Apple Music prices are climbing again, and the family plan is taking the biggest hit as the service moves closer to a $20 monthly bill in the United States.
Apple introduced the new subscription rates on July 17, 2026, marking the first price increase for the music streaming service since October 2022. The publication reports that the changes are already active in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, with increases also reaching additional markets around the world.
Apple’s official Apple Music pricing page confirms that the individual plan now costs $11.99 per month, an increase from its previous price of $10.99. The family plan has jumped from $16.99 to $19.99 per month, while the student plan has moved from $5.99 to $6.99 per month.
That means individual subscribers will pay an additional $12 over a full year. Verified students will also spend $12 more annually. Families will see the largest change, paying an additional $36 per year if they remain subscribed for all 12 months. At the new price, the family plan costs $239.88 annually before any applicable taxes or other charges.
For listeners already juggling multiple streaming subscriptions, cloud storage, phone bills, and other monthly services, the latest Apple Music prices represent another small charge that can become much larger when added to the rest of the household budget. The increase may feel especially noticeable for families that selected the shared plan as a more affordable alternative to purchasing several individual memberships.
Apple is blaming the change on the cost of securing music rights. In a statement provided to Music Business Worldwide , the company said, “As a result of rising licensing costs, Apple Music is increasing its subscription price beginning today.”
Apple did not provide a detailed breakdown showing which licensing expenses increased or how the additional subscription revenue will be distributed among record labels, publishers, songwriters, producers, and recording artists. The company’s explanation, however, closely mirrors the reasoning it offered during its last round of Apple Music price increases.
Apple raised the individual subscription from $9.99 to $10.99 in October 2022. The family plan increased from $14.99 to $16.99 during the same period. At that time, Apple said higher licensing expenses would allow artists and songwriters to earn more from streams of their music.
Apple Music prices had remained unchanged for nearly four years following that increase. Apple Music originally launched in June 2015 at $9.99 per month in the United States and maintained that individual price for approximately seven years. The new $11.99 rate is now $2 higher than the service’s original monthly cost.
Despite the higher price, Apple’s official Apple Music page shows that the company is keeping its main subscription features intact. Individual subscribers continue to receive access to more than 100 million songs, offline listening, curated playlists, Spatial Audio, lossless audio, and the Apple Music Classical app.
The family plan continues to let the main subscriber share access with up to five additional people through Apple Family Sharing, according to Apple’s pricing page . Each member receives a personal music library, playlists, and recommendations instead of sharing one listening history. That structure remains useful for households where everyone has different tastes, but the $3 monthly increase makes the family option the most aggressively adjusted Apple Music plan in this round.
Students are still receiving the lowest monthly rate. According to Apple, the $6.99 student membership provides the same core Apple Music features included with an individual plan and comes with Apple TV access at no additional cost. Students must verify their enrollment, and Apple says the discounted membership can remain active for up to four years as long as the subscriber continues to qualify.
The increase also arrives as competing music services continue adjusting their own subscription rates. Spotify raised its United States individual Premium plan to $12.99 per month earlier in 2026. Spotify’s family membership reportedly costs $21.99, while its student plan costs $6.99.
That leaves the new Apple Music prices slightly below Spotify for individual and family subscribers. Apple’s individual plan is $1 less per month, and its family plan is $2 less. The student prices are currently the same. Those differences could matter for listeners deciding between the two platforms, especially when the services offer similar access to major albums, playlists, podcasts, and personalized recommendations.
Apple is also raising prices elsewhere in its subscription business. The Apple One Family plan increased to $27.95 per month and the Premier plan increased to $39.95. Both bundles reportedly rose by $2, while the individual Apple One plan remained at $19.95 per month.
For music fans, the real question is whether the added cost will translate into meaningful benefits for the people creating the music. Apple has connected its increases to licensing expenses, but listeners and artists will likely watch closely to see how much of the additional revenue reaches the creative community.
For now, subscribers do not have to guess what the change means for their wallets. Apple Music prices are officially higher, and the family plan is now only one cent away from becoming another $20 monthly subscription.
