One of the biggest questions to come out of WWDC 2026 is a simple one: do you have to pay for Apple’s new, much smarter Siri? The short answer is no, not to use it normally. The new AI-powered Siri is free with the software update. But there is a catch worth understanding, because Apple has put a daily limit on how much you can use it, and heavier use will cost you.
We are covering the whole event in our WWDC 2026 live blog. Here is exactly how the new Siri’s pricing works.
The Short Answer
The new Siri is free. It comes built into the software update at no extra charge, and for everyday use most people will never pay a penny. What Apple has added is a daily usage allowance. Stay inside it and Siri costs you nothing. Go past it, and if you want to keep using the heaviest AI features that day, you can buy more capacity through iCloud+.
What You Get for Free
The free tier is the version almost everyone will live with. You get the rebuilt, conversational Siri that can hold a proper back-and-forth, work across your apps, and handle the kind of multi-step requests the old Siri used to fumble. For normal day-to-day asks, the free daily allowance is likely to be more than enough.
The Daily Limit Catch
Here is the part to keep an eye on. Apple is capping how many of the more demanding AI requests you can make in a single day on the free tier. The exact numbers were not spelled out on stage, so the real question is how generous that allowance turns out to be in practice. If it is set high, most people will never notice it. If it is stingy, power users will hit the wall fast. We will update this page once Apple confirms the specifics.
Paying for More: iCloud+
If you do hit the daily ceiling and want more, Apple is selling extra usage through iCloud+, the same subscription that already covers your iCloud storage, Private Relay and Hide My Email. Folding it into iCloud+ rather than launching a separate “Siri Pro” means anyone already paying for iCloud storage may get extra headroom as part of their existing plan. It also lines Apple up neatly with the rest of the industry, where the genuinely heavy AI use sits behind a subscription.
What You Need to Use the New Siri
Free or not, there is a hardware gate. The new Siri runs on Apple Intelligence, which needs newer silicon, so it is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and later (and the equivalent iPad and Mac models). If you have an older but still supported iPhone, you will get the rest of iOS 27, just not the new Siri. Our iOS 27 supported devices guide has the full breakdown of which iPhones make the cut.
One more important catch: if you are in the European Union, the new Siri is not launching on iPhone or iPad at all, free or paid, at least to begin with. Tim Cook and the Commission have since reopened talks over a path for Siri AI in the EU.
When Can You Use It?
The new Siri arrives with the rest of Apple’s 2026 software in the autumn, meaning a September release alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. A developer beta is available now, with a public beta expected in July.
New Siri Cost FAQ
Is the new Siri free?
Yes. The new AI-powered Siri is free with the software update. There is a daily usage allowance for the most demanding requests, and extra usage is available to buy through iCloud+.
How much does extra Siri usage cost?
Apple is offering additional usage through iCloud+. The exact pricing and the size of the free daily allowance had not been detailed at the time of the keynote.
Do I need to pay for iCloud+ to use Siri?
No. The standard new Siri is free for everyday use. iCloud+ only comes in if you want more than the free daily allowance.
Which iPhones can run the new Siri?
The new Siri requires Apple Intelligence, which is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer. Older supported iPhones get iOS 27 but not the new Siri.
