The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card now offers free Apple TV+ and Apple Music. For me, activating Apple TV+ was an instant, frictionless win. I already subscribed to Apple TV+, so this changed my monthly bill from $12.99 to $0 with a single click. I was delighted, too, to find that Family Sharing for Apple TV+ was free. Cool!
Apple Music is a different story. I’ve been a Spotify Subscriber for the past couple of years, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to switch to Apple Music. Fortunately, Apple makes it easy to import your Spotify music library and playlists. And Spotify makes it easy to switch to their ad-supported fee-free plan, so nothing will be lost if I decide later to go back.
Here’s how to switch to Apple Music…
Step 1: Activate Apple Music
After logging into the Chase App, find and click the button for “Benefits & travel” (on the iPhone, this should be near the bottom-right of your screen:
Then find Apple Music and click to activate your free subscription:
Step 2: Import your Spotify music library and playlists
On your phone, go to Settings… Apps… Music… then find the link to “Transfer Music from Other Services”:
Select Spotify:
Choose what you want to import and then click “Add to Library”:
Note: This process does not import any of the following:
- Listening history
- Liked Songs
- Podcasts
- Audiobooks
After transferring music from Spotify, I realized that my “Liked Songs” didn’t transfer unless I had downloaded them. So, I went back to Spotify, opened my library, selected “Liked Songs” and clicked to ensure that all were downloaded. I then repeated the above steps to import my Spotify library. So, now, Apple Music doesn’t necessarily know that I like these songs, but they’re all there in my library.
Step 3: Downgrade to Spotify’s fee-free plan
Of course, you don’t have to give up your Spotify subscription, but for me, the only reason to try Apple Music was to save on the monthly Spotify fee.
To switch plans, you need to log in to Spotify in a browser, not the Spotify App. From there, click on the cogwheel icon, then click “View Account.” You can then cancel your subscription. That will drop you down to Spotify’s fee-free ad-supported plan.
My Apple Music experience so far
Apple Music supposedly offers better sound quality than Spotify, but I’m not enough of an audiophile (not even close!) to hear the difference. I tried bouncing back and forth between the services with the same song (Caroline by Annie Yoder), but I couldn’t tell the difference. Both sound great to me.
So far, I’m happy with Apple Music. I may end up missing Spotify’s AI DJ, but for now, I’m enjoying exploring Apple Music’s playlists and radio stations. It has also done a decent job recommending music (when I ask Siri to play recommended music, it creates a custom station for me).
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Thank you for this article. I switched from Amazon music over to Apple earlier this year when we upgraded my husband’s CSP to the new CSR, but I didn’t realize I could bring my playlists over.
If I use the family apple music subscription, what portion of that is covered? The full amount or $11.99 or ?
Sadly none. This is an individual subscription only 🙁
How much did Chase pay you to write this post?
Pass, No way would I leave Spotify. Apple Music is bad.
Spotify is superior to Apple music
Let’s say that a cardholder doesn’t use Apple or has Apple covered via another means. Certainly, the credit could be used by a friend. Give the subscription as a gift and you have a birthday gift covered for as long as you hold the card. Capito?
Easier said than done. To activate the credit for someone else, you need to log into your Chase account to start activation and then log into their Apple account to complete it.
Slight hoop.
Pretty easy if you trust logging into your fiend’s phone via chase. Takes 30 seconds.
I still have bad memories of iTunes when Apple nuked my mp3 collection (most were rip’d from my CD collection but not all.
The closest I came to owning an Apple device was the Motorola RAZR iTunes version which was decent (it might have been the Moto SLVR). It was a different era and both T-mo and Motorola were different phones and companies.
That said about 10-11 years ago – I then used Amazon music – it was free and was a decent but slightly clunky but loveable Mp3 player and streamer I started using it on an old LG tablet. It allowed me to strore and play my music collection and add new purchases for free (both are relics of the past).
I currently have had a free 5 month Amazon Unlimted subscription- paying for this last month (6th) as we’re on a 3 week road trip.
That said before the trip I made a new playlist of my likes and of my favorites (before seeing this article)
. I hadn’t thought much of doing what Greg’s doing – I was planning on just giving my eldest daughter our monthly credit for Apple (as she moved to the darkside in High school and joined the Apple cult – I always hated Apples forced conformity (by design for monetizion – and the lack of individuality or ability to customize or (cook ROMS) jailbreak for customized firmware. I digress. We have two CSR and I will use one of our cardsfor The Apple TV/Music (we do have a free 6mo/1yr Apple TV trial from T-mo IIRC ). They have AppleTV for MLS.
That said – I will do the same with a Hulu/ESPN digital credit for them (they both are sports fans). I will use with Rakuten has a nice 1500MR offer. We have the Hulu/Disney/HBOMax It was $29.99 for 12 months in September (our kids have shared our Hulu plan for about 10 years and same with T-mo Netflix).
I took advantage of new $25 digital credit for Paramount+ (ad-free + Showtime) + Veterans discount (50% for life) sign-up with Sheer-ID. It’s $59.99 for 12 months (ad-free with ad’s it $30 iirc for a year – so set a Google calendar reminder to switch a Plat card back before renewal.
Thanks for the tip about the Paramount military discount.
Peacock also has an Military/Veteran discount thru SheerID (just google Peacock (or Paramount) +SheerID to find the promos page (FYI/PSA SheerID is a legit verification channel)
Paramount Ad-free for $2.92/mo with Digitial credit is a pretty good – especially since now that the Skydance merger is completed the free month promos are probably gone (hardly paid to.watch for probaly last five years with all.the promos/retention offers etc. – the free month promos were mainly to keep subscriber numbers high for potential spin-off/merger.
But i have notice price creep across the streamers Peacock is $17/mo now (there is also a SheerID promo – I’m waiting till Jan – have a Amex CB Offer thru December. I think Hulu also just raised the price (month after the digital credit was raised to $25).
Life is too short to waste watching ads – I cut the cord back in 2007 – I beta tested hulu and it was free (and you could skip ads till about 2012-13.
Amazon prime has started to suck with 3 min ads at the start and I don’t want to pony up for thier ad free.
It’s not quite as simple as giving someone your monthly credit — you activate the benefit and link it to an Apple ID. Obviously, in the case of your daughter, she can probably log into her Apple ID on your device or you can log in to Chase on her phone or whatever, but it’s not as simple as entering the CSR as the payment method for the service and getting a monthly credit. And my understanding is that both Apple TV and Apple Music have to be tied to the same Apple ID, so I believe that you can’t use one and give one away — it’s all or nothing.
Thanks for the input – I hadn’t had a chance to play with it yet it will definitely save me time knowing that- been busy using other CSR credits – booked Hamilton on Sunday for Wendsday (not a Broadway person – but wife will be happy and she wanted to see Air Supply in December so we used credits that way – ViaaGoGo is actually a little cheaper than StubHub for same seats (same platform and parent company).
Re:Apple
That makes sense (I have an AppleID for Apple TV – from free trials – P1/P2 have CSR (PC in June before refresh GF @$550 till Sept 2026 – will probably PC P2 card – we have an Antarctica Expedition partial paid on my CSR) so we will setup AppleTV (and maybe music (She 26 and has used Spotify for years) using my CSR – I will use P2 till AF and then maybe have her ad us to Apple family for TV only – unless music has a an Apple family option).
I will say Unless Chase gets competitive with the CSR will likely both eventualy PC – we have Ritz card for the Travel protections (but in a case by case basis – likely will use CIP for less critical – the 12 hr vs 6hr travel delay is almost neglible as the overnight is for both (and what we have face most – the $300 vs $500 delayed bag 3 vs 5 day is also negligible as most airlines will also remiburse “necessities” Chase veribage is “in addition to airline reimbursement..” learned this on a misconnection at AMS last fall.
If you also have AMEX plat paramount comes with Walmart Plus subscription which is free with the monthly credit.
IIRC with thw Wal-mart you can pay the difference to upgrade to ad free (but doesnt trigger digital – this is a good option for people that can’t qualify for the 50% for life for ad-free or for free if they don’t mind ads).
With T-mo we get “free” Hulu basic with ads – unaware of any way to leverage any further.
We have the Netflix 2 screens its about $11 (but was supposed to be free – its only minimally discounted but P2 likes to watch Netflix from Time to time.
here’s the problem… apple music is a pale facsimile of spotify… i’ve tried both…apple music is sad
Tim, I’m sure you have a Platinum. How about you give YouTube premium / YouTube Music premium a try with its monthly entertainment credit? Would be nice to get a comparison post.
I think Greg wrote the post, not Tim. Good point tho.
is there a way to use YT music without the video component? ie. there’s no YT app for carplay, correct?
Is there no value for those of us who subscribe to the Apple bundle? If not, I don’t that it would work for me.
Sadly no
This was really helpful! Thank you for the post
I already subscribed to Apple Music and right after I enrolled via the CSR I got a notification from Apple that I was credited $11.99 for this month. Winning!!!
It’s a “perk” only if you’re single and have no family that uses Apple Music and doesn’t bundle it with other Apple subscriptions which most people do. If you do – this is a worthless “perk” and designed to be a worthless perk to a significant percentage of their card holders.
Please explain why? Family of 4 with Spotify family premium plan and one family member is extremely upset & unwilling to downgrade and/or transfer (even to test it out).
Greg, can you please update your experience in a week or two?
Any and all help or suggestions appreciated.
Thank you
I’m gonna guess your family member is young and socially connected and doesn’t want to mess up or miss out on their end of year Spotify Wrapped? It’s a big deal to a lot of people
Or perhaps the familiy member is in their 60s like me feels the same way 🙂
Because the Apple Music benefit on the CSR is only for the individual plan. It doesn’t give you credit for $10.99 toward the family plan, the individual plan is the only option. So the only way to “share” Apple music would be for everyone to be on the same Apple ID. Assuming your family of 4 has 4 Apple IDs, you’re not going to be able to share the Apple Music subscription.
In my opinion, that was either very short-sighted or designed for breakage as it makes it unattractive to consider switching if you’re already on any sort of family sharing system elsewhere.
To be clear, as Greg notes, Apple TV is different. That can be shared with your family group (however it is that Apple does that — I’m not an Apple user, myself).