Apple has increased Apple Music and Apple One subscription prices in India, marking the first hike since 2022. The revised plans raise monthly costs for individual, family, student, and bundle subscriptions, with Apple citing rising music royalties and better earnings for artists and songwriters.
Apple has officially increased the subscription prices for Apple Music and Apple One plans in India, aligning with broader global pricing affecting users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and other countries.
The revised pricing is already live and marks the first Apple Music price increase since 2022.
Apple stated that the price changes are due to the increasing number of music listeners, which ensures that artists and songwriters earn more for their music.
The updated rates are effective immediately for new users, while existing users will see the new pricing reflected in their upcoming billing cycles.
| United States Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan | New Price | Old Price |
| Apple Music Individual | $11.99 | $10.99 |
| Apple Music Family | $19.99 | $16.99 |
| Apple Music Student | $6.99 | $5.99 |
| Apple One Family | $27.95 | $25.95 |
| Apple One Premier | $39.95 | $37.95 |
Apple One Individual plan remains unchanged at $19.95 per month in the US.
| India Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan | New Price | Old Price |
| Apple Music Individual | Rs. 139 | Rs. 119 |
| Apple Music Family | Rs. 229 | Rs. 179 |
| Apple Music Student | Rs. 69 | Rs. 59 |
| Apple One Individual | Rs. 195 | Rs. 175 |
| Apple One Family | Rs. 445 | Rs. 365 |
| Apple One Premier | Rs. 595 | Rs. 499 |
The price increase will have a minimal overall impact on Apple's massive financial bottom line, but it serves as a strategic manoeuvre to protect profit margins and drive ecosystem revenue.
Apple explicitly stated that the price hike is a direct response to rising music licensing costs. This implies that much of the extra $1 to $3 collected per user will go directly to record labels and artists rather than padding Apple's pockets.
By raising standalone Apple Music costs, Apple makes its Apple One bundles look significantly more attractive.
Getting users to upgrade to the Apple One tier increases Apple's Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and locks consumers deeper into its ecosystem of services (iCloud, Arcade, TV+).
Apple's competitors, such as Spotify Premium and YouTube Music, have already raised prices.
Apple Music remains $1 cheaper than Spotify in the US, meaning Apple faces a very low risk of subscriber churn to rival platforms.
Many Apple Music subscribers have expressed disappointment, especially students and families who will see noticeable monthly increases.
Some users on social media and Reddit argue that the streaming subscriptions are becoming increasingly expensive and are beginning to rival the cost of multiple services combined.
At the same time, a significant number of Apple users believe the increase is relatively modest, given that Apple Music continues to offer features such as Lossless Audio, Spatial Audio, and seamless integration across its devices.
Apple's pricing revisions reflect broader shifts across the music streaming industry, where rising royalty costs and increased investment in premium services are pushing subscription prices higher.
However, Apple's strong ecosystem, premium features and bundled offerings through Apple One are expected to help the company retain most of its existing users despite the increase.
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