Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world, with over 365 million monthly active users and over 70 million songs in its catalog. If you are a spotify user, you might know different techniques of using it such as creating your own playlists, Using private sessions to keep your listening habits private, how to unblock someone on Spotify, and lots of other features and hacks.
But Spotify is not the only option when it comes to listening to music online. There are many other music streaming services that offer different features, prices, and experiences for different types of listeners.
But how do you choose the right music streaming service for your needs? What are the pros and cons of each service? And what are some of the best alternatives to Spotify that you can try out?
In this article, we will compare and contrast some of the most popular music streaming services in the market, and help you find the one that suits your preferences and budget.
Apple Music is one of the biggest rivals of Spotify, with over 75 million subscribers and over 75 million songs in its library. Apple Music is integrated with the Apple ecosystem, which means that you can access it on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, and CarPlay. You can also use Siri to control your music playback and discover new songs.
Apple Music offers some features that Spotify does not, such as:
- Lossless audio quality. Apple Music recently introduced lossless audio quality for its entire catalog, which means that you can listen to music in CD-quality or higher without any compression or distortion. This feature is available for free for all subscribers, but you will need a compatible device and a good internet connection to enjoy it.
- Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos. Apple Music also recently introduced spatial audio with Dolby Atmos for select songs, which means that you can listen to music in an immersive 3D sound experience that surrounds you from all directions. This feature is also available for free for all subscribers, but you will need a compatible device and headphones to enjoy it.
- Live radio stations. Apple Music has several live radio stations that you can tune into, such as Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country. These stations feature exclusive shows, interviews, and playlists hosted by celebrities and experts from various genres and regions. You can also create your own custom radio stations based on your favorite artists or songs.
- Music videos. Apple Music has a large collection of music videos that you can watch on the app or on your Apple TV. You can also access exclusive video content, such as documentaries, concerts, and behind-the-scenes footage from your favorite artists.
Apple Music costs $9.99 per month for an individual plan, $14.99 per month for a family plan (up to six members), or $4.99 per month for a student plan. You can also get a free trial for three months before you decide to subscribe.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is another major competitor of Spotify, with over 50 million subscribers and over 70 million songs in its library. YouTube Music is powered by YouTube, which means that you can access it on your web browser, smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or smart speaker. You can also use Google Assistant to control your music playback and discover new songs.
YouTube Music offers some features that Spotify does not, such as:
- Video integration. YouTube Music allows you to switch between audio and video modes for any song that has a corresponding video on YouTube. You can also watch live performances, covers, remixes, and other user-generated content related to your favorite songs.
- Offline mixtape. YouTube Music automatically creates a personalized playlist of songs that you can download and listen to offline based on your listening history and preferences. You can also adjust the number of songs and genres that you want in your offline mixtape.
- Smart downloads. YouTube Music automatically downloads up to 500 songs that you like or might like for offline listening every night when your device is connected to Wi-Fi. You can also choose which playlists or albums you want to download manually.
- Song lyrics. YouTube Music displays the lyrics of most songs on the app or on your smart display. You can also tap on any line of the lyrics to jump to that part of the song.
YouTube Music costs $9.99 per month for an individual plan or $14.99 per month for a family plan (up to six members). You can also get a free trial for one month before you decide to subscribe.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is another big player in the music streaming industry, with over 55 million subscribers and over 70 million songs in its library. Amazon Music is integrated with the Amazon ecosystem, which means that you can access it on your Fire TV, Fire tablet, Echo device, or Kindle. You can also use Alexa to control your music playback and discover new songs.
Amazon Music offers some features tat Spotify does not, such as:
- HD and Ultra HD audio quality. Amazon Music HD is a tier of the service that offers high-definition audio quality for its entire catalog, which means that you can listen to music in CD-quality or higher without any compression or distortion. This feature costs an extra $5 per month for individual plans or $10 per month for family plans, but you can get a free trial for 90 days before you decide to upgrade.
- Podcasts. Amazon Music has a large collection of podcasts that you can listen to on the app or on your Echo device. You can also access exclusive podcasts, such as “Disgraceland”, “SmartLess”, and “The First One”.
- X-Ray lyrics. Amazon Music displays the lyrics of most songs on the app or on your Echo device. You can also tap on any line of the lyrics to jump to that part of the song. Additionally, you can access X-Ray lyrics, which provide trivia, facts, and behind-the-scenes information about the songs and artists.
- Music locker. Amazon Music allows you to upload up to 250 songs from your own collection to the cloud and stream them on any device. You can also download them for offline listening. This feature is free for all subscribers.
Amazon Music costs $9.99 per month for an individual plan or $14.99 per month for a family plan (up to six members). You can also get a free trial for 30 days before you decide to subscribe. Alternatively, you can get Amazon Music Unlimited for free if you are an Amazon Prime member, which gives you access to over 2 million songs and playlists.
Tidal
Tidal is a niche music streaming service that focuses on high-fidelity audio quality and artist empowerment. Tidal has over 3 million subscribers and over 70 million songs in its library. Tidal is available on your web browser, smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or smart speaker. You can also use voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa to control your music playback and discover new songs.
Tidal offers some features that Spotify does not, such as:
- HiFi and Master audio quality. Tidal HiFi is a tier of the service that offers lossless audio quality for its entire catalog, which means that you can listen to music in CD-quality without any compression or distortion. Tidal Master is a tier of the service that offers studio-quality audio quality for select songs, which means that you can listen to music in the highest possible resolution without any degradation or alteration. These features cost an extra $10 per month for individual plans or $15 per month for family plans, but you can get a free trial for 30 days before you decide to upgrade.
- Exclusive content. Tidal has a lot of exclusive content that you can’t find on other music streaming services, such as original playlists, podcasts, videos, documentaries, concerts, and live events curated by artists and experts from various genres and regions. You can also access exclusive releases, remixes, and collaborations from your favorite artists before they are available elsewhere.
- Artist ownership. Tidal is owned by a group of artists, such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys, who have a stake in the company and a say in its direction and vision. Tidal also pays higher royalties to artists and labels than other music streaming services, which means that more money goes to the creators and less to the middlemen.
- Social features. Tidal has some social features that allow you to connect with other users and artists on the platform. You can follow your favorite artists and see what they are listening to, liking, or commenting on. You can also create and share playlists with other users or join group sessions where you can listen to music together in real time.
Tidal costs $9.99 per month for an individual plan or $14.99 per month for a family plan (up to six members). You can also get a free trial for 30 days before you decide to subscribe.
Conclusion
These are some of the best alternatives to Spotify that you can try out if you are looking for a different music streaming service for your needs. Each service has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you should consider your preferences and budget before choosing one. Also you can use them if you are looking to rebrand your podcast.
However, if you are happy with Spotify and don’t want to switch, you can still enjoy its features and benefits by subscribing to one of its plans or using its free version with ads.
Whatever music streaming service you choose, we hope that you enjoy listening to your favorite songs and discovering new ones.