It's no secret that today, having subscribed to more than a couple best streaming services in Australia each month there will be a bill that can run into hundreds of dollars. The situation, of course, hasn't been helped by the fact that virtually all the major streamers are regularly raising prices – Netflix, for example, increased the prices of its plans for the sixth time in August, the sixth time in 10 years – and the top-end Premium subscription will now set you back a staggering AU$28.99 per month.
To my credit, Apple has held off raising the price of Apple TV Plus (soon to be known as simply “Apple TV”) longer than most other providers. And although prices have increased several times since then, they still remain relatively affordable. However, this value may have dropped to “average” since the last increase, which occurred in August, causing the value to increase from AU$12.99 to AU$15.99 per month.
However, one could reasonably argue that this is actually a pretty good deal considering the quality of content on Apple's streaming service. However, price increases are price increases, and “more than A$15 per month” seems like a tipping point that could rightfully turn off many customers.
While there's no way to avoid higher Apple TV subscription fees, there's one easy way to get better value for your money, especially if you own an Apple device. An Apple One subscription.
What is Apple One?
Apple One in essence, this is the response of Mac and iPhone manufacturers to Amazon Premier and Google First, combining several Apple services into one single plan with monthly payment. And in my opinion, it's probably the best product Apple sells.
It is available in three levels, each of which includes more services than the previous one, as well as an increased total volume iCloud storage.
No matter which tier you subscribe to, you'll save money compared to subscribing to included services separately. And since you can save up to AU$551 per year on the top-tier Premier plan, that's why the Apple One is my favorite and most used Apple product, and why I think it's worth considering for anyone who uses devices from the brand.
What is Apple One and how much does it cost?
Apple One is an all-in-one subscription that combines multiple Apple software services into one monthly plan. These services include Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, and (at higher tiers) Apple Fitness Plus and Apple News Plus. Each tier also includes a certain amount of iCloud storage, although you can increase this even further with a separate iCloud+ plan if you wish.
There are three levels of Apple One: Individual, Family and Premier.
The Individual tier is the cheapest, costing AU$24.95 per month. The Family plan is slightly more expensive at AU$31.95 per month, while the Premier, which includes almost every service Apple has to offer as well as 2TB of iCloud storage, tops out at AU$49.95 per month.
How much can you save with Apple One?
To break this down further, let me explain what each level includes.
Individual
The individual level is the most affordable at AU$24.95 per month. and for that you get a subscription to Apple TV Plus ($15.99AUD), Apple Music ($12.99AUD), Apple Arcade ($9.99AUD) and 50GB of iCloud+ storage ($1.49AUD). Individually, these services will cost you AU$40.46 per month, so you're saving AU$15.51 per month, or just over AU$186 per year.
Sure, you may not use Arcade often, if at all, but when you factor in Apple Music, TV Plus, and iCloud+ storage, you're still saving AU$5.52 every month. Apple One subscription. This is a small saving, but adds up to almost AU$70 per year.
Family
Apple One Family Plan includes the same services as the Individual plan, but increases iCloud+ storage to 200 GB. It costs AU$31.95 per month.compared to AU$50.46 when purchased individually, adding up to a total annual savings of AU$222.12.
The Family plan (like the Premier plan below) allows you to share included benefits with up to five people. If you can convince anyone you share your plan with to contribute to the monthly fee, you can save even more.
Premier
Premier plan includes all of Apple's subscription services: Music, TV Plus, Arcade, Fitness Plus and News Plus, plus 2TB of iCloud+ storage.
Individually, these services will cost AU$95.94 per month, but Apple charges just AU$49.95 per month. That's a total saving of AU$45.99 per month or AU$551 per year.
As with the Family plan above, you can share these benefits, including iCloud+ storage, with up to five people. However, note that each person does not get 2TB of storage, but instead it is a shared pool that everyone can use through their personal profile.
Why I subscribe to Apple One
I was Apple One Premier subscriber for as long as I can remember. I'll admit, I only really use Apple Music and Apple TV Plus, but I've been known to try working out through Apple Fitness Plus, and sometimes I use News Plus to read about world events, access some magazines, or just enjoy some cheesy entertainment content.
However, the biggest benefit for me is the 2TB of built-in iCloud storage. Having so much available means I never have to worry about my iPhone running out of internal storage. I send all my photos to the cloud and can constantly back up my device.
Now, the Apple Music subscription included in this tier (and the family tier) is a family plan, meaning I can share it with up to five people.
Admittedly, while this benefit is a bit lost on me (I only have a partner with whom I share my Premier plan), if you live in a large family, then you and four family members actually have their own personal subscriptions to Apple Music and Apple TV.
If you can use all five places, The value of the Apple One plan is greatly increased. Why should three people in your household each sign up for their own Apple Music plan for AU$12.99 per month (AU$38.97 total) when you can share the Apple One family plan for AU$31.95 and get the added bonus of Apple TV Plus, mobile arcade games and 200GB of shared storage? iCloud storage?
In my Premier plan subscription situation, if I combined the individual plan of Apple Music ($12.99 AUD), Apple TV Plus ($15.99 AUD) and 2TB iCloud storage ($14.99 AUD), I would be paying just under $44 AUD per month. For an extra five bucks, I get access to three more Apple services. I don't mind if I only use them a few times a year – it's still cost-effective in my opinion.
Try before you buy
If you are not sure whether it will benefit you Apple One Planyou can sign up for a free trial. This will give you access to the services included in the specific One plan you're eyeing. However, note that if you're already subscribed to any of the included services, such as Apple Music, you won't get free access to it. You only get free access to any additional services that you have not already paid for.
If you decide to sign up for the Apple One plan, any individual subscriptions you already have will automatically roll over to the One plan and you will then only be billed monthly.
To sign up for a free trial, go to Apple One website. You will be redirected to your device's App Store and you can register by following the instructions.
