Apple has increased the prices of Apple Music subscriptions in India and several other countries. The company says the latest price hike is due to rising music licensing costs. This is the first major increase in Apple Music pricing in several years.
The revised pricing is now live in India across all Apple Music plans.
The Student plan now costs Rs. 69 per month, up from Rs. 59. The Individual plan has increased from Rs. 119 to Rs. 139 per month, while the Family plan now costs Rs. 229 per month, compared to the earlier price of Rs. 179.
Apple has also raised Apple Music prices in the US and many other international markets. In the US, the Individual plan now costs $11.99 per month instead of $10.99. The Student plan has gone up to $6.99, while the Family plan now costs $19.99 per month.
The company said the price revision is a result of increasing licensing costs. Music streaming services pay royalties to record labels, artists, and publishers for every song streamed. As these costs continue to rise, companies are gradually passing some of the additional expense to subscribers.
Apple has also updated the pricing of Apple One bundles in several countries. In the US, the Family and Premier plans have become more expensive, while the Individual plan remains unchanged. However, Apple One pricing in India has not changed yet.
Even after the latest price hike, Apple Music remains competitively priced in India, although it is no longer the cheapest premium music streaming service.
Spotify Premium continues to cost Rs. 119 per month, making it Rs. 20 cheaper than Apple Music’s Individual plan. YouTube Music Premium is also available for Rs. 119 per month. Amazon Music, on the other hand, is included with an Amazon Prime membership, which starts at Rs. 299 per month or Rs. 1,499 per year.
Despite the higher price, Apple Music still offers several premium features without charging extra. Subscribers get access to Lossless Audio, Hi-Res Lossless, Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio, and a library of more than 100 million songs. Many competing services either do not offer these features or provide them only with select plans.
For most Apple users, the increase may not be significant enough to cancel their subscription, especially if they are already part of the Apple ecosystem. However, users who subscribe only for music may now take a closer look at alternatives like Spotify and YouTube Music, which offer similar pricing and features.
