Did Apple buy SongShift?

Quick answer

No. Apple partnered with SongShift to power the Transfer Music option in Apple Music, but there's no report of an acquisition, and SongShift still runs its own app.

When the feature went live in most countries in September 2025, MacRumors reported that Apple had partnered with SongShift for the transfer. Apple's own transfer support page says the service is provided by a third party, which isn't how Apple describes something it owns.

SongShift's website still names the company as SongShift, LLC, and its FAQ points Apple Music users to Apple's built-in transfer while it keeps selling its own app. Neither company has announced a deal.

In practice, the two overlap but aren't the same. Apple's version is free with a subscription and only moves music into Apple Music. The standalone SongShift app on iPhone and iPad moves playlists between other services too, with extras like playlist sync on Pro at $6.99 a month. Our SongShift review covers what the app adds, and our TuneMyMusic vs SongShift comparison helps if you're not on iPhone.