Apple Music is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world, offering access to over 90 million songs, thousands of playlists, radio stations, podcasts, and more. You can enjoy Apple Music on various devices, such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, Android, Sonos, Amazon Alexa, PlayStation, and others.
But Apple Music is not free. You have to pay a monthly subscription fee to use it, which can range from $4.99 to $16.99, depending on the plan you choose. However, there are ways to get Apple Music for free, or at least for a reduced price, if you know some tricks and tips. In this article, we will show you how to get Apple Music for free, or for a longer trial period, by using different methods and offers from Apple and its partners.
What Is Apple Music and How Much Does It Cost?
Apple Music is a music streaming service that lets you listen to millions of songs on demand, download them for offline listening, create and share playlists, follow your favorite artists, and discover new music. You can also enjoy original shows, concerts, and exclusives, as well as live radio stations like Beats 1, which features celebrity hosts and guests.
Apple Music is available on various devices, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, Apple TV, CarPlay, PC, Android, and smart speakers. You can also access it on the web through a browser. You can sync your music library across all your devices, and upload and match your personal music collection to stream on any device.
Apple Music does not have a free version that plays ads, unlike some of its competitors like Spotify and YouTube Music. You need to pay a monthly fee to use the service, but you can also get a free trial period before you subscribe. The cost of Apple Music varies depending on the plan and the region, but here are the standard prices for the US:
- Student plan: $4.99 per month, with a free three-month trial. You need to verify your student status with UNiDAYS to qualify for this plan.
- Individual plan: $9.99 per month, with a free one-month trial. This is the most common plan for solo users.
- Family plan: $14.99 per month, with a free one-month trial. This plan allows up to six members of a family to share the same subscription, using Family Sharing.
- Apple One: This is a bundle of Apple services that includes Apple Music, along with Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+. There are three tiers of Apple One: Individual ($14.95 per month), Family ($19.95 per month), and Premier ($29.95 per month). You can get a free one-month trial of Apple One, but only for the services that you have not subscribed to before.
As you can see, Apple Music is not cheap, especially if you want to use it for a long time. That’s why many people are looking for ways to get Apple Music for free, or at least for a lower price. Fortunately, there are some options available, and we will explore them in the next sections.
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How to Get a Free One-Month Trial of Apple Music
If you have never used Apple Music before, you can get a free one-month trial of the service, regardless of the plan you choose. This means you can enjoy all the features and benefits of Apple Music for 30 days, without paying anything. To get your free trial, follow these steps:
- Go to the Apple Music website and click on the Try it free button.
- Choose the plan that suits you best: Student, Individual, or Family. You can change or cancel your plan at any time.
- Sign in with your Apple ID, or create one if you don’t have one. You will need to enter your payment information, but you will not be charged until the trial period ends.
- Start listening to Apple Music on your device, or download the app for other devices.
That’s it. You have successfully activated your free one-month trial of Apple Music. You can now stream and download millions of songs, explore curated playlists, listen to live radio, and more. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the trial ends, if you don’t want to continue using the service and pay the monthly fee.
How to Get a Free Three-Month Trial of Apple Music
If you are a student, you can get an even better deal: a free three-month trial of Apple Music, instead of one month. This means you can save $14.97 on your subscription, and pay only $4.99 per month after the trial ends. This is the cheapest plan available, and it offers the same features and benefits as the other plans.
To get your free three-month trial of Apple Music as a student, you need to verify your student status with UNiDAYS, a platform that provides discounts and offers for students. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the Apple Music website and click on the Try it free button.
- Choose the Student plan and click on the Verify Eligibility button.
- You will be redirected to the UNiDAYS website, where you need to sign in with your UNiDAYS account, or create one if you don’t have one. You will need to provide your academic email address, your full name, your institution, and your course of study.
- Once you have verified your student status, you will be taken back to the Apple Music website, where you can sign in with your Apple ID and enter your payment information. You will not be charged until the trial period ends.
- Start enjoying Apple Music on your device, or download the app for other devices.
That’s how you can get a free three-month trial of Apple Music as a student. You can now access all the music and content that Apple Music has to offer, for a longer time and a lower price. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the trial ends, if you don’t want to continue using the service and pay the monthly fee.
How to Get a Free Six-Month Trial of Apple Music
If you want to get the best deal possible, you can get a free six-month trial of Apple Music, instead of one or three months. This means you can save $59.94 on your subscription, and enjoy half a year of free music streaming. However, this offer is not available for everyone, and it depends on the device you have or purchase.
Apple occasionally offers a free six-month trial of Apple Music to new subscribers who purchase or own eligible audio devices, such as AirPods, HomePod, or Beats. This is a limited-time offer, and it may not be available in all regions or for all devices. To check if you are eligible for this offer, and how to redeem it, follow these steps:
- Go to the Apple Music Six Month Offer website and scroll down to see the list of eligible devices. Make sure you have one of them, and that it is paired with your iPhone or iPad.
- Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone or iPad and sign in with your Apple ID. If the offer doesn’t appear immediately after launching the app, go to the Listen Now tab where it will appear.
- Tap on the Get 6 months free button and follow the instructions to activate your free trial. You will need to enter your payment information, but you will not be charged until the trial period ends.
- Start listening to Apple Music on your device, or download the app for other devices.
That’s how you can get a free six-month trial of Apple Music with an eligible audio device. You can now enjoy the service for a longer time, and experience the sound quality and features that Apple Music offers. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the trial ends, if you don’t want to continue using the service and pay the monthly fee.
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How to Get Apple Music for Free for Longer Than Six Months
If you want to get Apple Music for free for longer than six months, you will need to look for other offers and deals that are available from time to time. These offers may vary depending on the region, the provider, and the duration, but they usually involve signing up for another service or purchasing a product that includes Apple Music as a bonus. Here are some examples of how to get Apple Music for free for longer than six months:
How to Get Apple Music for Free with Verizon
If you are a Verizon customer or are planning to switch to Verizon, you can get Apple Music for free for up to one year, depending on the plan you choose. Verizon offers Apple Music as a perk for some of its unlimited plans, such as Play More Unlimited, Get More Unlimited, and Do More Unlimited. Here’s how to get Apple Music for free with Verizon:
- Go to the Verizon website and choose one of the eligible unlimited plans. You can also switch to Verizon from another carrier and get the same offer.
- Sign up for the plan and follow the instructions to activate your Apple Music subscription. You will need to enter your Apple ID and payment information, but you will not be charged by Apple until the offer period ends.
- Start listening to Apple Music on your device, or download the app for other devices.
That’s how you can get Apple Music for free with Verizon. You can now enjoy the service for up to one year, depending on your plan, and stream unlimited music without using your data. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the offer ends if you don’t want to continue using the service and pay the monthly fee.
How to Get Apple Music for Free with Shazam
If you are a fan of Shazam, the app that identifies songs and artists by listening to a short snippet of audio, you can get Apple Music for free for up to five months, depending on the region and the offer. Shazam is owned by Apple, and it often runs promotions that give new Apple Music subscribers a free trial period of up to five months. Here’s how to get Apple Music for free with Shazam:
- Go to the [Shazam website] and download the app for your device, if you don’t have it already.
- Open the app and tap on the Shazam button to identify a song that is playing around you, or use the microphone icon to search for a song by voice.
- After the app recognizes the song, tap on the Apple Music icon to open the song in the Apple Music app, or download the app if you don’t have it.
- You will see a pop-up message that offers you a free trial of Apple Music for up to five months. Tap on the Try it free button and follow the instructions to activate your free trial. You will need to enter your Apple ID and payment information, but you will not be charged until the trial period ends.
- Start listening to Apple Music on your device, or download the app for other devices.
That’s how you can get Apple Music for free with Shazam. You can now enjoy the service for up to five months, depending on the offer, and discover new music with Shazam and Apple Music. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the trial ends, if you don’t want to continue using the service and pay the monthly fee.
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How to Get Apple Music for Free with Family Sharing
Another way to get Apple Music for free, or at least for a cheaper price, is to use Family Sharing. Family Sharing is a feature that allows you to share your Apple subscriptions, purchases, and services with up to five other family members. You can set up Family Sharing by going to Settings on your iPhone, tapping on your Apple ID, then on Family Sharing, and then on Set Up Your Family. You can then invite your family members to join your family group by sending them an invitation link or by entering their Apple ID.
If you have an Apple Music Family plan, which costs $16.99 per month, you can share it with your family members for free, giving them access to the same music library and features as you. This way, you can split the cost of the subscription among your family members, or even get it for free if someone else pays for it. You can also share other Apple subscriptions, such as Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, and Apple One, with your family members using Family Sharing.
How to Get Apple Music for Free with Apple One
Apple One is a bundle that combines several Apple services into one subscription, saving you money and simplifying your billing. Apple One has three tiers: Individual, Family, and Premier. The Individual tier costs $16.95 per month and includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage. The Family tier costs $21.95 per month and includes the same services but with 200GB of iCloud storage and the ability to share them with up to five family members. The Premier tier costs $34.95 per month and includes the same services but with 2TB of iCloud storage and the addition of Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+.
If you are interested in any of these services, you can get Apple Music for free by signing up for Apple One. You can do this by going to Settings on your iPhone, tapping on your Apple ID, then on Subscriptions, and then on Apple One. You can also sign up for Apple One from the App Store, iTunes, or the Apple Music app. You will get a one-month free trial of Apple One, which includes Apple Music before you start paying for the subscription. You can cancel Apple One at any time by going to the same place where you signed up for it.
How to Save Money on Your Apple Music Subscription
If you have already used all the free trial offers, or you want to continue using Apple Music after the trial period ends, you may be wondering how to save money on your subscription. There are some ways to reduce the cost of Apple Music, or get more value for your money, depending on your situation and preferences. Here are some tips and tricks to save money on your Apple Music subscription:
Switch to a Cheaper Plan
One of the simplest ways to save money on your Apple Music subscription is to switch to a cheaper plan, if you are eligible for it. As we mentioned before, Apple Music offers three plans: student, individual, and family. The student plan is the cheapest, at $4.99 per month, but you need to verify your student status with UNiDAYS to qualify for it. The Family plan is the most expensive, at $14.99 per month, but it allows up to six members of a family to share the same subscription using Family Sharing.
If you are currently on the Individual plan, and you are a student, you can switch to the Student plan and save $5 per month. If you are currently on the Family plan, and you don’t need to share your subscription with other family members, you can switch to the Individual plan and save $5 per month. To switch your plan, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple Music app on your device and tap on the For You tab.
- Tap on your profile icon in the upper right corner and then tap on Account.
- Tap on Manage Subscription and then tap on your current plan.
- Choose the plan that you want to switch to and confirm your choice.
- Your new plan will take effect at the end of your current billing cycle.
That’s how you can switch to a cheaper plan and save money on your Apple Music subscription. You can now enjoy the service for a lower price, and still access all the features and benefits that Apple Music offers.
Use Apple Gift Cards
Another way to save money on your Apple Music subscription is to use Apple gift cards, which you can buy at a discount from various retailers and online platforms. Apple gift cards can be used to pay for Apple services, such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud+, and more, as well as for apps, games, books, and other content from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books.
If you can find Apple gift cards at a lower price than their face value, you can use them to pay for your Apple Music subscription and save money. For example, if you can buy a $100 Apple gift card for $90, you can use it to pay for 10 months of Apple Music Individual plan, and save $10. To use Apple gift cards to pay for your Apple Music subscription, follow these steps:
- Go to the [Apple gift card website] and buy a gift card for yourself or someone else, or find a discounted gift card from another source.
- Open the Apple Music app on your device and tap on the For You tab.
- Tap on your profile icon in the upper right corner and then tap on Account.
- Tap on Redeem Gift Card or Code and then scan the code on the gift card, or enter it manually.
- The gift card balance will be added to your Apple ID account, and it will be used to pay for your Apple Music subscription and other Apple services and content.
That’s how you can use Apple gift cards to pay for your Apple Music subscription and save money. You can now enjoy the service for a lower price, and also use the gift card balance for other Apple products and services.
Share Your Subscription with Family or Friends
A third way to save money on your Apple Music subscription is to share your subscription with family or friends, using Family Sharing or other methods. Family Sharing is a feature that lets you share your Apple services, such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud+, and more, as well as your purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books, with up to five other people in your family group.
If you are on the Family plan of Apple Music, which costs $14.99 per month, you can share your subscription with up to five other family members, and each of you will pay only $2.50 per month. This is a great way to save money and enjoy Apple Music with your family. To share your Apple Music subscription with Family Sharing, follow these steps:
- Go to the [Family Sharing website] and set up your family group, or join an existing one. You will need to invite or accept the invitations of the other family members, and choose one person as the family organizer, who will pay for the shared services and purchases.
- Open the Apple Music app on your device and tap on the For You tab.
- Tap on your profile icon in the upper right corner and then tap on Account.
- Tap on Manage Subscription and then tap on the Family plan.
- Confirm your choice and start sharing your Apple Music subscription with your family group.
That’s how you can share your Apple Music subscription with Family Sharing and save money. You can now enjoy the service with your family, and access each other’s music libraries, playlists, and recommendations.
If you are not on the Family plan, or you don’t want to use Family Sharing, you can still share your Apple Music subscription with other people, using other methods. For example, you can use the same Apple ID and password on multiple devices, and stream Apple Music on any of them. However, this method has some limitations and risks, such as:
- You can only stream Apple Music on one device at a time, unless you have an Apple One subscription, which allows up to six simultaneous streams.
- You will share your personal information, such as your contacts, messages, photos, and more, with the other people who use your Apple ID.
- You will lose control over your Apple ID account, and the other people who use it can make changes or purchases without your consent.
Therefore, we do not recommend this method, and we advise you to use Family Sharing or the Family plan instead, if you want to share your Apple Music subscription with other people.
Apple Music is a great music streaming service that offers a lot of features and benefits, but it also comes with a price. If you want to get Apple Music for free, or save money on your subscription, you can use the methods and tips that we have discussed in this article, such as:
- Taking advantage of the free trial periods that Apple offers to new subscribers, depending on the plan and the device, and getting up to six months of free Apple Music.
- Looking for other offers and deals that are available from time to time, and getting Apple Music for free for longer than six months, by signing up for another service or purchasing a product that includes Apple Music as a bonus.
- Switching to a cheaper plan, if you are eligible for it, and saving money on your monthly fee.
- Using Apple gift cards, which you can buy at a discount from various retailers and online platforms, and paying for your Apple Music subscription with them.
- Sharing your Apple Music subscription with family or friends, using Family Sharing or other methods, and splitting the cost with them.
We hope you found this article helpful and informative, and that you learned how to get Apple Music for free, or for a lower price. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading, and happy listening!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about Apple Music and how to get it for free:
- Q: How do I cancel my Apple Music subscription?
- A: To cancel your Apple Music subscription, you need to follow these steps:
- Open the Apple Music app on your device and tap on the For You tab.
- Tap on your profile icon in the upper right corner and then tap on Account.
- Tap on Manage Subscription and then tap on Cancel Subscription.
- Confirm your choice and your subscription will end at the end of your current billing cycle.
- Q: How do I check how much time I have left on my free trial of Apple Music?
- A: To check how much time you have left on your free trial of Apple Music, you need to follow these steps:
- Open the Apple Music app on your device and tap on the For You tab.
- Tap on your profile icon in the upper right corner and then tap on Account.
- Tap on Manage Subscription and then tap on your current plan.
- You will see the date when your free trial ends and when you will be charged for the next month.
- Q: How do I change the quality of the audio on Apple Music?
- A: To change the quality of the audio on Apple Music, you need to follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your device and tap on Music.
- Tap on Audio Quality and then choose the quality level that you want for cellular, Wi-Fi, and downloads. You can also enable or disable Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, and lossless audio.
- The changes will take effect immediately and you will hear the difference in the sound quality.
- Q: How do I create and share playlists on Apple Music?
- A: To create and share playlists on Apple Music, you need to follow these steps:
- Open the Apple Music app on your device and tap on the Library tab.
- Tap on New Playlist and then give your playlist a name, a description, and a cover image.
- Tap on Add Music and then browse or search for the songs that you want to add to your playlist. You can also add songs from other playlists, albums, or artists.
- Tap on Done when you have finished adding songs to your playlist.
- To share your playlist, tap on the More button (…) and then tap on Share. You can then choose how you want to share your playlist, such as via Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or social media.
- Q: How do I discover new music on Apple Music?
- A: To discover new music on Apple Music, you can use the following features and methods:
- The Listen Now tab: This is where you can find personalized recommendations based on your listening history, preferences, and mood. You can also see what’s new and popular in the music world, and explore different genres, moods, and activities.
- The Browse tab: This is where you can browse the entire catalog of Apple Music, and discover new releases, top charts, featured playlists, radio stations, and more. You can also see what’s trending and what’s exclusive to Apple Music.
- The Radio tab: This is where you can listen to live radio stations, such as Beats 1, which features celebrity hosts and guests, and genre-specific stations, such as Hip-Hop Radio, Country Radio, and Rock Radio. You can also create your own custom stations based on your favorite songs, artists, or genres.
- The Search tab: This is where you can search for any song, artist, album, playlist, or genre that you want to listen to. You can also use voice search by tapping on the microphone icon and saying what you want to hear.
- The Shazam app: This is an app that identifies songs and artists by listening to a short snippet of audio. You can use it to find out the name and details of any song that is playing around you, and then open it in the Apple Music app to listen to it or add it to your library or playlist.