How much does Apple Music cost in the UK?
Apple Music just might be Spotify’s biggest rival, but is it worth the switch? We’re taking a look at Apple Music’s price to help us decide.
When it comes to the best music streaming services, it's a competitive world out there, with different platforms going head-to-head.
From Spotify which has long been the market leader for monthly music streaming services, to Amazon Music, there are plenty of options to choose from. But if you're looking to upgrade your music listening game - Apple Music is a serious competitor.
Launched in 2015, Apple Music boasts more than 100 million songs. The platform even lets you stream any song from your iTunes library on any device, whether that’s a song bought from iTunes, downloaded from the internet, or even copied from a CD (we remember doing this with Beyoncé’s I Am... Sasha Fierce album back in the day).
The streaming service lets you listen offline to downloaded songs, and once a year it reveals your Apple Music Replay: a round-up of your most listened to genres, songs and artists (a very exciting day).
When choosing a new monthly streaming service — whether you’re a first time listener or you’re swapping from another platform like Amazon Music or Spotify — there are few things as important as the price. Apple Music could have all the amazing features in the world, but if it’s unaffordable or, worse, not good value for money, what’s the point?
Luckily, Apple Music sits at a similar price point to its competitors. Let’s take a deeper look into Apple Music’s plans and pricing.
Start a one month free trial at Apple Music
For the full low-down on the top streaming services, check out our comprehensive guide to the best UK music streaming services, and take a look at Spotify vs Apple Music, Apple Music vs Amazon Music and Amazon Music vs Spotify.
What is Apple Music?
Perhaps the easiest way to listen to music is through a monthly streaming service. For one payment every month, you can enjoy unlimited skips, a huge catalogue of music, the opportunity to listen offline, and in the case of Apple Music, crystal-clear audio quality.
In 2021, Apple Music updated its entire catalogue (of over 100 million songs and 30,000 podcasts) to give it high-res audio quality at 24-bit/192kHz. The platform offers lossless streaming and spatial audio support to all subscribers.
Like with all Apple products, such as AirPods, Apple Music is easier to use on an Apple device as the app is there, ready and waiting. However, Apple Music does not discriminate! You can be an Apple Music subscriber on Android devices, too. Simply download the app from the Play Store.
Start a one month free trial at Apple Music
Take a look at the top Apple Music offers for this month.
How much does Apple Music cost in the UK?
Unlike Spotify, Apple Music doesn’t offer a free entry-level subscription. Instead, it has three different plans which start from £5.99 per month (for students), and all provide ad-free, skippable listening. The Apple Music Individual plan will set you back £10.99 per month.
Apple Music used to have a £4.99 per month option with its Music Voice plan, allowing you to access music only through Siri when connected to Wi-Fi. This plan was discontinued from Wednesday 1st November 2023.
If you're a student, being a student means one thing: budgeting. Well, it means another thing too, socialising, but that’s usually the reason for the budgeting. The £5.99 per month Student plan from Apple Music gets you the same features as the Individual plan, for example you can see what your friends are listening to and download up to 100,000 songs to your library.
Finally, there’s the £16.99 per month Family plan, which we’ll go into more detail about, as it sure is a good one.
Start a one month free trial at Apple Music
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Is there an Apple Music free trial in the UK?
Where are all the free trials? It seems like nobody wants to offer free trials anymore! Luckily for us, Apple Music is currently offering a one-month free trial to new subscribers.
Start a one month free trial at Apple Music
And if you buy an Apple device, new subscribers can get six months of Apple Music totally free! Eligible devices include AirPods, HomePod and Beats.
Buy an Apple device now and get six months free
What is the Apple Music family plan?
For just £16.99 per month, up to six people can enjoy unlimited access to Apple Music on any device. Each family member will get their own music library, as well as personalised listening recommendations based on what they enjoy listening to.
Start a one month free trial at Apple Music
What is Apple Music Sing?
With the iOS 16.2 update, Apple introduced Apple Music Sing: a feature in Apple Music that transforms you into a karaoke sensation.
The karaoke feature is available to all Apple Music subscribers and it includes a range of playlists. There’s one for party anthems, family favourites, iconic duets, and more. Playlists are also split into genres like pop, indie, rock, and others. For the more serious singers amongst us, there’s categories like Songs for Pros, too.
Apple Music Sing can be accessed on all devices, like your iPhone and iPad, and for the ultimate get together with friends and family, play Apple Music Sing on your Apple TV.
Start a one month free trial at Apple Music
Can you listen to Apple Music offline?
No internet connection? No problem. With Apple Music, you can still listen to your favourite tunes. Just make sure to download your tracks when connected to internet and they'll be ready to play in your library when you're next offline.
Once you've got Apple Music, you'll need something to listen to it on! Check out the best AirPods alternatives and the best budget wireless earbuds.
Authors
Cordelia Aspinall is a Digital Writer for Immediate Media, working across brands including The Recommended, RadioTimes.com, MadeForMums and BBC Gardeners’ World. She has previously worked and written for digital publications including Condé Nast Traveller, The Evening Standard, Cosmopolitan, and several other lifestyle brands.
