Launched in 2015, Apple Music is one of the frontrunners in the world of music streaming. With more than 100 million songs, lossless audio, and a healthy pay-per-stream for artists, many regard it as the gold standard for music streaming done right. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the standout Apple Music features, compare plan pricings and deals, and show how you can get subscribed to Apple Music.
Apple Music Subscription: List of Plans and Pricing in India
Apple Music has four plans in India, with the same features and ad-free music across all of them. The only difference between them is the monthly or yearly price, and the number of people that can access Apple Music.
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Individual (Monthly)
- Rs 139 per month
This is the cheapest Apple Music subscription for individuals. It offers access to all Apple Music features for a single user for 1 month.
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Individual (Yearly)
- Rs 1,399 per year
This is the yearly Apple Music subscription for the individuals. At this price, you effectively get two months of free subscription at the cost of 10 months of monthly individual subscription. Like the monthly version, this also provides access to all Apple Music features for a single person for 12 months.
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Family (Monthly)
- Rs 229 per month
This plan provides Apple Music access to up to six members (1 organiser + 5 family members) with each member getting their own individual private music library. The effective price for each member in the Family plan comes down to approximately Rs 38.
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Student (Monthly)
- Rs 69 per month
This plan is specifically for university and college students. To qualify, users must verify their student status before purchase. The discounted student plan is valid for up to 48 months, or 4 years, and includes access to Apple TV as well at no additional cost.
A single Apple Music subscription lets you access all the entire catalogue as well as all its features. There are no separate premium or lossless plans. Everything is available on the same Apple Music subscription.
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Free Apple Music Deals
First-time Apple Music subscribers can get 1-month free access, regardless of their plan.
Airtel users on the following plans can also get a 6-month free Apple Music subscription:
- Rs 349 (prepaid)
- Rs 379 (prepaid)
- Rs 449 (prepaid)
- Rs 1,049 (postpaid, Airtel family plan)
- Rs 1,249 (postpaid, Airtel family plan)
- Rs 1,449 (postpaid, Airtel family plan)
- Rs 1,799 (postpaid, Airtel family plan)
You can avail the 6-month bundle even if you’ve subscribed to Apple before. However, note that this is only a one-time benefit. Repeated recharges do not grant additional free Apple Music access.
Apple Music Plans Compared
Here’s a look at all the Apple Music plans and deals for easy comparison:
| Apple Music Plan | Price | Eligibility | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | Rs 139/month | Anyone | 1 month |
| Individual | Rs 1,399/month | Anyone | 1 year |
| Family (up to 6 members) | Rs 229/month | Anyone | 1 month |
| Student | Rs 69/month | University and College students | 1 month (for up to 4 years) |
| Airtel Prepaid bundle | Rs 0/month | Prepaid recharge of Rs 349, Rs 379, and Rs 449 | 6 months |
| Airtel Postpaid bundle | Rs 0/month | Postpaid plans of Rs 1,049, Rs 1,249, Rs 1,449, and Rs 1,799 | 6 months |
Apple Music Features
Apple Music was amongst the first music streaming services to introduce bit-perfect lossless music without any extra charge. This makes it one of the cheapest music streaming services in India with true lossless audio.
Some other notable Apple Music features include support for Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio, Lyrics translation, and Apple Music Sing. The latter is a karaoke-style feature that reduces the volume of the vocals.
A single Apple Music subscription further gives you access to Apple Music Classical, a separate app dedicated entirely to classical music.
Recently, Apple also brought its Liquid Glass aesthetic for Apple Music for Android.
However, Apple Music doesn’t let you access music without a subscription. Apple Music doesn’t have a free tier that lets you listen for free with intermittent ads like Spotify. You have to get an Apple Music subscription to get started.
How to Get Apple Music Subscription in India
You can subscribe to Apple Music from any device using UPI, credit card, and Apple ID funds for recurring payments. Here's how to subscribe to Apple Music:
Using Apple Music App on iPhone
The simplest way to get an Apple Music subscription is from the Apple Music app on an iPhone. Here’s how:
- Open the Apple Music app, tap on Start listening, and confirm by double-clicking the Side button.
- To check out other plans, select See All Plans instead. Alternatively, you can also tap on your profile icon in the top right corner and select Join Apple Music to choose your plan.
- Tap on Continue to set up payment and enter your payment details.
- Verify the payment method, tap on Set Up Payment and complete the purchase.
You will now have subscribed to Apple Music.
Using Apple Music Website
You can also get an Apple Music subscription from the Apple Music website. Here’s how:
- Go to music.apple.com and click on See All Plans.
- Select your plan and click on Continue.
- Sign in to your Apple account and confirm your selected plan.
- Click on Set Up Payment and set up a recurring payment.
Once the payment goes through, your Apple Music subscription will be live.
Using Apple Music App on Android
For those on Android devices, here’s how to get the Apple Music subscription:
- Install Apple Music app from the Play Store and launch it.
- Tap on Try It Now, select your plan, and tap Subscribe Now.
- Then enter your payment details and tap Subscribe.
Using the Airtel App
If you’ve recharged your Airtel SIM with a plan that bundles Apple Music, here’s how to claim it:
- Open the Airtel app and select your plan under the My Services section.
- Then, go to Subscription > Apple Music > Plan benefits and tap on Claim.
If you’ve already used the benefit once, you will see the word ‘Exhausted’ under Apple Music in the Claimed Benefits section.
How to Renew Apple Music Subscription Plan
If you were previously subscribed to Apple Music, you can just as easily renew or change your subscription. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on your Apple account name at the top, and select Subscriptions.
- Select your expired Apple Music subscription and tap on Renew.
- To change your plan, tap on See All Plans, select your plan, and tap Change Subscription.
- Double-click the power button to confirm and set up your recurring payment.
Which Apple Music Plan Is Best in India?
Apple Music’s Family plan makes a lot of sense if you can find even one other person. This brings the effective price to below that of the Individual subscription plan. With all 6 members sharing an Apple Music family plan, the split price comes well below Rs 40.
The student plan is the next best Apple Music plan. Not only is it available at a heavily discounted rate, but it also bundles Apple TV for free.
For Airtel users, the free 6-month Apple Music subscription bundled with eligible prepaid and postpaid plans is a no-brainer. Even those who’ve previously subscribed to Apple Music can avail it.
But if you’re getting the Individual plan, it still makes for a very good deal, especially when compared to other music streaming services like Spotify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the cheapest way to get Apple Music?
Being part of the Apple Music Family plan or using the Student Plan for eligible users are two of the cheapest ways to get Apple Music.
Q. How to get 6 months of Apple Music for free?
Airtel bundles a 6-month Apple Music subscription for certain prepaid and postpaid recharge plans. To claim it, open the Airtel app, tap on your plan under 'My Services', select Apple Music under 'Subscriptions', and tap Claim.
Q. Which is cheaper, Spotify or Apple Music?
For the same features, Apple Music is the cheaper alternative, especially with individual and family plans. However, Spotify has a free, ad-supported plan, while Apple Music doesn't.
Q. What are the features of an Apple Music subscription?
Apple Music subscription lets you listen to lossless music, with support for Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio, and a karaoke feature. It also bundles the Apple Music Classical app, which is made specifically for classical music.
