What is an Apple One subscription?

Although Apple is known for its hardware products such as the iPhone, Apple Watch and MacBook, its software and services division is an increasingly important part of the company. From iCloud storage and App Store purchases to Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions, Cupertino earns billions(Opens in a new window) offering cloud-based services alongside its gadgets.

Apple would like you to pay for all of its subscription services, but you’re not made any money. The company’s solution is Apple One, which consolidates its disparate services into a single package. But how much does it cost, how do I subscribe, and is it even worth buying?

What is Apple One?

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Just as Disney is offering a bundle with discounted access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, Apple is doing the same with its growing list of subscription services. But while Disney’s bundle is all about video streaming services, Apple One covers the gamut, from storage and news to music and video games. Services included in an Apple One plan include:

How much does Apple One cost?

Some services and features are only available for specific subscription levels. After a recent price hike, the most affordable option starts at $17 per month after a 30-day free trial. Here are the three current plan options.

• Individual: This plan costs $16.95 per month and gives you access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud+ storage. Each service is for an individual user and technically cannot be shared with others, although Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade support Family Sharing whether or not you have an Apple One plan.

• Family: To share access with people in your household, the family plan costs $22.95 per month and works on five other user accounts. You also get 200 GB of iCloud storage.

• First: The most expensive plan is the Premier tier at $32.95 per month, which also includes access to Apple News+ and Fitness+. This plan also grants access to five other family members and includes 2TB of iCloud storage.

How to sign up for Apple One

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To sign up for the Apple One bundle, you need an iPhone running iOS 14 or later, an iPad with iPadOS 14 or later, or a Mac with macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later. If you’re accessing Apple Fitness+ on an Apple TV, you’ll need tvOS 14 or later. The fitness service no longer requires an Apple Watch to work, but if you connect one, it will need to be an Apple Watch Series 3 or later.

Once your devices are updated, open Settings on your iPhone and iPad, tap your name and choose Subscriptions. Select the Try it now link under Get Apple Onethen choose a plan.

On a Mac, you can subscribe from the App Store. Click it Show information link at the top of the window and click on the Manage link. Select Try it now for Apple One, then choose your plan.

Is Apple One Worth It?

There is no doubt that Apple One will save you money. If you subscribe to Music, TV+, and Arcade and pay for 50GB of iCloud storage, that costs almost $24 per month, so you’ll save $7 per month with the individual tier at $16.95.

Multi-user plans let you save even more: $9 per month with the Family plan and $26 per month with the Premier plan.

However, whether or not the Apple One subscription is a good buy depends on the services you actually use. If you’re already subscribed to many of these Apple services, that’s a no-brainer. But if you’re only interested in, say, Music and TV+, you probably don’t need to shell out for Apple Arcade and cloud storage. And if you have no interest in news or workouts, there’s no reason to get the Premier package, even if it’s objectively a bargain.

The devices you use every day also make a difference here. If you only use Apple devices, it makes sense to pay for these services, since many of them only work on iPhones or Macs. Android users, on the other hand, would only have access to Apple Music on the go. If that matters to you, there might be a better way to spend your money.

How to Cancel Apple One

(Credit: Lance Whitney)

If you try Apple One and don’t feel like it’s for you, canceling is easy. Like all of your other subscriptions managed by Apple, you can cancel through your device settings or the App Store.

On a mobile device, tap Settings and choose your name, then select Subscriptions. Picking out AppleOne under the Active Subscriptions section, then choose unsubscribe. You can also do this if you open the App Store, then tap on your profile and choose Subscriptions.

Cancel from a Mac by opening System Preferences > Apple IDSo choose Media and purchases and choose Manage next to Subscriptions. If you’re still using iTunes, go to Account > View My Account and deactivate Apple One from your subscriber list.