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Entertainment · head to head

Apple Music vs IINA

Apple Music logo

Apple Music

Entertainment

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

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IINA logo

IINA

Entertainment

Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IINA 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; IINA there is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, IINA covers mpv playback engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apple Music and IINA differ
AttributeApple MusicIINA
Starting price$10.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Macos, Windows, Android, WebMac
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 IINA

  • mpv playback engine
  • Native macOS interface
  • Trackpad gestures
  • Picture-in-picture
  • Subtitle and audio track control
  • Music mode

What people use each for

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

Apple Music

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

IINA

  • A Mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats QuickTime Player does not supportnot Apple Music
  • Someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volumenot Apple Music
  • A user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other appsnot Apple Music
  • Anyone who prefers a graphical Mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command linenot 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

IINA

  • There is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
  • It has no polished network share or cloud storage library browser, so streaming from a NAS or cloud drive is more manual than with Infuse.
  • As a volunteer open source project, new feature development and bug fixes depend on contributor availability rather than a funded team.
  • It is Mac only, so there is no equivalent app for Windows users in a mixed household.
  • Advanced mpv configuration is still exposed for power users, which can be confusing for someone who just wants simple playback with no options.

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

IINA

Free
  • IINAFree
    • Free and open source
    • No account or subscription
    • Full feature set with no paywall

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 IINA if

  • You need mpv playback engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want native macos interface.
IINA review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Music or IINA better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and IINA at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Music or IINA?
IINA has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for Apple Music and Free for IINA.
Does Apple Music or IINA run on more platforms?
Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. IINA runs on Mac.
Can I use IINA for free?
Yes. IINA 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 IINA is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Music do that IINA cannot?
Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. IINA covers mpv playback engine, Native macOS interface, Trackpad gestures, Picture-in-picture.

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
IINA: Is IINA free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.

IINA: What is the difference between IINA and mpv?

IINA is built on the mpv engine but adds a full native macOS graphical interface, menus and gestures that mpv does not have on its own.

IINA: Does IINA work on Apple TV?

No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.

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