The best Spotify alternatives are Apple Music, YouTube Music, TIDAL, Amazon Music, Deezer and Qobuz for full streaming, and SoundCloud, Bandcamp and Audius if you want to hear independent artists. Which one is best for you depends on what you care about: sound quality, a big catalog, music videos, supporting artists, or the phone and speakers you already own.
Availability, plans and catalogs differ by country, so check what is offered where you live before you move your playlists. This guide covers ten services that are live today and who each one suits.
What makes a good Spotify alternative
People leave Spotify for different reasons. Some want better audio. Some want a service that fits their phone or smart speaker. Some want a bigger share of the money to reach artists. Decide which reason is yours, then use these questions to compare services.
- Catalog. Does it carry the artists you play? Mainstream catalogs overlap heavily, while local and independent music can differ a lot.
- Sound quality. Do you want lossless or hi-res audio, and do your headphones and speakers benefit?
- Discovery. Do the playlists and recommendations match your taste?
- Your devices. Does it work well with your phone, car, speaker and TV?
- Moving over. Can you bring your playlists and saved songs with you?
- Region. Is it offered in your country?
- Free tier. If you do not want to pay, is there an ad-supported option?
Quick comparison
| Service | Best for | Standout |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Music | iPhone and Mac users | Lossless audio and tight Apple device support |
| YouTube Music | People who watch music videos | Music videos, live versions and uploads |
| TIDAL | Listeners who care about sound | High-fidelity streaming |
| Amazon Music | Amazon and Alexa households | Fits Amazon devices |
| Deezer | Personalized mixes | Flow, a personal mix of your music |
| Qobuz | Audiophiles | Hi-res streaming plus a download store |
| SoundCloud | Independent and emerging artists | Tracks uploaded directly by creators |
| Bandcamp | Supporting artists directly | Buy music from the people who made it |
| Audius | Free listening to independent music | Free to listen and to upload |
| Boomplay | African music fans | Focus on music from Africa |
1. Apple Music
Apple Music is the natural pick if you own an iPhone, iPad, Mac or HomePod. It works across Apple devices, lets you keep your own music library alongside the streaming catalog, and offers lossless audio and spatial audio on supported devices.
Choose it if most of your devices are Apple.
Think twice if your household mixes platforms. It runs on other systems, but the experience is smoothest on Apple hardware.
2. YouTube Music
YouTube Music sits on top of YouTube’s huge library, which means official tracks sit beside live recordings, covers and remixes that other services rarely carry. You can switch between the audio and the video of a song, and it has an ad-supported free option.
Choose it if you already live on YouTube and want the music videos.
Think twice if you want a clean, album-first library. Search results can mix official and fan uploads.
3. TIDAL
TIDAL built its name on high-fidelity streaming. If you listen on good headphones or a proper stereo, the higher-quality streams are the reason to pick it.
Choose it if sound quality is your top concern.
Think twice if you listen mostly through phone speakers or basic earbuds. You will hear little difference.
4. Amazon Music
Amazon Music is the choice for homes full of Echo speakers and Fire devices, because Alexa can play it by voice. Plan options and what is included vary by country and by whether you already have an Amazon membership, so look at your own region’s offer.
Choose it if you ask Alexa to play your music.
Think twice if you do not use Amazon devices. The advantage is mostly the fit.
5. Deezer
Deezer is known for Flow, a personal mix that blends songs you love with new ones and adapts as you listen. It is a solid general-purpose service with apps for phones, desktops and speakers.
Choose it if you want a service that picks for you.
Think twice if you cannot find it in your country. Deezer is not offered everywhere, so check its site for your region.
6. Qobuz
Qobuz serves listeners who want the best possible audio. It streams in CD quality and in hi-res up to 24-bit and 192 kHz, and it also runs a store where you can buy and keep downloads. It works with audio software and hi-fi gear that supports it.
Choose it if you own a good audio setup and like to own files.
Think twice if you mostly want playlists for the gym or the commute.
7. SoundCloud
SoundCloud is where independent artists, DJs and producers upload their own tracks. You find remixes, demos and releases that never reach other services, and you can follow the people making them.
Choose it if you like finding new artists before they are famous.
Think twice if you want a complete catalog of major label albums.
8. Bandcamp
Bandcamp is a different model. You buy albums and tracks from artists and labels, or stream them from the artist’s page, and you can download what you buy. It suits people who want their money to go straight to the musician.
Choose it if you care about supporting artists and owning your music.
Think twice if you want an all-you-can-play subscription for everything.
9. Audius
Audius is a streaming platform built on blockchain technology. Third-party coverage describes it as free to listen to and free for artists to upload to, with a leaning toward electronic and hip-hop. Treat it as a place to discover independent tracks, not as a replacement for a full catalog.
Choose it if you want free independent music and enjoy trying new things.
Think twice if you need major releases, offline playback or a deep back catalog.
10. Boomplay
Boomplay focuses on music from Africa. Third-party coverage describes an ad-supported free tier alongside paid options. It is worth a look if African artists make up a large part of what you play, since global services can be thinner there.
Choose it if you follow African music.
Think twice if you live outside its core markets. Check availability in your country before you commit.
A note on Pandora
Pandora, known for stations that adapt to your thumbs up and down, is limited to certain countries. If you live in a region where it is offered, it is a good lean-back option. If you do not, its site will tell you it is restricted.
How to move your playlists
- Pick two services and use their free trials or free tiers side by side for a week.
- Use a playlist transfer tool to copy your playlists. Several third-party tools exist for this, so read their permissions carefully before you connect your accounts.
- Check what did not transfer. Local files, podcasts and some regional tracks often fail to match.
- Keep your old account for a month so nothing is lost while you settle in.
- Then cancel the plan you no longer use, so you do not pay twice.
What you may miss when you leave Spotify
Before you cancel, list the Spotify features you use every week. The common ones are Spotify Connect for sending music to speakers, shared playlists, the yearly listening summary, podcasts, and the weekly discovery playlists. Every alternative has its own take on these, and none copies Spotify exactly.
- Casting to speakers. Check that your speakers and car support the new service, through AirPlay, Chromecast, Bluetooth or a built-in app.
- Shared playlists. If your family or friends build playlists together, they will need to move too, or you lose that habit.
- Podcasts. Some services keep podcasts in the same app and some do not. A separate podcast app is easy to add.
- Recommendations. Your new service needs a few weeks of listening before its suggestions improve. Be patient, and like or skip tracks so it learns.
- Offline listening. If you rely on downloads on flights or commutes, confirm they are included in the plan you choose.
A short trial tells you more than a feature list. Use the new service for your normal week, including the commute, the gym and the kitchen, and see what you reach for that is missing. If nothing is, the switch is easy.
Paying less for music
Most paid services offer a few plan types, such as individual, family and student plans, and the details differ by country. If several people in your home listen, a shared plan usually costs less per person than separate accounts. Students should check whether a discount exists where they live. Free tiers are a fair way to try a service, as long as you accept ads and some limits. If you buy music on Bandcamp, you keep it even after you stop paying for anything else, which makes it a good complement to a streaming plan rather than a replacement.
Which one should you pick
- On Apple devices: Apple Music.
- Love music videos: YouTube Music.
- Care about audio quality: TIDAL or Qobuz.
- Live in an Alexa home: Amazon Music.
- Want a personal mix: Deezer.
- Want to find new artists: SoundCloud or Audius.
- Want to pay artists directly: Bandcamp.
- Follow African music: Boomplay.
If you make music or run a fan community
Streaming services decide what listeners see. If you are an artist, a label or a fan club, you can also run your own space where fans gather, share and talk. Our guide on how to build an online community covers that, and how to sell online courses from your own website helps if you teach music. For writing the liner notes and posts that go with it, see writing apps and tools.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Spotify?
Apple Music and YouTube Music are the most popular full alternatives. TIDAL and Qobuz are better for sound quality, and Bandcamp is best for supporting artists directly.
Is there a free alternative to Spotify?
Yes. YouTube Music, SoundCloud and Audius offer free listening, and Boomplay has an ad-supported tier. Free tiers have limits such as ads or no offline playback, and they vary by country.
Which service has the best sound quality?
Qobuz and TIDAL focus on high-quality audio, and Apple Music offers lossless audio. You need suitable headphones or speakers to hear the difference.
Can I transfer my Spotify playlists?
Yes, usually through third-party transfer tools. Expect some tracks to fail to match, especially local files and regional releases.
Which service pays artists the most?
Buying directly from artists on Bandcamp sends the most money to them. Streaming services pay per stream, and the rates vary and change.
Are these services available everywhere?
No. Availability differs by country, and some services, such as Pandora, are limited to certain regions. Check each service’s site for your location.
Which service is best for discovering new artists?
SoundCloud and Audius are built around independent uploads, so they are strong for discovery. Bandcamp is also good, especially through its tags and artist pages.
Where to go next
If you want to build a home for your own fans, see how Reign handles community sites on the live demos, and follow the course community build guide if you want to teach as well.