Apple raised the price of Apple Music on July 17, 2026, with individual subscribers in the United States now paying $11.99 per month, up from $10.99.
The company cited rising licensing costs as the reason for the increase, which also affects family and student plans.
For families sharing a plan, the cost jumped from $3 to $19.99 per month. Students will pay $6.99, a $1 increase over the previous rate.
The last time Apple adjusted Apple Music pricing was in October 2022, meaning subscribers went nearly four years between increases before this one.
Who Pays More and by How Much
The Apple One bundle tells a more varied story. Individual Apple One subscribers will not see a price change.
However, anyone on the Apple One Family plan will now pay $27.95 per month, up $2, and Premier plan subscribers will pay $39.95 per month, also up $2.
Apple One bundles Apple Music alongside other services, including Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+.
A family of four sharing the Apple Music Family plan will spend $240 per year starting now, down from $203.88 previously.
Over three years, that gap amounts to more than $108 in additional costs compared with what those subscribers paid under the previous pricing structure.
Apple Points to Licensing Costs
In a statement to Music Business Worldwide, Apple said the increases stem from higher music licensing fees.
Record labels and publishers negotiate royalty rates with streaming platforms on an ongoing basis, and those costs ultimately pass through to subscribers.
Apple has not specified which licensing agreements drove the change or whether additional price adjustments are expected.
Spotify raised its own prices in the United States in mid-2023 and again in 2024, so Apple Music subscribers who considered switching services to avoid higher costs will find comparable pricing across major platforms.
Individual Spotify Premium currently runs $11.99 per month in the US, matching Apple Music’s new rate exactly.
What Subscribers Should Do Now
Apple Music subscribers on monthly billing will see the new charge on their next billing cycle. Those who pay annually should check their renewal date, as the updated pricing will apply when their current subscription term ends.
Apple has not announced any grandfathering period or promotional rate for long-term subscribers.
Subscribers who access Apple Music through an Apple One bundle should review their plan tier.
The individual Apple One plan remains unchanged, but anyone on the Family or Premier bundle will automatically see the $2 monthly increase reflected. Apple has also raised Apple Music prices in Brazil alongside the US changes.
