Alexis Kestler
Hey there music lover!
So you‘re interested in getting an Apple Music subscription? That‘s awesome! As a streaming music geek myself, I think you‘ll love having access to Apple‘s catalog of over 90 million songs.
But before you dive in, you probably want to know – how do you actually pay for Apple Music?
Well, you‘ve come to the right place!
In this detailed guide, I‘ll walk you through all the ways you can pay for an Apple Music membership. Whether you want to use a credit card, Apple ID balance, gift cards, or even your phone carrier, I‘ve got you covered.
Here‘s what we‘ll be looking at:
- Overview of Apple Music Plans
- Paying via Credit or Debit Card
- Using Your Apple ID Balance
- Redeeming an Apple Music Gift Card
- Paying Through Your Mobile Carrier
- Using Apple Pay
- Linking Your PayPal Account
- Managing Your Subscription
- FAQs about Paying for Apple Music
So let‘s get started! I‘ll explain each payment method in simple steps you can follow.
Overview of Apple Music Plans
Before choosing a payment option, it helps to know what Apple Music subscription plans are available:
Apple Music Student
- $4.99/month
- For eligible college students only
- Get Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade
Apple Music Individual
- $9.99/month
- For one person
- Download and save music offline
Apple Music Family
- $14.99/month
- Share with up to 5 family members
- Ad-free, on-demand music
All plans give you access to over 90 million songs, thousands of playlists, music videos, live streams, and more.
Now let‘s get into the payment methods!
Paying with a Credit or Debit Card
Adding a credit or debit card is the simplest way to pay for Apple Music. Here‘s how:
On iPhone/iPad:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions
- Tap your Apple Music plan
- Choose "Payment Method"
- Enter your card details
On Mac:
- Open System Preferences > Apple ID > Payment & Shipping
- Click the + to add a new credit/debit card
On Android:
- Open the Apple Music app
- Tap the profile icon > View Apple ID
- Choose Payment Methods
- Add your card
On the Web:
- Go to music.apple.com
- Click Account > View My Account
- Under Payment Methods, add a card
Once your card is on file, it will be charged monthly or yearly for automatically renewing subscriptions. Easy peasy!
Paying with Your Apple ID Balance
You can also pay for Apple Music with funds added to your Apple ID balance:
On iPhone/iPad:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Transfer Funds
- Choose an amount to add to your Apple ID balance
On Mac:
- Open System Preferences > Apple ID
- Under Payment & Shipping, select Add Funds to Account
- Choose the amount to add
Other Options:
- Buy an Apple gift card and redeem it to Apple ID balance
- Ask someone to gift funds to your Apple ID
Once your balance is loaded up, you can pay for Apple Music from it by selecting Apple ID balance as the payment method in your subscriptions.
Redeeming an Apple Music Gift Card
Want to gift Apple Music to yourself or someone else? Purchase an Apple Music gift card with a subscription code on it.
On iPhone/iPad:
- Go to the App Store > Tap your profile icon
- Scroll down and choose Redeem Gift Card or Code
- Enter the gift card code
On Mac:
- Open the App Store app
- Click on Account in the toolbar
- Select Redeem Gift Card
- Type in the code from the back of the gift card
On Android/Web:
- Go to music.apple.com
- Click on Account
- Choose Redeem Gift Card or Code
- Enter the code
The gift card balance will pay for your Apple Music subscription!
Paying Through Your Mobile Carrier
Some phone carriers let you pay for Apple Music as part of your monthly phone bill:
- Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and others allow Apple Music charges on postpaid plans
- Contact your carrier to ask about Apple Music billing
- Manage subscription through carrier‘s app, not Apple Music
If available, this makes paying super convenient, since it‘s all together in your phone bill.
According to a 2022 Carrier Billing Global Market Report, over 50% of consumers prefer carrier billing for subscriptions due to its simplicity.
Using Apple Pay
If you already have Apple Pay set up, it can be your payment method for Apple Music:
On iPhone/iPad:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions
- Tap Payment Method
- Select Apple Pay
On Mac:
- Open System Preferences > Apple ID
- Under Payment & Shipping, choose Apple Pay
Your selected credit/debit card through Apple Pay will be charged monthly.
According to Apple, Apple Pay accounts for 90% of credit/debit transactions on Apple platforms – so it‘s trusted and secure!
Linking Your PayPal Account
You also have the option to pay for your Apple Music subscription through PayPal:
On iPhone/iPad:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Payment & Shipping
- Tap Add Payment Method
- Sign in to your PayPal account
On Android:
- Open the Apple Music app
- Tap the profile icon > View Apple ID
- Choose Payment Methods
- Add your PayPal
On the Web:
- Go to music.apple.com
- Click Account > View My Account
- Under Payment Methods, add PayPal
According to a 2021 report, PayPal has over 400 million active user accounts globally. So it‘s a popular payment method!
Managing Your Apple Music Subscription
Once your payment method is set up, your Apple Music membership will automatically renew each month/year. Here are some management tips:
-
To see billing date/status, check Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions on iPhone/iPad
-
You can cancel renewal anytime if you no longer want Apple Music
-
To change plans (e.g. Individual to Family), tap your current plan in Settings > Subscriptions and pick a new one
-
If your payment info changes, update it in Apple ID payment methods to avoid declined charges
-
You can gift an Apple Music subscription by going to music.apple.com > Account > Gift Apple Music
So in summary, paying for Apple Music is super quick and convenient on any device!
FAQs about Paying for Apple Music
Got questions? Here are some common FAQs:
Can I use an Apple gift card to pay for Apple Music?
Yep, Apple gift card balances can pay for your Apple Music subscription, as well as other Apple services.
What if I don‘t have a credit card?
No problem! You can pay with a debit card, PayPal, or add funds to your Apple ID without a credit card. Apple Music gift cards work too.
What happens after my free trial ends?
After the 3 month free trial, your subscription will start auto-renewing at the regular monthly/annual price using your selected payment method.
Can I share my Apple Music with family?
Absolutely! With the Family Plan, you can share access with up to 5 other people using Family Sharing. You each get your own playlists and accounts.
And there you have it my friend – everything you need to know about paying for Apple Music! Let me know if any other questions come up. I‘m always happy to help. Enjoy the tunes!
Karen is a senior technical writer and copywriter here at GrowFollowing. Her area of expertize are social media apps and new media.
