Apple Music Family Plan costs $19.99 per month for up to six people
The Apple Music Family Plan is $19.99 per month in the United States. Each family member gets their own account, their own music library, and their own recommendations — the service doesn't mix everyone's listening history together. You can add up to six people total, including yourself.
The price is the same whether you add two family members or six. There's no per-person surcharge. If you're already paying for an individual Apple Music subscription at $10.99 per month, switching to the family plan costs about $9 more each month but covers five additional people.
Pricing varies outside the United States. In Canada, the family plan is CAD $19.99 per month. In the United Kingdom, it's £16.99 per month. If you live in a different country, check Apple's website for your region's pricing, as rates differ by location.
Key Takeaways
- Apple Music Family Plan is $19.99 per month in the US and covers up to six people, each with separate accounts and libraries.
- Each family member can use the plan on their own devices without sharing login credentials or seeing each other's listening history.
- The plan includes access to Apple Music's full catalog, spatial audio with Dolby Atmos, and lossless audio quality at no extra cost.
- Family members can be added or removed at any time through Family Sharing, and you don't need to live in the same house.
- If you subscribe through Apple One, the family plan is bundled with iCloud storage, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade at a lower combined price.
How family members are added and managed
You set up the family plan through Family Sharing, Apple's system for sharing purchases and subscriptions across multiple accounts. The person who starts the plan becomes the family organizer. You add family members by inviting them through Settings on an Apple device, or they can request to join if they already have an Apple ID.
Family members don't need to live in the same house or use the same Wi-Fi network. They can be anywhere and still access the plan on their own devices. Each person logs in with their own Apple ID, so their music library, playlists, and recommendations stay separate.
You can remove someone from the family plan at any time. When you do, they lose access to Apple Music when ready, but any music they've downloaded stays on their device until they delete it. If you want to add a new person after removing someone, you can do that right away.
What's included in the family plan versus individual plans
The family plan includes everything the individual plan does: access to Apple Music's full catalog of over 100 million songs, spatial audio with Dolby Atmos on supported devices, and lossless audio quality. You also get lyrics synced to songs, radio stations, and playlists curated by Apple's team.
The only difference between the family plan and the individual plan is the number of people who can use it and the price. There are no features locked behind the family tier. A family member on the $19.99 plan has the same music library and audio quality as someone paying $10.99 for an individual subscription.
If you want to add Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, or iCloud+ storage, you can buy those separately or bundle them with Apple Music through Apple One. The family tier of Apple One is $19.95 per month and includes Apple Music Family, 200GB of iCloud storage, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade — all for less than buying them separately.
Comparing the family plan to other music services
Spotify's family plan is $16.99 per month for up to six people, which is $3 cheaper than Apple Music. Amazon Music Unlimited's family plan is $14.99 per month. YouTube Music's family plan is $14.99 per month. If price is your main concern, those services cost less per month.
The trade-off is features and ecosystem. Apple Music's family plan includes lossless audio and spatial audio at no extra cost — Spotify and YouTube Music charge extra for high-quality audio or don't offer it at all. If you use other Apple devices like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Apple Music integrates more deeply with Siri voice control and the Music app.
Amazon Music Unlimited's family plan is cheaper, but it requires an Amazon Prime membership ($139 per year or $14.99 per month) to use. Spotify and YouTube Music don't require other subscriptions. If you're already paying for Prime, Amazon Music becomes more competitive on total cost.
How to start an Apple Music Family Plan
If you don't have Apple Music yet, go to Settings on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then tap Music and select "Try it Free" or "Subscribe." You'll be asked whether you want an individual plan or a family plan. Choose family, and you'll be charged $19.99 per month starting after any free trial ends.
If you already have an individual Apple Music subscription, you can upgrade to the family plan in the same place. Go to Settings, tap Music, then tap your subscription. Select "Change Plan" and choose the family option. Your billing date stays the same, and you'll be charged the difference for the rest of the month.
Once the family plan is active, add family members through Settings under Family Sharing. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing. Tap "Add Family Member" and follow the prompts. You can invite people by email or have them request to join if they're nearby.
What happens if someone leaves the family group
When a family member is removed from the family plan, they lose access to Apple Music when ready. Any music they've downloaded to their device remains playable until they delete it, but they can't stream new songs or access their playlists.
If they want to keep using Apple Music, they'll need to buy their own individual subscription at $10.99 per month. Their listening history and playlists are saved to their Apple ID, so if they subscribe later, that information will still be there.
The family organizer can also leave the family group, but that requires transferring the organizer role to another family member first. If you're the organizer and want to leave, choose a new organizer in Family Sharing settings, then remove yourself.
Free trials and promotional offers
Apple Music offers a free trial for new subscribers, usually three months. The trial applies whether you choose an individual plan or a family plan. After the trial ends, you're charged the full monthly price unless you cancel.
If you buy a new Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you may get a longer free trial — sometimes up to six months — through the device setup process. Check the offer when you first set up the device, as it's only available during initial set up.
Students can get Apple Music for $5.99 per month through the Student plan, which is cheaper than both the individual and family plans. The student discount requires verification through UNiDAYS or your school's email address. If your family includes students, it may be cheaper to have them use the student plan instead of the family plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the family plan on different devices at the same time?
Yes. Each family member can stream on their own device simultaneously. All six people can listen to different songs at the same time without any issues or limits. There's no restriction on how many devices each person uses, as long as they're logged in with their own Apple ID.
Do family members see what I'm listening to?
No. Each person's listening history, playlists, and recommendations are completely separate. Family members can't see what songs you've played or what you've added to your library unless you share a playlist with them directly.
What if I want to downgrade from family to individual?
You can change your plan in Settings under Music, then tap your subscription and select "Change Plan." Choose the individual option. The change takes effect on your next billing date. Other family members will lose access to Apple Music unless they have their own subscriptions.
Can I pause the family plan temporarily?
Apple Music doesn't have a pause feature. You can cancel the subscription and restart it later, but you'll lose access when ready when you cancel. If you want to keep the plan active but remove someone, you can do that without canceling the whole subscription.
Is the family plan worth it if I'm the only one using it?
No. If only one person uses it, the individual plan at $10.99 per month is cheaper. The family plan makes financial sense when at least two people are using Apple Music regularly, since it costs only $9 more per month than the individual plan.