I have seen recipies around the net, that use cartons/bottles of apple juice. Bought off the shelf in a supermarket, (or local corner shop if you still have one
) basically then adding a bit of sugar and some yeast and hey presto job done!
Quite how economical it would be doing it that way, i wouldn't like to say but it would save the effort of juicing apples. But then if you have access to a free supply of apples I think the effort would be more than wothwhile.
Should say that I have never made cider, so have no experience of either method.