Leaked code suggests Apple Music might get a free tier

Good news for any Apple Music users; you might soon have an option to ditch the paid subscription.

According to MacRumours analyst Aaron Perris, recently-discovered references within the music player’s code suggest some features could work without a premium account.

Based on the code spotted by Perris, an Apple Music free tier could allows users to skip a limited number of songs, but would require a subscription to get more.

Interestingly, Perris also added that the same strings were also found in the beta version of Apple Music for Android, which suggests that the new free tier might not be iOS-exclusive.

Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that lines of code source from apps don’t always tell the whole story. While the code snippets Perris shared certainly suggest the existence of a free tier, that doesn’t mean Apple will actually launch one.

Interestingly, the discovery of this code comes months after Oliver Schusser, VP of Apple Music and international content, said on a Bloomberg podcast that Apple Music doesn’t require a free tier. Schusser argued that free or ad-supported tiers hurt artists, and that free tiers devalue any service.

Interestingly, a 2025 Midia Research report classified Apple Music’s subscriber growth through 2024 as “underwhelming,” having only 4 million subscribers, compared to Spotify’s 30 million.

This lack of subscribers was noted as being caused by the lack of a free tier. However, Android Authority reported that Spotify’s own subscription count only grew in 2025 due to a restrictive household account policy, and market-specific incentives.

Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple were to introduce a free tier. As stuff gets more expensive, free options like SoundCloud, Spotify, and even YouTube Music become more popular. If the leaks are true, it is only a matter of time before it is announced, especially with WWDC around the corner.

Source: Aaron Perris via AndroidAuthority