Apple Music’s New Prices: Another Wake-Up Call on Streaming Costs
Apple Music’s latest price increase is a rise in streaming subscription costs across its Individual, Family, and Student plans, reflecting higher licensing expenses and a wider industry shift toward more expensive music streaming services as growth slows and profitability pressures build.
The headline change is simple: Apple Music has increased subscription prices for its paid Individual, Family and Student tiers. In the U.S., the Individual plan jumps from $10.99 (approx. RM50.60) to $11.99 (approx. RM55.20) per month, the Family plan from $16.99 (approx. RM78.20) to $19.99 (approx. RM92.10), and the Student plan from $5.99 (approx. RM27.50) to $6.99 (approx. RM32.20). The new prices took effect on July 17 for new subscribers, while existing customers will be moved over after Apple notifies them and their next billing cycle begins. This is the second major rise since Apple’s last hike in 2022, and it signals a clear message: the era of cheap, flat music subscriptions is over.
Individual, Family, Student, Apple One: Who Pays More Now?
If you are on Apple Music, the pain is not shared equally. The Family plan is being treated as the cash cow. It climbs by $3 (approx. RM13.80) a month, from $16.99 (approx. RM78.20) to $19.99 (approx. RM92.10), an increase of almost 18%. Individual and Student listeners see a smaller, but still noticeable, $1 (approx. RM4.60) bump each. One quotable way to put it: “Apple Music’s Family plan sees the biggest increase, rising by almost 18%, while Individual and Student subscriptions each increase by $1 per month.”
Apple One users are not spared either. While the entry-level Apple One Individual bundle holds at $19.95 (approx. RM91.80) per month, the Family plan jumps from $25.95 (approx. RM119.30) to $27.95 (approx. RM128.40) and Premier rises from $37.95 (approx. RM174.40) to $39.95 (approx. RM183.50). In other words, Apple is quietly nudging heavy users—families and multi-service customers—to shoulder more of the cost while keeping the entry point intact to keep the headline price attractive.
Apple Music vs Spotify: A New Price Truce
This Apple Music price increase is not happening in a vacuum; it sits inside a larger reshuffle of streaming subscription costs. Apple’s main rival has already raised its own prices, with its U.S. Individual plan now at $12.99 (approx. RM59.80) per month, leaving Apple Music slightly cheaper at $11.99 (approx. RM55.20). So instead of undercutting the market, Apple is now playing in the same price band, betting that its ecosystem and features will keep people from switching.
Apple Music has become price-competitive with Spotify Premium rather than a bargain alternative. That matters: when every major service—Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music—is converging on similar monthly fees, customers are no longer picking on price alone. They are judging catalog, curation, integration with devices, and bundles like Apple One. Apple’s decision to freeze the Apple One Individual price while raising others is a clear tactic: make the bundle look like the smarter deal without admitting that music alone is now more expensive.
Why Prices Are Rising and What It Means for Listeners and Artists
Apple’s official line is straightforward: the increases are “a result of rising licensing costs.” That means more money owed to labels, publishers, songwriters and performers every time you hit play. Streaming companies broadly argue that subscription prices must rise because licensing payments to artists, songwriters, and record labels keep climbing. They also point out that for all-you-can-listen access, music subscriptions are still cheap compared with the old world of buying albums one by one.
For artists, higher subscription prices could add more money into the overall pot, but payouts depend on complex royalty formulas and listener behavior. There is no automatic guarantee that your favorite indie act will see a windfall. For listeners, the trade-off is clearer: pay more, or reconsider how many services you keep. Before the new rate hits, you should decide whether you still need a Family plan, whether Apple One now makes more sense, or whether another platform gives better value for the price. The subscription squeeze is here; the only choice left is which bundle you want to be squeezed by.
