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Every paid Nintendo Switch Online membership includes Nintendo Music. You can use the service with the standard Individual plan or standard Family plan; Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Individual and Family plans include it too. Expansion Pack is optional for music access. Choose the standard Individual plan for one Nintendo Account, or the standard Family plan when several accounts in one Nintendo Account family group need access.
Nintendo Music is presented as a smart-device service, so you also need a Nintendo Account, an eligible membership and a supported country. Nintendo’s US page currently shows annual prices of $19.99 for standard Individual, $34.99 for standard Family, $49.99 for Expansion Pack Individual and $79.99 for Expansion Pack Family. Nintendo says prices and availability vary by country.
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What Nintendo Switch Online membership do you need for Nintendo Music?
Nintendo requires an active Nintendo Switch Online membership to use Nintendo Music. The requirement applies to all four paid membership tiers: standard Individual, standard Family, Expansion Pack Individual and Expansion Pack Family.
Nintendo’s support wording is direct: “A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to use Nintendo Music.” The company also describes Nintendo Music as an exclusive service for Nintendo Switch Online members. There is no separate music-only tier identified in the membership options covered here.
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Standard Individual
The standard Individual plan is the entry-level choice when one Nintendo Account needs Nintendo Music. It includes the service without requiring any Expansion Pack benefits.
Standard Family
The standard Family plan is designed for members of a Nintendo Account family group. It is the appropriate base tier when more than one account in that group needs access.
Expansion Pack Individual
Expansion Pack Individual includes Nintendo Music for one Nintendo Account and adds the benefits associated with the Expansion Pack tier, such as larger classic-game libraries, selected downloadable content and upgrade packs.
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Expansion Pack Family
Expansion Pack Family combines family-group coverage with those additional Expansion Pack game and downloadable-content benefits. Its inclusion of Nintendo Music is the same membership entitlement, not a separate music upgrade.
Which plan is the cheapest way to get Nintendo Music?
For a single Nintendo Account in the United States, standard Individual has the lowest annual price shown on Nintendo’s current page. The other tiers cost more because they cover more accounts or add Expansion Pack game-related benefits, not because they provide a higher level of Nintendo Music access.
| Membership | Nintendo Music | US annual price shown by Nintendo (2026 page) | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch Online Individual | Included | $19.99 per year | One Nintendo Account |
| Nintendo Switch Online Family | Included | $34.99 per year | Multiple accounts in one Nintendo Account family group |
| Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Individual | Included | $49.99 per year | One account that also wants Expansion Pack game and DLC benefits |
| Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Family | Included | $79.99 per year | A family group that also wants Expansion Pack benefits |
These are annual US prices displayed on Nintendo’s current page accessed in 2026. Nintendo notes that prices vary by country, so do not convert the figures directly into another currency or assume the same local total. Check the Nintendo page for your account’s country before subscribing or renewing.
Do you need Expansion Pack for Nintendo Music?
No. Expansion Pack is not required for Nintendo Music. The two standard tiers already include the service, so paying for Expansion Pack only makes sense when you also want its separate game, downloadable-content or upgrade-pack benefits.
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Think of Expansion Pack as a bundle decision rather than a music-quality decision:
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- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
- Choose a standard tier when Nintendo Music is the only membership benefit you need, or when the regular Nintendo Switch Online features meet your needs.
- Choose an Expansion Pack tier when you want the larger classic-game libraries, selected DLC or upgrade packs in addition to Nintendo Music.
Nintendo’s membership descriptions do not establish a larger Nintendo Music catalog, higher audio quality or extra music features for Expansion Pack subscribers. The documented difference is the additional game and DLC content.
Is Nintendo Music included with the Family plan?
Yes. Both Family tiers include Nintendo Music: the standard Family plan and the Family plan with Expansion Pack. Coverage is intended for members of a Nintendo Account family group, rather than for unrelated accounts that are not part of that group.
Use the standard Family tier when the group wants Nintendo Music and the regular membership benefits. Select the Expansion Pack Family tier only if the group also wants the Expansion Pack libraries, selected DLC or upgrade packs.
When an Individual plan is enough
An Individual membership is sufficient when only one Nintendo Account will use the service. A second person having a separate Nintendo Account does not by itself make the Individual plan a family plan; the relevant question is which accounts need coverage and whether they belong to the same Nintendo Account family group.
When Family can be better value
Family becomes the practical option when several accounts in the same family group need membership access. Compare the local Family price with the cost of separate Individual memberships in your country, because Nintendo’s pricing is region-specific.
How do you choose and activate the right membership?
Use this sequence before you pay. It prevents the most common mismatch: buying Expansion Pack for music you could have accessed with the standard tier, or selecting Individual when several family-group accounts need coverage.
- Confirm your country. Nintendo Music is not listed as a worldwide service. Open Nintendo’s published supported-region information and verify that the country associated with your Nintendo Account is eligible.
- Count the Nintendo Accounts that need access. Select Individual for one account. Select Family when the intended users are members of the same Nintendo Account family group.
- Decide whether Expansion Pack benefits matter. If you want only Nintendo Music, compare the two standard tiers. If you also want the larger classic-game libraries, selected DLC or upgrade packs, compare the two Expansion Pack tiers.
- Check the local price and term. The US figures in the table are annual prices shown in 2026. Review the Nintendo page for your country because currency, price and availability can differ.
- Subscribe with the Nintendo Account you will use. The account needs an eligible, active Nintendo Switch Online membership. For a Family plan, make sure the accounts that should benefit are in the relevant family group.
- Install or open Nintendo Music on a smart device. Nintendo presents the service as a smart-device app. Sign in with the Nintendo Account connected to the qualifying membership.
The membership is the entitlement that unlocks the service; a Switch console, phone or headphones are only hardware used to access or listen to it. Buying one of those devices does not replace the required Nintendo Switch Online membership.
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Availability is country-specific. Nintendo publishes a supported-region list, and eligibility depends on whether your country is included there. A membership purchased in one country should not be assumed to provide service access in every other country.
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- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
Check the region before purchasing, especially if your Nintendo Account, payment method and current location do not all point to the same country. Also recheck the list when renewing: Nintendo identifies supported countries and plan pricing as changeable details.
What do you need besides the membership?
You need three elements:
- A Nintendo Account. The app must be associated with the account that holds, or is covered by, the eligible membership.
- An eligible Nintendo Switch Online plan. Any of the four paid tiers qualifies; Expansion Pack is optional for this purpose.
- A supported region and smart device. Nintendo presents Nintendo Music as a smart-device app and limits availability to the countries on its published list.
The membership requirement is separate from the device requirement. Having a compatible phone or another smart device does not grant access without the qualifying Nintendo Switch Online entitlement.
Why might Nintendo Music not unlock after you subscribe?
Most access problems can be narrowed down by checking the entitlement, account and region in that order.
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Confirm that the subscription is one of the four paid tiers listed above and that it is active. A purchase intended for a different Nintendo Account will not help the account being used in the app.
Verify the signed-in Nintendo Account
Open the app with the same Nintendo Account that owns the Individual membership. For a Family plan, check that the account attempting access is part of the Nintendo Account family group covered by the subscription.
Verify country support
If the account and membership are correct but the service is unavailable, consult Nintendo’s supported-region list. Country restrictions can prevent access even when the membership itself is valid.
Refresh the app session
Sign out and back in with the qualifying account, then reopen Nintendo Music. If the entitlement was purchased recently, allow the service to synchronize before concluding that the plan is wrong. Avoid buying a second membership until the account, family-group status and region have been checked.
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“I am the only person using Nintendo Music.”
Start with standard Individual. It is the lowest annual US price shown and supplies the required membership without paying for Expansion Pack benefits you do not need.
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- This item can be redeemed on eShop only. This item cannot be redeemed on the Wii Shop
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch, Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Nintendo eShop Digital Cards are redeemable only through the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo Switch, Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
- Digital Card balances can be shared across Nintendo Switch, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but may only be used on a single Nintendo eShop account.
“Several people in my household need the app.”
Use standard Family when the accounts are members of one Nintendo Account family group. Compare the local Family price with separate Individual memberships before deciding.
“We want Nintendo Music and classic Nintendo game libraries.”
Choose between Expansion Pack Individual and Expansion Pack Family according to the number of covered accounts. The reason to select Expansion Pack is the added game, DLC and upgrade-pack content, while Nintendo Music is included in either tier.
“I am outside the United States.”
Do not use the US prices as a forecast of your bill. Confirm that your country appears on Nintendo’s supported-region list and review the local Nintendo membership page for current pricing.
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What should you remember before renewing?
- The qualifying product is a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership, not a Switch console or audio accessory.
- All four paid membership tiers include Nintendo Music.
- Expansion Pack is an optional add-on tier for game and DLC benefits, not a prerequisite for the music service.
- Individual is for one Nintendo Account; Family is for members of a Nintendo Account family group.
- Country availability and prices can change, so verify both on Nintendo’s current pages before purchase or renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Nintendo Music without buying a Nintendo Switch console?
Nintendo presents Nintendo Music as a smart-device app, so the console itself is not the membership entitlement. You still need a Nintendo Account, an eligible paid Nintendo Switch Online membership and access from a supported country.
Does Expansion Pack provide a bigger Nintendo Music catalog?
Nintendo’s documented Expansion Pack advantages concern larger classic-game libraries, selected DLC and upgrade packs. The membership descriptions do not state that Expansion Pack adds a larger music catalog or enhanced audio features.
Can someone outside my Nintendo Account family group use my Family membership for Nintendo Music?
The Family tiers are described as covering members of a Nintendo Account family group. An account that is not part of that group should not be assumed to receive the Family membership entitlement.
Is there a separate Nintendo Music subscription I can buy instead?
The membership options described by Nintendo require a Nintendo Switch Online membership and list the service within the four paid tiers. They do not identify a standalone Nintendo Music-only plan.
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Nintendo states that prices vary by country. Use the Nintendo membership page and supported-region information for the country associated with your Nintendo Account rather than converting the US annual figures.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
