“Hey, can you play this song on Spotify?”
“No, but I have Apple Music, and its audio quality is better!”
Apple Music Vs Spotify Vs YouTube Music and so on. The debate about which is the best music streaming service is never-ending. Plus, listeners’ tastes change immediately when a streaming service starts offering better features. But do you know what’s constant? With our love for music and to keep it alive, we have tested the best music streaming service free and paid. If you are on the hunt for a music service, read this blog for complete details.
In this growing landscape of music in the world, the competition has become fiercer than ever. Each of the music platforms is competing neck-to-neck to offer the best services to the listeners. But with the number of platforms available, how can you decide which one’s the best music streaming? Simply put, just look at these points and you’ll meet your musical soulmate.
Prepare this checklist, and the one checking all the boxes wins. To simplify your research, we tested and found out the best music streaming services. Check out the features and other specifications ahead!
Apple Music is the product of Apple Inc., known for its premium features and unparalleled sound quality. It provides seamless integration with other iOS and macOS to build a secured Apple network cloud.
Subscriber Count: Over 93 Million
Subscription Cost: Starts at $10.99/month
| Specifications Free Version Available: No (Only free trial is available for 1 month) Hi-Res Audio: Yes Live Programming: Yes Non-Music Content: Yes Song Lyrics: Yes |
| Who is this best for? People using Apple devices can utilize this platform to get high-resolution music listening. |
| Positives Outstanding sound quality with lossless streaming. Operates seamlessly with Siri and Apple gadgets. Vast collection featuring more than 100 million songs. Availability of unique content and partnerships with artists. |
| Negatives No free version is accessible. Not compatible with non-Apple devices. |
Spotify has captured the majority of the market with its unique features and frequent new additions like Spotify Wrapped, algorithm-based playlists, and more. Not just music, you can find many podcasts, and audiobooks of multiple genres on the platform.
Subscriber Count: Over 239 Million
Subscription Cost: Individual plan- $11.99/monthly, Duo plan – $16.99/monthly, Family plan – $19.99/monthly, and Student plan – $5.99/monthly.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, with frequent ads Hi-Res Audio: Quality up to 320 kbps Live Programming: Not available Non-Music Content: Yes, library of audiobooks and podcasts. Song Lyrics: Yes |
| Who is this best for? For people who love curated playlists and new, exciting things, Spotify is their best bet. It offers multiple plans that suit every person’s budget. |
| Positives Top-notch curated playlists. Extensive collection of audiobooks and podcasts. Complimentary tier with good functionalities. Social sharing and features for collaborative playlists. |
| Negatives Lacks genuine Hi-Res audio support. Advertisements can be disruptive in the no-cost version. |
If you binge-watch YouTube videos, buying the YouTube Premium plan is worth it, and you will get the Music part for free. Watch videos, listen to audio, save music from shorts, save for offline listening, and create your playlist with YouTube Music.
Subscriber Count: Over 100 Million
Subscription Cost: Individual plan – $13.99/month, Family plan (upto 5 members) – $22.99/month, Student plan- $7.99/month
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, with frequent ads Hi-Res Audio: Yes Live Programming: Not available Non-Music Content: Yes, the entire YouTube video library. Song Lyrics: Yes, along with auto-captions. |
| Who is this best for? For people who hate ads while watching videos and listening to audio, YT Premium Music is the best option. You can watch music videos, artist interviews, and music documentaries too. |
| Positives Availability of authorized music videos and remixes. Customized suggestions derived from YouTube viewing history. Extensive collection, featuring live shows. Save for later, offline viewing, and quality adjustment features. |
| Negatives The free version contains ads and does not have offline download features. Not a separate entity, canceling YT Music will cancel YT Premium video viewing too. |
Prime Music is the product of Amazon that comes for free upon taking Prime membership. The good news, the platform is even available for non-prime members at affordable rates.
Subscriber Count: Over 80 Million
Subscription Cost: $0 with Prime membership, For Non-Prime members (Individual plan – $10.99/ monthly, Family plan – $14.99/monthly, and $149/ year for six members).
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, with restrictions and limited features. Hi-Res Audio: Yes Live Programming: Not available Non-Music Content: Yes, podcasts and Prime Original Shows. Song Lyrics: Yes |
| Who is this best for? People who are already members of Amazon Prime and who use Alexa-enabled devices should utilize this music streaming service. You can enjoy shopping benefits and good-quality music listening hand-in-hand. |
| Positives Free of cost for Prime members. Availability of millions of tracks, podcasts, and originals in High-Resolution quality. Works seamlessly with Alexa. |
| Negatives The interface is a bit more complicated than its competitors. Limited functionalities compared to others. |
This is one of the best music streamers available in the market today. If you are a music purist who likes to support new artists, then Tidal is the one for you. The platform supports artists with higher payouts than others and also provides decent audio quality to the listeners.
Subscriber Count: Over 5 Million
Subscription Cost: Individual plan – $10.99/month, Family plan (up to 6 members) – $16.99/month, and Student plan- $5.49/month.
| Specifications Free Version Available: No Hi-Res Audio: Yes Live Programming: No Non-Music Content: Yes Song Lyrics: Yes |
| Who is this best for? People who are musicians and who eat-sleep-repeat music/audiophiles looking for unparalleled quality while supporting art must choose Tidal. |
| Positives Top-notch Hi-Res audio excellence. Content section from exclusive artists. Promotes fairer payment for artists. |
| Negatives High subscription fee according to the features. Small user base and restricted non-music material. |
Pandora is famous for its radio feature, which plays random songs based on listeners’ activities and choices. It offers an algorithm-based tailored station, where you can switch channels anytime.
Subscriber Count: Over 8 Million
Subscription Cost: Plus plan – $4.99 per month or $54.89 per year, Premium plan- $10.99 per month or $120.89 per year, and Family plan- $17.99 per month or $197.89 per year.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes Hi-Res Audio: No Live Programming: No Non-Music Content: Yes, with podcasts. Song Lyrics: Not available |
| Who is this best for? If you like to listen to random songs and prefer algorithm-driven radio stations, Pandora is the Best Audio Streaming Service for that purpose. Subscribe to Pandora and unlock a surprise with each song! |
| Positives Discover new artists and their music. Affordable subscription plans. |
| Negatives Low audio quality. Limited features and functionalities. |
Deezer is another leading player in the music streaming industry that supports new artists. It offers niche-based recommendations. Meaning, you can find segregated sections for different music genres and automatically listen to new music.
Subscriber Count: Over 11 Million
Subscription Cost: Premium plan – $10.99 per month, Duo plan ( two accounts) -$15.99 per month, and Family plan (up to 6 accounts)- $19.99 per month.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, runs with ads. Hi-Res Audio: Yes Live Programming: No Non-Music Content: Yes Song Lyrics: Yes (auto-synced lyrics) |
| Who is this best for? If you want to step into the world of global music, Deezer offers a diverse catalog and dedicated music genre listening. |
| Positives High-resolution audio quality. Outstanding music suggestion algorithm. Vast global music collection. |
| Negatives Small content library compared to others. Limited features in the free version. |
SoundCloud is a unique space where independent and emerging artists can find their core audience and build a fan base. From the listener’s point of view, this one’s the best music streaming service free and paid versions. It offers free downloads, playlist creation features upon signing up.
Subscriber Count: Over 76 Million
Subscription Cost: SoundCloud Go plan – $4.99 per month, SoundCloud Go+ plan – $9.99 per month.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes Hi-Res Audio: No Live Programming: No Non-Music Content: No Song Lyrics: No |
| Who is this best for? People who love to explore new artists and experimental music can use SoundCloud. It’s one of the best platforms for supporting independent artists. |
| Positives Free version available. Vast music collection of independent and emerging artists. |
| Negatives Few mainstream music options. Poor audio quality. |
This French digital music store and audio platform, Qobuz was started to provide best-in-class lossless audio quality for audiophiles. You can also find an online community of music lovers and editorial content here.
Subscriber Count: Over 1 Million
Subscription Cost: Studio plan – $10.83 per month, Sublime plan – $14.99 per month.
| Specifications Free Version Available: No, 1-month free trial available. Hi-Res Audio: Yes Live Programming: No Non-Music Content: No Song Lyrics: No |
| Who is this best for? People who love the audio aspects of music and like to dig into the details should try Quboz. |
| Positives High-resolution music catalog. A vast collection of jazz and classical tunes. |
| Negatives Smaller library. Limited features. High pricing. |
iHeartRadio wins people’s hearts with its great features like curated radio stations, podcasts, playlists, offline features, talkback mic, and more. Plus, it also hosts many events broadcast on television. This platform is an ideal choice for people who love live radio and curated playlists.
Subscriber Count: Over 30 Million
Subscription Cost: Plus plan – $4.99 per month, All Access plan – $9.99 per month, and Family plan – $14.99.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, with limited features. Hi-Res Audio: No Live Programming: Yes Non-Music Content: Yes Song Lyrics: No |
| Who is this best for? Radio lovers and classical music enthusiasts should sign up to this music streaming platform and enjoy uninterrupted listening. |
| Positives Great combination of live radio and music on demand. Free version with decent functionalities. Large collection of podcasts. |
| Negatives Basic website interface with no unique feature. Limited hi-res audio quality. |
This platform is majorly available in the United States and excels in various categories other than music. It runs satellite radio, news and weather reports, sports commentaries, and talk shows. The content it publishes is what makes Sirius XM stand out from others.
Subscriber Count: Over 33.6 Million
Subscription Cost: All Access plan – $24.98 per month, and Build a Plan package – $9.99 per month.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, ad-supported free version. Hi-Res Audio: Basic Live Programming: Yes Non-Music Content: Yes Song Lyrics: No |
| Who is this best for? Radio lovers, sports fanatics, and talk show listeners must check this platform out and stream uninterrupted music. |
| Positives Content is available in multiple formats, including video shows. The ad-supported free version is available with all the features. High-quality radio broadcasting. |
| Negatives Does not have a family pack. No hi-res audio quality. |
Live radio, live shows, video podcasts, music catalog, you name it and this music streaming service has it. Live One offers tons of cool features to people who love to consume content in various formats. The best part is that the app is free on Android devices.
Subscriber Count: Over 3 Million
Subscription Cost: Plus plan – $3.99 per month and Premium plan – $9.99 per month.
| Specifications Free Version Available: Yes, ad-supported free version. Hi-Res Audio: Basic Live Programming: Yes Non-Music Content: Yes Song Lyrics: No |
| Who is this best for? If you are into informative DJs, radio stations, video podcasts, then you need to try out this streaming service. The perk is that it is much cheaper than its competitors. |
| Positives Radio and news report broadcast. The ad-supported free version is available on all devices. Video content is available in adjustable quality. The Android app can be downloaded free of cost. |
| Negatives Does not offer a family pack. Lacks hi-res audio quality. |
So these are the best music streaming services that you can try out yourself and enjoy listening to your favorite tunes.
Which is the best music streaming platform? Well, the answer really depends on your personal preferences and listening habits. Qobuz, Tidal, and Apple Music are best suited for audiophiles. Spotify offers tons of non-music categories, such as podcasts and audiobooks. If you prefer listening to live radio, just go for iHeartRadio.
We have explained each platform in brief in this blog, which will help you find your ideal platform.
According to the reports, more than 700 million use music streaming services on the internet.
Yes, you can use Spotify, Tidal, and other services offering free versions. Note that the free version may have limited features and run with ads.
YT music gives audio quality up to 256 KBPS and Spotify gives a resolution of up to 320 KBPS for the premium users. So Spotify is the clear winner in terms of audio quality.
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