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Entertainment · head to head

Apple Music vs StubHub

Apple Music logo

Apple Music

Entertainment

All the ways you love music. All in one place.

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StubHub logo

StubHub

Entertainment

Ticket resale marketplace charging both buyers and sellers, with combined fees often a large share of face value

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only StubHub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month; StubHub combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Music and StubHub actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Music and StubHub differ
AttributeApple MusicStubHub
Starting price$10.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree to browse, two sided transaction fees on buyers and sellers
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Macos, Windows, Android, WebiOS, Android, Web
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Music

  • Music streaming
  • Offline downloads
  • Spatial Audio
  • Lossless audio
  • Curated playlists
  • Radio stations
  • Music discovery
  • Cross-device sync

Only in StubHub

  • Buy and sell marketplace
  • FanProtect guarantee
  • Price alerts
  • Interactive seat maps
  • Mobile and PDF ticket delivery
  • Seller payout tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Music

  • Music listeningnot StubHub
  • Music discoverynot StubHub
  • Playlist creationnot StubHub
  • Offline listeningnot StubHub
  • Family entertainmentnot StubHub

StubHub

  • A fan trying to buy a ticket to a sold-out event no longer available at face value from the primary sellernot Apple Music
  • Someone who bought tickets they can no longer use and wants to resell themnot Apple Music
  • A buyer wanting a guarantee that a resold ticket will be valid and delivered on timenot Apple Music
  • Comparing seat locations and prices across multiple listings for the same event before buyingnot Apple Music

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Music

  • Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month

StubHub

  • Combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • Buyer fees are typically not shown until near checkout, which regulators in the US and UK have specifically targeted as a form of drip pricing in the ticketing industry.
  • Sellers receive less than their listed price after StubHub's seller fee is deducted, which can surprise first-time sellers expecting to net the full listed amount.
  • As a secondary market, prices for popular events can be well above face value, and there is no guarantee of a cheaper option appearing before the event date.
  • Refund and guarantee terms depend on FanProtect policy conditions, and disputes over cancelled or changed events can take time to resolve through customer support.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Music

$10.99/month
  • Individual$10.99/month
    • 100+ million songs
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads
  • Family$16.99/month
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

StubHub

Free
  • Buyer fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee added at checkout, commonly around 20 to 30 percent or more of ticket price
    • Fee amount varies by event and is shown before final purchase confirmation
  • Seller fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee deducted from the sale proceeds, historically around 10 to 15 percent
    • Rate can vary by event and seller volume

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Music if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline downloads.
Apple Music review

Choose StubHub if

  • You need buy and sell marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want fanprotect guarantee.
StubHub review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Music or StubHub better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and StubHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Music or StubHub?
StubHub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for Apple Music and Free for StubHub.
Does Apple Music or StubHub run on more platforms?
Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. StubHub runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use StubHub for free?
Yes. StubHub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month.
What is Apple Music best used for?
Apple Music is most often used for music listening, music discovery, playlist creation, offline listening. Of those, music listening and music discovery are not what StubHub is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Music do that StubHub cannot?
Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace, FanProtect guarantee, Price alerts, Interactive seat maps.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Music: Where can I find Apple Music pricing and subscription information?

Pricing details are not shown on the New section of Apple Music. Check the main Apple Music homepage or account settings for subscription tiers.

Source
StubHub: Does StubHub charge fees to both buyers and sellers?

Yes, it charges a service fee to sellers deducted from their proceeds, and a separate service fee to buyers added at checkout.

StubHub: How much are StubHub fees in total?

They vary by event, but buyer fees are commonly in the range of 20 to 30 percent or more of the ticket price, and seller fees historically around 10 to 15 percent, so combined fees can be a large share of face value.

StubHub: Are resold tickets guaranteed?

StubHub's FanProtect guarantee covers ticket validity, on-time delivery and event cancellation or significant changes, subject to its terms.

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