quirks and features. We're going to break them all down for you to help you choose which, if any, Amazon Music plan is right for you.

If you believe the hype and marketing tactics from TV manufacturers and retailers, you’d think it’s always a great time to buy a TV. This, of course, isn't true. You can save significant money on a TV if you bide your time and strike when the deals are to be had.

And while it's also a good idea to bookmark our regularly-updated best TV deals post, the best times to buy a TV are:

The NFL recently made history by airing the first of its 2024 playoff games not on a network, but exclusively on the streaming service Peacock TV. That meant that unless you'd signed up for Peacock, you couldn't watch the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins (the Chiefs won, incidentally).

This arrangement had NFL fans the world over asking the same question: does Peacock have a free trial? After all, a simple solution would have been to sign up for a Peacock trial, watch the game, then cancel the subscription. The unfortunate answer is that Peacock TV does not offer a free trial. However, there's at least one workaround to this, and, if you're willing to pay a little bit, Peacock TV has a very inexpensive tier you can sign up for. That's one of the reasons we think it's one of the best live TV streaming services on the market in 2024. Is there a Peacock TV free trial?

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Sick of customer service bots and subscription headaches? There's a plan for that

The Biden administration announced it is taking on what it calls the "doom loop" of customer service calls. William Thomas Cain/Getty Images hide caption

The Biden administration announced it is taking on what it calls the "doom loop" of customer service calls.

When you have to call a customer service line, where's your patience on a scale of 1-10?

"Most people start at a nine or nine-and-a-half," says Amas Tenumah, who wrote a book called Waiting for Service . "But then you start this interaction and you're met with an automated system, right? Press one, press two..."

And then, after a few more menus and buttons, you manage to get past the automated system and to a human, only to be transferred to another operator where you need to repeat all your information. By this point, Tenumah says, your grace has worn thin.

"You are at a zero, and lots of people are in the negative," he said.

What my $30 hamburger reveals about fees and how companies use them to jack up prices

This week, the Biden administration announced it is taking on more of what it calls "everyday headaches and hassles that waste Americans' time and money." And it's doing that by having federal agencies make new business rules. Things like:

• The Federal Trade Commission is trying to require that it be easy to cancel a subscription.
• The Department of Transportation is set to require automatic cash refunds for canceled flights.

There are actions to simplify health insurance paperwork, crack down on fake product reviews, streamline parent-teacher communications in schools. And, yes, circumvent those automated customer service calls that the White House labels "doom loops."

It's all part of a wider economic mission to eliminate modern business practices that the Biden administration believes exploit Americans.

You're reading the Consider This newsletter, which unpacks one major news story each day. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to more from the Consider This podcast .

It's called the "Time Is Money" initiative

If this sounds familiar, it's because the Biden administration has been steadily touting its broader pro-consumer agenda for a couple of years now.

President Biden mentioned his ongoing crusade against hidden or surprise surcharges in his State of the Union address for a second straight year in March.

Taking on junk fees is popular. But can it win Biden more voters?

"I'm also getting rid of junk fees. Those hidden fees added at the end of your bills without your knowledge," he said, later adding: "I'm saving American families $20 billion a year with all of the junk fees I'm eliminating. And I'm not stopping there."

So how exactly would this all work? All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro put this very question to Neera Tanden, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.

"The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is engaging in a rulemaking process, which will basically create rules of the road," Tanden said. "So a good example to me is, you know, when you're doing a subscription — a streaming service or a cell phone service — if it's one or two clicks to get the service, it should be one or two clicks to get rid of the service."

President Biden delivers remarks on protecting consumers from hidden junk fees while seated among CEOs of ticketing companies such as SeatGeek, TickPick, Dice and Live Nation. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

President Biden delivers remarks on protecting consumers from hidden junk fees while seated among CEOs of ticketing companies such as SeatGeek, TickPick, Dice and Live Nation.

Tanden says the administration sees many examples of companies wasting people's time and energy with practices that are really just about keeping your money for longer.

"Essentially, they create such a friction on people that they just give up and keep paying the service instead of ending a service they don't want and then getting a service they do want," she said.

There is pushback — and a call for your ideas

The initiative has already drawn sharp criticism from some sectors.

The Chamber of Commerce released a statement this week saying the initiative could actually hurt consumers: "Businesses succeed by being responsive to customers and have a far better track record of customer service, streamlined paperwork, and prompt response times than the federal government. Imposing heavy-handed regulations that micromanage business practices and pricing is the wrong approach, inevitably raising costs for consumers."

Live Nation and Ticketmaster tell Biden they're going to show fees upfront

Tanden isn't buying it.

"I would say that, fundamentally, we think that this should be a baseline consumer protection," she said. "If your business model relies on trapping people into services they no longer need, that's a reflection on how you're not competitive and you're not giving a good service. And companies should compete on services, not on hurdles."

The White House says some agencies have already begun making changes, and now it wants Americans to share their ideas for other things that can be tackled. It has set up a Time Is Money portal where people can submit their ideas.

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