Finder experts pick Apple Music as a 2020 best brand for music streaming.
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Apple Music review: Pricing, features and devices
With over 50 million songs, Apple Music has struck a chord with music lovers around the world.
Apple Music features a vast library of songs that can be streamed to a variety of modern devices wherever and whenever you want. But while it works with a wide range of devices, it operates best with iOS devices.
3 Months
Free trial length
$9.99
Individual plan price
60 Million
Library size
Details
| Streaming quality |
320 kbps |
|---|---|
| Available offline |
Yes |
| Library size |
60 Million |
| Basic subscription | $9.99 |
|---|---|
| Free trial |
Yes |
| Free trial length |
3 Months |
| Family plan offered |
Yes |
|---|---|
| Family plan device limit | 6 |
| Family plan price | $14.99 |
What's in this review?
Pros and cons
Pros
- Seamless integration across iOS devices
- Available on a variety of Android and smart home devices
- Large music library
Cons
- Needs to be played through iTunes on a Windows PC
- No free subscription option
What features does Apple Music offer?
Curated playlists
One of Apple Music’s greatest strengths is its range of curated playlists put together by Apple’s team of music experts. With playlists for gym junkies, golden oldies and the most selective of audiophiles, there’s plenty available for music lovers of all tastes.
Apple Music also enables users to keep up with current releases with playlists like Future Hits, Best of the Week or Today’s Hits, making it easy for you to discover new favorites. As an added bonus, you can also follow the lyrics to the songs you’re listening to right in the app.
Custom playlists
Personalised curation is another area where Apple Music proves its worth. Like Spotify, it builds a custom playlist for you every week based on what you’ve been listening to. And Apple Music has a wider variety of new and undiscovered artists, so there’s a greater chance you’ll stumble across something you’ve never heard before.
Social sharing
You can connect with your friends on Apple Music and see what they’re listening to. And you can create your own playlists and share them with the world.
Offline listening
Apple Music also enables you to download songs, albums, or playlists to your device, so you can listen while on the go without burning through your mobile data allowance. You can store up to 100,000 songs at a time offline.
What music is available on Apple Music?
Apple Music boasts one of the largest streaming music libraries out there, with over 50 million tracks in its catalog. There’s not much you won’t find in there, with everything from the latest hip-hop hits to the hardest classic rock.
As a bonus, any music in your iTunes library — regardless of whether it was purchased from iTunes or ripped from a CD — can be played through Apple Music, saving you from having to maintain multiple libraries for all your music.
What devices are compatible with Apple Music?
Apple Music works with a number of different devices both inside and outside the Apple ecosystem. For the best support, you’ll want to update your device with the most recent software available.
Mobile devices
- iPhone
- iPad
- iPod touch
- Apple Watch
- Android smartphones and tablets
Computers
- Windows PC
- Mac
Smart home devices
- Alexa-enabled Sonos speaker
- Amazon Echo
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
Other devices
- Cars with CarPlay support
How much does Apple Music cost?
| Tier | Cost per month | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Student | $4.99 |
|
| Individual | $9.99 |
|
| Family | $14.99 |
|
Compare over 10 music streaming services
Case study: Anna's experience
Anna Serio
Staff Writer
I’m one of those weirdos that still uses an iPod to keep my music separate from my phone. I’m generally resistant to change — especially when it comes to tech. So I was skeptical when I had to switch from iTunes to Apple Music when I finally replaced a dying iPod Nano with an iPod Touch earlier this year (I know). But after the initial adjustment period, I have to say I’m happy I was forced to make the change. It’s easier to navigate than iTunes and I love that I can find most of the bands I listen with a few taps. Another plus: I got to keep the music I’d had on iTunes, including songs I’d recorded myself. I’ve written off streaming services in the past — even those that allow downloads. But I’m happy this one’s in my life.
Bottom line
Apple Music offers and impressive library and seamless integration across iOS devices. But if you’re listening primarily on a Windows PC, you’ll need to download iTunes — which Apple is no longer updating. If you’re not an Apple device-user, you may want to compare other streaming services.
