Spotify is the biggest streaming service in the world and one of the best options available to music fans.
But people still leave Spotify. Why?
Some are tired of the endless wait for FLAC audio. Others don’t like that even Premium users have to deal with podcast ads. And then there’s the group that simply wants to check what else is available.
Whichever category you fall into, we’re here to bring you the top 7 alternatives to Spotify.
Best Alternatives to Spotify
- – Apple Music: Fantastic experience for Apple users
- – Amazon Music: Best smart device integration
- – Deezer: 32,000+ radio stations
- – Tidal: Better artist compensation
- – Qobuz: FLAC 24-bit 9,216 kbps premium audio
- – YouTube Music: Super deep catalog with rare tracks
- – SoundCloud: Free alternative
We’ll now discuss how these streaming services performed during our tests. Note that they’re not ranked in any particular order because finding the best Spotify alternative largely depends on your personal preference. Let’s dive in deeper or just check out the brief summary.
Apple Music: Best Spotify Alternative for Apple Users
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: AAC 24-bit 256 kbps (compared to 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis on Spotify Premium)
- – Price: $10.99 per month for Individual plan (cheaper than $11.99/month for Spotify Premium Individual)
- – Catalog: 100+ million songs and music videos (vs. 100+ million songs, podcasts, and audiobooks on Spotify)
- – Dolby Atmos Spatial Sound technology
- – Apple Music Classical app with over 5 million compositions
TL;DR: Apple Music has better sound quality than Apple Music with Dolby Atmos technology. The catalog sizes are similar, although Spotify is superior for audiobook fans. Prices are the same, but Spotify is slightly more flexible thanks to the Duo plan.
Apple Music is one of Spotify’s biggest rivals. It’s more convenient if you’re already within the Apple ecosystem but it also offers slightly higher audio quality.
Sound Quality: 4.7/5
Apple Music is superior to Spotify thanks to its Dolby Atmos integration. The surround sound technology creates a cinematic listening experience and brings a new dimension of tonal clarity. Not all Apple Music tracks support it, though.
Apple Music supports lossless audio and AAC 24-bit 256 kbps. Spotify Premium, on the other hand, supports 320 kbps almost across the entire board. Overall, Apple Music is more crisp in the sonic section.
Price: 4.1/5
Spotify and Apple Music prices are the same but Spotify has more flexibility with an extra plan (two plans, actually).
Both services have Student, Individual and Family plans.
However, Spotify also has the Duo plan. It’s priced at $16.99 per month, offering two Premium accounts – as opposed to six accounts in the Family plan.
Spotify also has the Audiobook plan now. It costs $9.99/month and offers access to 200,000 audiobooks.
Catalog: 4.5/5
Both Spotify and Apple Music offer 100+ million tracks. Spotify has audiobooks and podcasts, while Apple has separate apps for these formats (and yes, Apple Podcasts is free).
Apple Music has its “Essentials” category, Apple Music Live, a selection of Dolby Atmos-compatible songs, plus thousands of mood-oriented music categories like Chill, Sleep, Party, and more.
For podcast fans, Spotify packs 5+ million titles, while Apple Music has none. As noted, Apple Podcasts is a separate free platform, and it has about 2.5 million podcasts.
Apple offers Apple Music Classical, with more than 5 million classical compositions. Spotify, on the other hand, has those 200,000+ audiobooks. And looking at more niche features, Apple Music is fantastic for karaoke fans thanks to its singalong feature.
UI & Ease of Access: 4.2/5
Spotify’s user interface is slightly more intuitive and easier to use compared to Apple Music’s UI.
The search tool lists more than just the artists and content associated with the desired keyword, including playlists that feature your keyword. Apple Music simply lists songs and albums related to the keyword.
When it comes to content exploration, both platforms stand on even ground. They offer curated playlists and recommendations based on the user’s previous searches.
Read more in our full Apple Music vs. Spotify comparison.
Amazon Music: Best Spotify Alternative for Smart Device Users
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: FLAC 24-bit 3,730 kbps (compared to OGG 320 kbps on Spotify)
- – Price: $10.99 for Non-Prime, $9.99 for Prime customers (vs. Spotify’s $11.99)
- – Catalog: 100+ million songs, ultra-HD tunes, and podcasts (vs. Spotify’s 100+ million tunes, documentaries, and podcast shows)
- – Artist Showcase
- – Full Amazon Alexa compatibility
TL;DR: Amazon Music has better sound quality than Spotify, with Ultra HD 3,730 kbps audio. It also offers integration with smart devices. The price is lower if you’re a Prime user, too. Spotify has a better user interface and a wider catalog.
Amazon Music is an interesting alternative to Spotify, especially if you’re a smart device user. And if you have Amazon Prime already, the price goes down to $99.99 per year.
Sound Quality 4.8/5
Amazon Music has the Ultra HD 3,730 kbps sound quality is superior to Spotify’s 320 kbps. Amazon has lossless audio and also supports more data formats, including FLAC (which Spotify still doesn’t support).
Similar to Apple Music, Amazon Music supports surround sound – no Dolby Digital, but it does offer Sony MPEG-H 3D lossless audio codec.
Price 4.8/5
Amazon’s standard price is lower than Spotify’s – $10.99 per month. Amazon Prime members receive benefits, though, and they can subscribe for $9.99/month or $99.99 for yearly subscription (about $8.33/month).
Amazon Music also has the Single Device plan, allowing access on one Amazon Alexa-compatible device. The price is just $5.99 per month. The Family Plan costs the same as Spotify’s Family Plan, $16.99 per month.
Catalog 4.2/5
Amazon Music’s catalog stretches beyond songs and albums. Once again, we’re looking at 100m+ tracks and just like Spotify, the mix includes podcasts and exclusives. But when you look a bit deeper, Amazon Music has a selection of ad-free podcasts.
Spotify podcasts can have ads even if you’re a Premium user, which is one of the top complaints coming from users right now. Also, while Spotify has recently introduced music videos and allows video podcasts, Amazon has been in the video scene for a while now.
Amazon Music has a few interesting curated categories that are constantly updated, such as Stations, Charts, All-Access Playlists, and more.
UI & Ease of Access 3.5/5
Spotify’s user interface is highly intuitive, with the company’s in-house AI algorithm and dynamic filters. The discovery features are also high-quality.
Amazon Music isn’t comparably good. There are so many types of recommendations, featured stations, top playlists, and subgenres, that the results can miss the mark more than Spotify.
Amazon Music’s algorithm lacks music suggestion capabilities. A wider range of music when it comes to playing songs in a random mode would be most welcome.
Also, Amazon Music was under fire since complicating its plans, including limitations on the number of skipped songs per hour.
Read more in our full Amazon Music vs Spotify comparison article.
Deezer: Better Music Discovery Features Than Spotify
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: FLAC 24-bit 1,411 kbps (superior to OGG 320 kbps on Spotify)
- – Price: $11.99 per month, or $8.99/month on Yearly plan (vs. $11.99 on Spotify)
- – Catalog: More than 120+ million songs and 55,000+ podcasts (more than 100+ million tunes on Spotify)
- – Sophisticated recommendation algorithm that you can shape
- – Deezer Flow
TL;DR: Deezer has better discovery algorithms and supports 1,411 kbps FLAC, which makes is superior to Spotify in sound quality. It also has 32,000+ radio stations. Then again, the Deezer UI isn’t as smooth and the Family Plan is more expensive.
Deezer can be a better alternative to Spotify if you enter for the long run, with cheaper yearly prices, more tracks, and better discovery features.
Sound Quality 4.7/5
Deezer may not be as crisp as Qobuz (which we will discuss more later in the article), but they’re still a level above Spotify. The platform supports true lossless FLAC audio formats at a solid 1,411 kbps.
Now some advanced audiophiles point out that the sound quality is 16-bit 44.1 KHz and not 24-bit.
Then again, other advanced audiophiles say that it makes no difference and then there’s the fraction saying the best option is recording 24-bit and then converting to 16-bit. Don’t go too deep down that rabbit hole, folks.
Price 4.3/5
An individual Deezer Premium subscription costs $11.99 monthly in the US, a dollar more than Spotify Premium. The monthly Family plan offers the usual 6 seats in a single household, but it costs $19.99 per month ($16.99 on Spotify).
A Duo plan is also available for $15.99 per month ($14.99 on Spotify), while Students get the $5.99/month special, the same as on Spotify.
Being a long-term user pays dividends, though. The yearly subscription unlocks a significant 25% price cut, bringing it to $107.99 for Individual ($8.99/month). Yearly Family and Duo plans grant an 8% discount, meaning $174.99 for Duo and $218.99 for Family Plan.
Spotify doesn’t have a yearly plan. That means long-term Individual subscriptions save you $2 per month when all is said and done. Also, Deezer has a free tier.
Catalog 4.7/5
Deezer has been raising the bar consistently in terms of track count. They now offer over 120 million tracks, which is 20m above Spotify’s current count.
The collection includes 50,000+ podcasts, which is below Spotify’s multi-million offering. However, Deezer has over 32,000 radio stations. It also allows you to upload your own tracks in high quality.
All the major genres are equally well-covered on both platforms, as you might have expected. Deezer does a slightly better job covering a handful of niche styles that Spotify (and other competitors) don’t. Stuff like Forro, Sertanejo, Reggaeton, or Flamenco.
As the cherry on top, the Deezer Originals section offers content that is not available anywhere else.
UI & Ease of Access 4.5/5
The platforms have a similar UI, although Spotify runs a bit more smoothly. But, many users prefer Deezer for its Flow – an “infinite” playlist continuously updated by Deezer’s AI algorithm.
And sure, Spotify has its discovery features but many users – including us – say that it can get a bit monotonous, with frequent recommendations of artists that are already on your list of favorites.
And Deezer does a better job adapting its algorithm based on your feedback.
Deezer also has a cool feature called Shaker. Driven by TuneMyMusic technology, it allows you to create shared playlists with your friends, even if they’re on other streaming services.
Read more in our Deezer vs. Spotify article.
Tidal: Better Sound Quality + Higher Artist Royalties Than Spotify
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: FLAC 24-bit 1,411 kbps (better than Ogg Vorbis 320 kbps on Spotify)
- – Price: $10.99 (vs $11.99 on Spotify)
- – Catalog: over 110 million tunes, interviews, and music videos (similar to Spotify’s 100+ million songs, playlists, educational videos, and podcasts)
- – Plex integration
TL;DR: Tidal has better sound quality than Spotify and they pay a bigger share to artists. Tidal also has one of the best-looking streaming apps. Availability and ease of use are where Tidal loses, with more bugs, worse discover features, subpar shuffle algo, and lack of queue syncing.
Tidal is known for its premium-quality FLAC 24-bit 1,411 kbps audio tracks and higher payment to artists than Spotify. But, you’ll have to accept a less functional user interface (it looks fantastic, though).
Sound Quality 4.8/5
Tidal’s FLAC 1,411 kbps audio quality is considerably better and clearer than Spotify’s 320 kbps MP3 sound quality.
Tidal also supports spatial audio technology, including Dolby Atmos. Spotify offers no such features. Spatial audio is the tech that gives you the experience of being surrounded by multiple audio sources. It boosts your immersion significantly.
Price 4.3/5
As of the April 2024 update, Tidal has simplified its pricing plans. The new Individual plan costs $10.99 per month and grants access to HiRes FLAC + Dolby Atmos tracks. That’s the same as Spotify’s monthly plan, which offers inferior sound quality.
The Family plan is $16.99, cheaper than Spotify. A $9 DJ Extension is also available.
Tidal has no Duo plan but they do offer a cheaper Student plan at $4.99 (vs. $5.99 on Spotify). A $5.99 Military/First Responder plan was available but then officially discountinued with the March 2024 announcement.
Also, Tidal once had a free tier, but no more.
Catalog 4.5/5
Both Spotify and Tidal boast impressive content catalogs comprised of over 100+ million podcasts, tracks, and playlists.
Tidal offers Plex integration. It allows you to add the music you own outside the platform. With a valid Tidal subscription, Plex Media Server allows you to integrate tracks from Tidal to your personal library and fill any gaps you might have.
For podcast fans, know that Tidal is almost non-existent on this front. The platform is very music-centered.
There’s another significant factor here. Tidal is No. 1 when it comes to paying the artists. Tidal’s per-stream payment is roughly $0.013. Spotify pays $0.004 per stream, so 3x less.
UI & Ease of Access 4/5
This one is a bit complicated. On the one hand, Tidal is the best-looking streaming platform and app. It’s so elegant, you can’t take your eyes off of it.
Also, Spotify’s algorithm is more data-driven, while Tidal takes a more “organic” approach. It’s more focused on the user’s interactions, while Spotify prioritizes the number of streams and overall popularity.
But, it’s buggy compared to Spotify. Spotify runs smoothly, while Tidal users regularly report slower load times, weaker discovery algos, messy notifications, and a lack of queue syncing on multiple devices.
Want more? Read our Tidal vs. Spotify comparison if you’re up for it.
Qobuz: Best Spotify Alternative for Audiophiles (FLAC 24-bit 9,216 kbps)
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: FLAC 24-bit 9,216 kbps (compared to Spotify’s 320 kbps)
- – Price: $12.99 per month or $10.83/month on yearly plan (vs. Spotify’s $11.99 per month)
- – Catalog: 100+ million podcast episodes, songs, and original editorial content (evenly matched with Spotify’s catalog)
- – Qobuz Store with up to 60% discounts for Sublime subscribers
- – Qobuzissimes as unique discovery system.
TL;DR: Qobuz beats Spotify and every other streaming platform when it comes to sound quality, with mind-blowing FLAC 24-bit 9,216 kbps audio. It’s $2 more expensive on the month-to-month plan and significantly less available worldwide.
Two years older than Spotify, Qobuz had a headstart but kept ahead of the curve and now offers nearly unparalleled lossless audio quality, a massive catalog, and its own store of digital music.
Sound Quality 4.9/5
Qobuz is far more than just a Spotify alternative for audiophiles searching for high-fidelity sound. It supports 24-bit 96 kHz FLAC at 9,216 kbps, meaning that any track you’re listening to on this platform will sound as crystal-clean as it can be.
Qobuz doesn’t have any surround sound technology integrations like Dolby Atmos, though. Still, the level of nuance and depth it offers is stellar. Users say it’s like rediscovering music you’ve been listening for ages – and we agree.
Price 4/5
On the $129.99 yearly subscription, the Qobuz Studio Plan will cost you $10.83 per month (compared to Spotify’s $11.99). On a month-to-month basis, you’ll pay $12.99/month.
The Duo plan is $14.99 on yearly subscription ($17.99 month-to-month, compared to $14.99/month for Spotify Duo), while the Family pack costs $17.99 per month (vs. $16.99 on Spotify).
Qobuz Sublime package is also available, starting at $14.99 per month on the Individual yearly subscription. It covers everything from the Studio plan with the same sound quality, but adds up to 60% discounts for Hi-Res purchases in the Qobuz store.
Catalog 4.3/5
Spotify and Qobuz are marginally different here. Both offer over 100+ million songs, podcasts, and exclusive content.
Spotify dominates the podcast domain as usual (no podcasts on Qobuz), while Qobuz allows users to purchase music (some of which aren’t featured in most streaming platforms) at its Music Store.
UI & Ease of Access 3.9/5
Availability is where Qobuz struggles. Spotify has entered over 180 markets. Qobuz, on the other hand, is up and running in just 24 countries.
Qobuz does not offer queue synchronization but the interface is just as smooth as Spotify. As noted in the Catalog section, Qobuz also highlights music purchases through its music store and the Sublime plan. Audiophiles like that.
Qobuz lacks integration capabilities for smart devices, though. Amazon Music is the top pick in that department.
When it comes to playlists and discovery, instead of featuring “top 50” or “top trending” playlists like Spotify, Qobuz introduces Qobuzissimes and its “Grand Selection.” Takes a while to get used to, but it’s cool.
More info is available in our in-depth Qobuz vs. Spotify comparison article.
YouTube Music: Best Spotify Alternative for Rare Tracks (Plus Cheaper on YouTube Premium Plan)
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: AAC 24-bit 256 kbps (inferior to Spotify’s 320 kbps)
- – Price: $10.99 per month or $9.16/month on yearly plan (vs. Spotify’s $11.99)
- – Catalog: more than 100+ million songs, videos, podcasts, and live performances (similar to Spotify’s 100+ million tunes, podcasts, and documentaries)
- – Exceptional integration with YouTube Premium
- – Removes ads from classic YouTube
TL;DR: YouTube Music is a goldmine for rarities and obscure tracks. And if you have YouTube Premium, it’s already included in the price. The sound quality is inferior to Spotify, though.
More than just an upgraded ad-free subscription to YouTube Classic, YouTube Music is a standalone audio streaming platform with a well-polished interface, a solid catalog, and good audio quality. It’s a worthwhile consideration if you’re a YouTube Premium user.
Sound Quality 3/5
As one of the few major music streaming platforms that doesn’t support lossless audio quality, YouTube Music is a good choice if you’re a casual music enjoyer and don’t mind downgrading the quality of your favorite tunes. Not for audiophiles.
Price 4.9/5
People moving from Spotify to YouTube Music are usually quick to notice that both platforms offer identical pricing plans.
From Student subscriptions at $5.49 and Individual plans at $10.99 to Family packs for $16.99, the only difference is that YouTube Music Family supports up to 5 members while Spotify Family gives 6 accounts.
But – if you get the yearly plan, the price is $109.99, which is about $9.16 per month. As noted, Spotify has no yearly plans.
And then there’s another thing – YouTube Music is fully included in YouTube Premium. YT Premium removes ads on YouTube entirely, enables background play, and allows you to download videos. This is one of the best options if you’re looking for cheaper alternatives to Spotify.
The Individual plan is $13.99 on a month-to-month basis or about $11.16/month on the $139.99 yearly subscription.
Catalog 4.9/5
YouTube Music is comparable to Spotify in the content department, as they both offer 100+ million songs, exclusives, podcasts, and editorial content.
It can be said that YouTube Music Premium improves the basic functionalities of classic YouTube, and if you’re using both, YTM is clearly a much larger platform.
And you know how everyone always points out that YouTube is a goldmine of rarities, obscure recordings, and all that good stuff hardcore fans love? Well, YouTube Music delivers it all.
UI & Ease of Access 4.5/5
With embedded track controls, instant shortcuts to the exploration, library, and search sections, and streamlined playlist creation/browsing, YouTube Music’s UI is on par with Spotify, which is among the best in the industry.
If we were to put their aesthetic differences aside, they both deliver the goods in this department. The apps are easy to use, make sharing music effortless, and run very smoothly.
The social aspect is also top-notch, with all the comments and discussions that make YouTube so popular readily available.
More info in our YouTube Music vs. Spotify comparison.
SoundCloud: Best Free Spotify Alternative
Highlights:
- – Sound Quality: AAC 24-bit 320 kbps (vs. Spotify’s Ogg Vorbis 320 kbps)
- – Price: Free or $9.99/month for SoundCloud Go+ (cheaper than Spotify’s $11.99 per month)
- – Catalog: more than 275 million songs and podcasts (significantly more than 100 million songs on Spotify)
- – Social features like commenting and direct messages
- – Go-to for DJs
TL;DR: SoundCloud is the top pick for anyone seeking free alternatives to Spotify Premium. It also has loads of tracks and a similar audio quality. No video content, though.
The ultimate Spotify alternative for people who don’t have any interest in watching videos, SoundCloud towers above other music streaming services with 275+ million tracks and podcasts. It also doubles as a social platform.
Sound Quality 4.4/5
Only the most critical audiophiles can tell AAC from OGG apart when both support the same bitrate and bandwidth.
In the field of audio quality, Spotify is just barely better than Soundcloud, but only when it comes to compressing its audio files – the end result is basically impossible to tell apart.
Price 4.9/5
Soundcloud is free to use – not the trial month stuff most services offer, but actually free. It also offers two subscription plans: Soundcloud Go at $4.99/month and Soundcloud Go+ at $9.99/month.
Both are cheaper than Spotify’s $11.99 Individual subscription, although the base Soundcloud Go doesn’t provide access to the platform’s entire catalog and the highest audio quality setting.
Catalog 4.5/5
In terms of size and variety of content, Soundcloud is the best and biggest music platform in the current market, but there’s one pitfall – it only covers audio files.
While both music and podcasts are available in the millions, Soundcloud doesn’t have a single video in its library.
But then again, SoundCloud is the go-to for DJs looking to release live sets and underground music producers to publish CC content and bureaucracy-free audio uploads.
UI & Ease of Access 4/5
Soundcloud’s user interface is minimalistic and almost nostalgic. Each playlist and tune features hashtags; tapping on them will take the user to the most popular tunes with similar tags, which is the primary mode of exploring new content.
Sharing content is a breeze via the “Share” function, which allows users to instantly post the chosen track on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, or by email.
Read more: Soundcloud vs Spotify
How We Ranked Spotify Alternatives
- Sound Quality: Spotify’s 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis and lack of FLAC audio are often under fire in the audiophile community. We checked the sound quality available on other platforms and made sure to verify it.
- Price: Spotify’s $11.99 monthly price is very similar to other options. But, Spotify has no yearly plan, and other platforms have special deals like YouTube including YT Music with YT Premium. We highlighted them all.
- Catalog: Spotify is packed with 100+ tracks, but it’s not just about the sheer size. We checked what other platforms have in store and gave a brief outline.
- UI & Ease of Access: Spotify has one of the smoothest apps. It’s really hard to beat in this department. We tested all Spoitfy alternatives for loading speed, discovery algorithms, ease of access, and overall appearance.
What to Do When Leaving Spotify
Here are a few tips from seasoned music fans if you’re looking to leave Spotify and try something else. We’ll keep it brief.
- – Backup Your Music: Before anything else, you need to make a backup of your Spotify playlist. Better safe than sorry. Just use TuneMyMusic for it – done in a sec.
- – Transfer Your Playlists: Don’t forget your playlists! Many users don’t leave their streaming platforms because they don’t want to leave their playlists behind. It’s one of the reasons why we started our service. You can use TuneMyMusic’s Transfer feature and transfer up to 500 songs for free from Spotify to any other platform.
- – Cancel Your Subscription and Make Sure It’s Canceled: Canceling Spotify takes going through a few hoops but isn’t too tricky. Just click on your profile image in the app, then click “Account.” That will take you to your profile on the Spotify website. Find “Manage your plan” under “Subscription,” then click “Change plan.” Then scroll down to Spotify Free and click the green “Cancel plan” button. Confirm your decision and check that the plan is canceled.
Best Spotify Alternatives: Brief Summary
Apple Music: The best Spotify alternative for Apple users. Similar catalog sizes but better audio quality (AAC 24-bit 256 kbps), including Dolby Atmos support. Prices are the same, but Spotify is more flexible.
Amazon Music: The top pick for smart device users. The catalogs are similar, Amazon Music has better audio quality (FLAC 24-bit 3,730 kbps) and video content, but falls short in terms of UI and ease of use.
Deezer: The best option for music discovery, with over 32,000 radio stations. Deezer is more expensive month-to-month ($11.99) but cheaper on the annual plan ($8.99).
Tidal: Higher audio quality (FLAC 24-bit 1,411 kbps) than Spofity and 3x better artist compensation. Tidal is the best-looking streaming service, but the app is not the best functionality-wise. Same price.
Qobuz: By far the best sound quality of all streaming platforms, offering FLAC 24-bit 9,216 kbps premium audio. Qobuz is only available in 24 countries (vs. Spotify’s 180+ countries).
YouTube Music: A super deep catalog with rare tracks, but just with AAC 24-bit 256 kbps audio quality. If you are a YouTube Premium user ($13.99/month), you get YouTube Music free of charge.
Soundcloud: The best free alternative to Spotify, offering millions of tracks and easy-to-use social features. You can still use the paid $9.99 option if you’re up for it.
And that’s a wrap for Spotify alternatives – free and paid. Want more? Cool! Keep reading more comparison articles in our blog. Thanks for being here!
