Apple Music confirms first subscription price hike since 2022, standard tier now $11.99 per month

Apple Music has confirmed its first subscription price increase since 2022, with the company raising the cost of its standard tier to $11.99 per month, according to a report published July 17, 2026 by The Hollywood Reporter.

The confirmation addresses a longstanding pricing question for subscribers who have paid the same monthly rate for several years. The report characterizes the change as the first price hike in that period, indicating that Apple Music’s standard plan had not been adjusted since the last increase in 2022.

For current subscribers, the practical impact is straightforward: the new rate applies to the standard monthly subscription level that many users select when signing up or continuing service. With Apple Music’s standard price set at $11.99 per month, users may see a higher charge when their next billing cycle runs under the updated price.

The move comes as streaming services increasingly compete on catalog access while also managing operating costs tied to music licensing and platform delivery. While the report focuses on Apple Music’s confirmed change, the price adjustment also indicates that the company is willing to revisit consumer pricing even after keeping the standard tier unchanged for multiple years.

Apple did not raise prices again immediately after 2022, based on the characterization in the report, which means the $11.99 figure represents a notable shift in the service’s pricing baseline. For households with multiple entertainment subscriptions, even a modest monthly change can add up over the course of a year.

The change also affects how Apple Music’s standard plan is positioned relative to other subscription options in the broader streaming market, where pricing is often a key factor for families deciding which services to keep. For users, the new price establishes a clearer reference point for budgeting, particularly for households that rely on a stable set of monthly entertainment expenses.

As Apple Music moves into this updated pricing period, subscribers can expect the standard tier rate to reflect the company’s confirmed $11.99 per-month cost, while current and prospective customers will likely weigh the updated price against the service’s music access and bundled features.