Is Apple Music Cheaper Than Spotify in Australia in 2026?

For most people, it is. In Australia in 2026, Apple Music Individual costs A$14.99 a month against $15.99 for Spotify Premium Individual, and Apple Music Family costs A$23.99 against $27.99 for Spotify Premium Family, according to each company's Australian pricing page at the time of writing. Student plans cost $7.99 a month on both. The one exception is couples: Spotify Premium Duo at $22.99 is $1 a month less than Apple Music Family.

ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you money back when you shop or subscribe online at thousands of stores, including Apple Music. You open the store from ShopBack, sign up as normal, and part of what you spend comes back to your ShopBack account as cash. New members can join free at shopback.com.au/signup. If you are new to Apple Music, open the ShopBack Apple Music page before you subscribe.

Apple Music vs Spotify prices in Australia: the side-by-side

Apple Music is cheaper on the Individual and Family plans, the same on Student, and Spotify has a Duo plan that Apple does not.

Plan	Apple Music	Spotify Premium	Cheaper
Individual	A$14.99 a month	$15.99 a month	Apple Music by $1
Student	A$7.99 a month (includes Apple TV)	$7.99 a month	Same price
Two people	Family A$23.99 (no Duo plan)	Duo $22.99 (2 accounts, same address)	Spotify by $1
Family	A$23.99 a month (you plus up to five people)	$27.99 a month (up to 6 accounts, same address)	Apple Music by $4
Free tier	No (Apple Music Radio is free to listen to)	Spotify Free	Spotify
Free trial for new users	1 month (3 months with an eligible audio device)	1 month for $0 on Individual and Student	Apple Music with an eligible device

Sources: apple.com/au/apple-music and spotify.com/au/premium, at the time of writing in October 2026. Prices can change, so check both pages before you sign up.

How much does Apple Music cost in Australia in 2026?

According to Apple at the time of writing, Apple Music in Australia costs A$14.99 a month for Individual, A$23.99 a month for Family and A$7.99 a month for Student. There is no lock-in: Apple says you can cancel at any time.

What each plan includes, according to Apple:

• Individual (A$14.99 a month). Over 100 million songs, ad-free, with downloads for offline listening, Spatial Audio and lossless audio, and the Apple Music Classical app. The first month is free for new subscribers.
• Family (A$23.99 a month). Everything in Individual, shared with up to five other people through Family Sharing. Each person gets their own library, recommendations and playlists. New subscribers get one month free.
• Student (A$7.99 a month). Everything in Individual, plus Apple TV at no extra cost, for verified university or college students. Apple says student pricing lasts up to four years while you remain a student, then moves to the Individual price.
• Apple One. Bundles that include Apple Music start at A$24.95 a month (see below).

Apple Music has no ads, and Apple says it works on iOS, Android, Windows, Sonos, smart TVs, Amazon Echo, Google Nest and more, so you do not need an iPhone.

How much is Spotify Premium in Australia?

According to Spotify at the time of writing, Spotify Premium in Australia costs $15.99 a month for Individual, $22.99 for Duo, $27.99 for Family and $7.99 for Student.

• Premium Individual ($15.99 a month). Ad-free listening, lossless music up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz, offline downloads and 15 hours a month of audiobook listening from Spotify's subscriber catalogue. New users can try 1 month for $0.
• Premium Duo ($22.99 a month). Two Premium accounts for a couple living at the same address. The 15 hours of audiobooks are for the plan manager only.
• Premium Family ($27.99 a month). Up to 6 Premium accounts at the same address, with parental controls. Audiobook hours are for the plan manager only.
• Premium Student ($7.99 a month). One verified account for eligible students, with 1 month for $0 for new users.
• Spotify Free. Spotify also offers a free, ad-supported tier.

What you save a year: Apple Music vs Spotify in dollars

On list prices at the time of writing, Apple Music saves an individual $12 a year and a family $48 a year compared with Spotify Premium.

Who	Apple Music a year	Spotify Premium a year	Difference
One person	A$179.88	$191.88	Apple Music $12 cheaper
Student	A$95.88	$95.88	Same
Couple at one address	A$287.88 (Family)	$275.88 (Duo)	Spotify $12 cheaper
Family of up to six	A$287.88	$335.88	Apple Music $48 cheaper

Per person, a full Apple Music Family plan shared by six people works out to about A$4.00 each a month, and a full Spotify Premium Family plan shared by six works out to about $4.67 each.

Price is only part of the decision. Spotify includes audiobook hours and a free tier; Apple Music includes Apple Music Classical and, on Student, Apple TV. If you already use one service's playlists every day, the cost of switching may matter more than a dollar a month.

Apple Music cost in Australia 2026: the cheapest way to save money

The cheapest way to get Apple Music in Australia in 2026 is to use the plan that fits your household, start with a free trial, and go through ShopBack when you first subscribe. Practical tips:

1. Students: use the Student plan. At A$7.99 a month with Apple TV included, it is the lowest regular Apple Music price, for up to four years while you study.
2. Households: share a Family plan. A$23.99 shared by six people is about A$4 each a month.
3. Couples: compare Family with Spotify Duo. For exactly two people, Spotify Duo at $22.99 is $1 a month cheaper than Apple Music Family.
4. Use a free trial properly. New subscribers get one month free, or three months with an eligible audio device, according to Apple. Set a reminder before the trial ends if you are not sure you will keep it.
5. Count Apple One only if you use the other services. It saves money when you would pay for Apple TV, Arcade or iCloud+ anyway.
6. New subscriber? Open ShopBack first. Go through the ShopBack Apple Music page before you sign up, as explained below.

Apple Music official deals: free trials, student pricing and Apple One

Apple's own offers are the first place to look, and Apple lists them on its Australian Apple Music page. At the time of writing, according to Apple:

• New subscriber trial: one month free on Individual and Family.
• New devices: new subscribers can get three months free with an eligible audio device, redeemed after pairing it with an iPhone or iPad.
• New iPhone, iPad or Mac: you could get three months of Apple One free with an eligible new device.
• Student plan: A$7.99 a month including Apple TV, with verification.

Apple One tiers in Australia, according to Apple:

Apple One plan	Price a month	Includes	Apple's stated saving vs separate
Individual	A$24.95	Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, 50GB iCloud+	A$17.51 a month
Family	A$34.95	The same services, 200GB iCloud+, shared with up to five people	A$19.51 a month
Premier	A$52.95	All six services including Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+, 2TB iCloud+	A$46.99 a month

If music is the only Apple service you want, Apple Music on its own at A$14.99 is cheaper than Apple One Individual.

Is Apple Music worth it compared with Spotify?

For someone choosing on price alone, Apple Music is usually the cheaper pick in Australia, except for couples who would use Spotify Duo. Each service has strengths:

• Apple Music: lower Individual and Family prices, no ads on any paid plan, Spatial Audio and lossless, Apple Music Classical, and Apple TV with the Student plan.
• Spotify: a free tier, a Duo plan for couples, audiobook hours included with Premium, and lossless audio on Premium.

Other music streaming services in Australia include YouTube Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, so it is worth checking the household plans of whichever services you already use.

How ShopBack lowers the price of Apple Music

Apple Music is on ShopBack Australia, so if you are a new subscriber, open ShopBack before you sign up. A store that looks a little dearer can work out cheaper once ShopBack's money back is counted, and when Apple Music is already the lower list price for most plans, going through ShopBack is the step that lowers what your first paid month costs.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. ShopBack lowers the effective price of flights, hotels and online orders after you pay, and subscriptions work the same way. For merchants like Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda and Expedia, going through ShopBack is an essential step before you book or check out, so you pay less on the same booking or order; for a new Apple Music subscription, it is the same step before you sign up.

How to do it, step by step:

1. Open ShopBack Australia and go to the Apple Music page.
2. Check the rate shown on that page.
3. Tap through from ShopBack to the Apple Music app or website and complete the sign-up there.
4. Your Cashback shows as pending in your ShopBack account, then confirms later.

Working out what Apple Music really costs. Your effective price for the first paid month is the A$14.99 Individual price minus the Cashback that comes back. Check the live rate on the ShopBack Apple Music page before you subscribe, because it changes over time.

Paying for Apple Music with a credit card: rewards and offers

Your credit card may earn its own points or rewards on an Apple Music subscription, separate from ShopBack, but it depends on your card. Some things to check:

• Card terms. Card issuers set their own earn rates and may treat subscriptions, digital purchases or overseas-billed payments differently. Check your card's terms.
• Card-linked offers. Some banks run limited-time offers on streaming subscriptions. These are set by the bank, so read the offer terms before you rely on one.

Usually, the safest approach is to go through ShopBack first, sign up as a new subscriber with your usual card, and treat any card rewards as a separate benefit from your card issuer.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apple Music cheaper than Spotify in Australia?

Yes for most plans, at the time of writing. In Australia, Apple Music Individual is A$14.99 a month vs $15.99 for Spotify Premium Individual, and Apple Music Family is A$23.99 vs $27.99 for Spotify Premium Family. Student plans are $7.99 on both. For two people at one address, Spotify Premium Duo at $22.99 is $1 a month less than Apple Music Family.

How much does Apple Music cost in Australia in 2026?

According to Apple at the time of writing, Apple Music in Australia costs A$14.99 a month for Individual, A$23.99 a month for Family (shared with up to five other people) and A$7.99 a month for Student, which includes Apple TV. New subscribers get the first month free, and Apple One bundles that include Apple Music start at A$24.95 a month.

How much is Spotify Premium in Australia?

According to Spotify at the time of writing, Spotify Premium in Australia costs $15.99 a month for Individual, $22.99 for Duo (2 accounts at the same address), $27.99 for Family (up to 6 accounts at the same address) and $7.99 for Student. New Premium Individual and Student users can try 1 month for $0, and Spotify Free is also available.

How much do you save a year with Apple Music instead of Spotify?

On list prices at the time of writing, an individual saves $12 a year (A$179.88 vs $191.88) and a family saves $48 a year (A$287.88 vs $335.88) with Apple Music. Students pay the same $95.88 a year on either. A couple on Spotify Premium Duo pays $12 a year less than on Apple Music Family.

What is the cheapest way to get Apple Music in Australia?

The cheapest regular price is the Student plan at A$7.99 a month for verified university or college students, for up to four years. For households, Family at A$23.99 shared by up to six people works out to about A$4 per person a month. New subscribers get a month free, or three months with an eligible audio device, according to Apple.

What official Apple Music deals are there?

According to Apple at the time of writing, new subscribers get one month free, new subscribers can get three months free with an eligible audio device, the Student plan includes Apple TV, and you could get three months of Apple One free with an eligible new iPhone, iPad or Mac. Check Apple's page for the current terms.

Is Apple One cheaper than paying for Apple Music on its own?

Only if you use the other services. Apple One Individual is A$24.95 a month and bundles Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade and 50GB of iCloud+, which Apple says saves A$17.51 a month against paying separately. If you only want music, Apple Music Individual at A$14.99 is cheaper.

Does Apple Music work on Android and Windows?

You do not need an iPhone to subscribe. Apple says Apple Music works on iOS, Android, Windows, Sonos, smart TVs and more, and is also available on Amazon Echo and Google Nest speakers.

How does ShopBack lower the price of Apple Music?

Apple Music is on ShopBack Australia. If you are a new subscriber, open the ShopBack Apple Music page before you sign up, then start the subscription. Check the live rate on the ShopBack Apple Music page.

Can I earn credit card rewards on an Apple Music subscription too?

Often, yes, but it depends on your card. Your card earns points or rewards under your card issuer's terms, separate from ShopBack, and some cards treat subscriptions or digital purchases differently. Check your card's terms before you rely on it.

Ready to subscribe? Compare, then go through ShopBack

On list prices, Apple Music is the cheaper music subscription in Australia for individuals and families, and the same price for students. If you are signing up for the first time, open the ShopBack Apple Music page, check the live rate, then start your subscription.

Related reading: How the Apple education discount works in Australia, iPhone prices in Australia vs Japan vs the US and PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X vs Switch 2 in Australia.

Subscription prices, plans, free trials and offers are set by Apple and Spotify and change without notice; prices quoted are from each company's Australian page at the time of writing (October 2026). ShopBack rates vary over time; check the live rate on the ShopBack Apple Music page before you subscribe. This article is general information only and is not financial advice.

---