Apple Music has always offered first-time users a three-month free trial since its inception in 2015. However, Apple has surprisingly slashed the trial period to just one month from this week onwards.

If you are a first-time subscriber to Apple Music from the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Japan, and other countries, you can now only enjoy the service for free for one month before having to pay for it, with the Individual Plan pricing remaining unchanged at $9.99. The change was first spotted by the Japanese blog Mac Otakara. You can, however, still get a free six-month Apple Music trial if you purchase select AirPods, beats, and HomePod models.

In comparison, rival streaming service Spotify offers a one-month free trial of Spotify Premium, but first-time customers can enjoy a three-month-long trial if they sign up through PayPal. The trial window has also been extended to two months in the US and some other countries for a limited time. Unlike Apple Music, Spotify also has a free tier monetized through ads.

Apple Music’s three-month trial period was among the best in the industry and offered all the bells and whistles like ad-free playback and Hi-Res audio. The reduced free trial period is now similar to other music streaming services. The reduction comes just a few months after the Cupertino-based company introduced the Apple Music Voice Plan for just $4.99 per month — significantly cheaper than the Individual Plan. However, that plan has its own set of restrictions and requires one to use Apple Music exclusively through Siri.

Do you prefer Apple Music or Spotify Premium? Tell us in the comments section and also mention why. We would love to hear your thoughts.