Family Apple Music costs $19.99 per month for up to six people

Apple Music's Family plan lets six people in your household share one subscription for $19.99 per month. Each person gets their own account, their own music library, and their own recommendations — Apple doesn't mix your listening history with anyone else's. You can add or remove family members whenever you want, and the plan renews every month on the same date.

If you live alone or want your own separate account, Apple Music's individual plan is $10.99 per month. The family plan works out to about $3.33 per person if all six slots are filled, which is why most households find it cheaper than individual subscriptions.

Apple also offers a student plan for $5.99 per month if you're enrolled full-time at a college or university in the United States. The student plan is individual only — you can't add family members to it.

Key Takeaways

  • Family Apple Music is $19.99 per month for up to six people, and each person keeps their own separate account and listening history.
  • You need an Apple ID for each family member, and you set up the plan through the Family Sharing feature in your Apple account settings.
  • The person who pays the bill is the family organizer and can remove anyone from the plan at any time.
  • If you cancel, everyone loses access when ready, so make sure all family members know the plan status before you stop paying.

How to set up Family Apple Music

Start by opening Settings on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Tap or click your name at the top, then select Family Sharing. If you haven't set up Family Sharing yet, choose "Create a Family" and follow the prompts. You'll need to add a payment method — this is where the $19.99 monthly charge will go.

Once Family Sharing is active, go to the Apple Music app and look for the account menu (usually a profile icon). Select "Set Up Family Sharing for Apple Music" or a similar option depending on your device. Invite family members by their Apple ID email address. They'll get a notification and can accept the invitation from their own device.

Each family member needs their own Apple ID — you can't share one account. If someone in your household doesn't have an Apple ID yet, you can create one for them during the Family Sharing setup, or they can create one themselves at appleid.apple.com.

Who pays and who can manage the plan

The person who sets up Family Sharing becomes the family organizer. That person's payment method is charged $19.99 every month, and they're the only one who can add or remove family members. If you're the organizer and you want to stop paying, you need to remove everyone from the plan or delete the family group entirely — the subscription doesn't automatically downgrade to individual plans.

Family members can't see each other's payment information or change the billing method. They also can't invite new people to the family — only the organizer can do that. If the organizer leaves the family, Apple will ask another adult family member to take over as organizer, or the plan will end.

What happens if someone leaves the family

If a family member leaves or you remove them, they lose access to Apple Music when ready. Their playlists and library stay in their account, but they can't stream music unless they buy their own individual subscription. The monthly charge stays the same at $19.99 — removing one person doesn't lower the price.

If you want to add someone new after removing a family member, you can do that right away. There's no waiting period or limit on how many times you can change the group, though Apple may flag unusual activity if you're constantly adding and removing people.

Splitting the bill among family members

Apple doesn't have a built-in way to split the $19.99 charge. The organizer pays the full amount, and family members need to reimburse them separately — usually through Venmo, PayPal, or cash. If you're splitting six ways, each person would pay about $3.33 per month, but you'll need to work that out on your own.

Some families set up a shared payment through a joint bank account or have one person cover it in exchange for something else. Others rotate who pays each month. There's no right way — it depends on what works for your household.

Comparing Family Apple Music to other options

Spotify's Family plan is also $19.99 per month for up to six people and works almost the same way. Amazon Music Unlimited's Family plan is $19.99 per month for up to six people as well. YouTube Music's Family plan is $22.99 per month. If you're already paying for other Apple services like iCloud+ or Apple TV+, you might save money by bundling them into Apple One, which includes Apple Music.

If you only want music and don't need the other services, the standalone Family Apple Music plan is usually the cheapest option compared to buying six individual subscriptions at $10.99 each (which would cost $65.94 per month).

What to know about family members and privacy

Family members can see each other's names and Apple IDs, but they can't see what music you're listening to or access your personal library. Your listening history, playlists, and recommendations stay private. However, if you share an Apple device with someone else in the family, they might see your activity on that specific device depending on how you've set up user accounts.

If you're concerned about privacy, make sure each family member has their own device or their own user account on a shared device. You can also turn off Siri suggestions and personalized recommendations in your Apple Music settings if you want less tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Family Apple Music on Android phones?

Yes. Family members can read the Apple Music app on Android and sign in with their Apple ID. They'll have the same access to music and features as someone on an iPhone or iPad. The family organizer still needs to set up Family Sharing through an Apple device, but once it's set up, anyone can use it on Android.

What if I want to cancel Family Apple Music?

Go to Settings, tap your name, select Subscriptions, find Apple Music, and choose Cancel Subscription. The charge stops at the end of your current billing cycle. Everyone in the family loses access when the subscription ends, so let them know before you cancel. If you want to keep using Apple Music yourself, you can downgrade to an individual plan instead of canceling entirely.

Can I use Family Apple Music in different countries?

Family members need to be in the same country as the organizer. If someone moves to a different country, they may need to leave the family group and set up their own subscription in that country, because Apple Music pricing and availability vary by region.

Do all six family members have to use Apple devices?

No. Family members can use Apple Music on Android, Windows, or web browsers as long as they have an Apple ID. The organizer needs an Apple device to set up Family Sharing initially, but after that, anyone can access the music from any device.

What if the organizer's payment method expires?

Apple will try to charge the backup payment method on file. If all payment methods fail, the subscription will be suspended and everyone loses access. The organizer will get notifications to update their payment information. Once it's updated, the subscription resumes and everyone can use Apple Music again.