Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which is the best music streaming service?

In this video, we compare Apple Music and Spotify's streaming quality, content, features, and pricing to determine which music streaming service deserves your subscription.




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[BIOHAZARD_V]

I think the biggest advantage of Spotify is their better cross platform support. Especially on PC

[NikkisTooZippy]

I find Apple Podcasts being in a separate app a non-issue and maybe even a benefit. I don't want my podcasts mixed in with my music in my library.

[Bend]

I have both but I predominantly use Apple Music. I love the spatial audio, the lyrics layout is so much better, and it’s all around simpler, cutting out many of the confusing aspects of Spotify. Playlist building is a pain though… they should both learn from each other

[seve]

I want so badly to use Apple Music full time, but Spotify’s snappy user interface and radio algorithm keep me from switching over. The bugginess and lag of Apple Music is inexcusable, especially after the price hike.

[mrsflyeaglesfly]

I’m heavily tied into the Apple ecosystem, but I use Spotify exclusively now. The music discovery and algorithms are so much better, not to mention, I like that the podcasts are included without having to switch to another app. Apple Music’s sound quality is better, though.

[deepgsingh]

I am surprised that you missed Spotify connect & group listening features. They are awesome and leave apple in dust.

There are also audiobooks in Spotify in some markets.

[SkD]

Apple Music audio quality is much better than Spotify but Spotify song suggestions is superb

[wotntarnation]

Another thing to note is that Apple music gives double as much money to artists than Spotify does.
Also, although Spotify apparently has fewer songs, I tend to find obscure artists and songs on Spotify way more often than Apple music.
The apple music desktop app for Windows is absolutely atrocious and is missing a ton of features. There is a browser player, but it's not fantastic either.
Spotify shows the percentage of music interest that you share with friends, which is neat, and they also offer "mixed" playlists where it'll create a playlist of music that you and your friend would both like. Apple music has a playlist that simply shows what friends are listening to, but it's pretty basic.
Finally, Apple music's weekly "new music" (music that it think's you'll like) playlist is pretty bad from my experience. I don't know what Spotify's is like

[q_cyber]

I’ve been switching between Spotify and Apple Music on monthly basis, and I don’t know how I can settle with one. Each have unique features that sometimes make me subscribe to both. I love Dolby Atmos on Apple Music but I also love adjusting the EQ on Spotify!

[gauravpande]

Spotify play on any device from any device is great.
Spotify Enhanced and Recommended tracks for that playlist are good.
Even exploring new artists or indie music is also good on Spotify.
The best part, it doesn't shut me out of the service 😐 if my premium plan has ended.

[ashe.gaming]

I use YouTube Premium + Music for the value but I was using Spotify prior to that. Not to mention the ease of access to music videos being a tap away within the app. In addition, I have tried Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music with the latter being the absolute worst and Tidal's sounds good but its library is limited.

[MarcP]

Spotify caters to those that are always looking for something new and want the constant change, whereas Apple Music is like looking and listening at your record collection and deciding which one you want to listen to like a record store.

[gautham]

I recently switched from Spotify to Apple music (on android phone) and boy the sound quality is way better in Apple music than spotify premium. I'm from India and initially few old regional songs were missing but Apple definitely worked on improving the catalogue and they now appear in apple music. I predominantly use wired earphones (1000 rupees one) and the difference is quite evident with more immersive experience and sound quality is top notch. The things i miss out on spotify are song reccos, podcast and collab feature but no big deal if individual music is my predominant need. And Apple offers various download options over wifi and data so its sorted as well. Also, in India, Apple music is cheaper than spotify.

[chillitouttakeitslow]

I find Apple Music more user friendly, clean UI, and comfortable to use with. I have been using AM since its launch.... However it doesn't support podcasts unlike spotify. But I use AM mainly because of their compensation with the artist.

[RaltySalty]

I tried throwing my money at Spotify but the payments didn’t go through so I guess I’m an Apple Music person now.

[TheBri]

I’ve used both on iPhone for quite some time but I always seem to ditch Apple Music for Spotify. I “want” to stick with AM, but I just find Spotify far better in many ways; Crossfade, Spotify Connect, playlists, snappier UI and a decent PC app. My only gripe with Spotify is its lack of a light mode option, which I found aesthetically pleasing on AM, but that isn’t enough to make me switch back. AM needs to work on its UI (it’s annoyingly slow), implement crossfade, a Spotify Connect-like feature and a good desktop app (iTunes is just plain old and garbage).

[thisisayushpandey]

YT Music has the smoothest and snappiest app along with the largest library of any streaming service. It's fast and seamless being used to which I find it painfully slow to use any other streaming app. They are slow as hell.

[martin-mbfh]

i’ll switch back to spotify once they add homepod support. for now, i’m on apple music.

[antlovek]

I've invested so much time into Spotify to switch. Used the free trial from apple and wasn't impressed. Spotify will work on anything with a screen and speaker which is so convenient. The Discover weekly has found songs that I completely forgotten about. And I use the Daily mixes and release radar frequently.

[princeofpeace]

I use both. I must say for me spotify sounds louder and has more bass because of that EQ, however Apple Music is more colorful and visually appealing, and i find it easier to navigate through Apple Music than to navigate through Spotify. If i were to put it in a different light, Apple Music feels more fancy and appealing visually while spotify is more geto but packs a bigger punch in sound.

I understand people are saying that Spotify is good at recommending playlists and creating playlists for you, personally, I disagree. In my experience, Apple has done a great job in suggesting a wide variety of different types of genres and playlists for me. And I enjoy exploring more music and genres through Apple, rather than Spotify . Spotify feels very limited and how much you can explore in their homepage and stuff with Apple. It’s limitless. Almost for me. I can get lost in in so many tabs they offer to explore because the creativity they offer in playlist genres is endless. I’ve been trying hard to vibe with exploring Spotify, but they are just not visually appealing to me and I’m all about visuals lol. Don’t get me wrong. I do like Spotify a lot. For instance, I like how Spotify is definitely better at suggesting music on the spot other than apple. They are definitely better at thinking on the spot when you want to discover new music on the spot. They definitely have it better. However, I find editing playlist on Apple Music a lot more easier and less of a pain then to edit on Spotify. I say this because when you edit a playlist in Apple, it still keeps the album art visible as you move songs around, whereas we Spotify the album art disappears and it’s just a bunch of words do you have to read in order to find the song that you want to move. Again, it’s a visual thing that Apple is smart with. I’m a very visual person so it helps to still see the album cover when I’m editing stuff. And I also love how you can play a song next, interrupting any cue that you have with Apple razz with Spotify you can add stuff to the queue. However, if you want to do the play next right away, you have to manually go in and move the song up to play next.

One thing I notice that I’m very surprised about is that Spotify is a lot more smoother and gentle when it comes to controlling your music and playing other tracks. Spotify is a lot faster than Apple. Apple has delays when you play music. I’ve noticed Spotify has a Crossfade which is really nice to add and apply and edit as you’re playing music in your queue . Really wish Apple had that but they do not. I love the moving visuals on Spotify for selected songs. I guess to top that Apple carries music videos, which Spotify does not again it varies. Apple, of course has the special audio and lossless and other features that you can enjoy on Bluetooth devices, whether headphones or speakers, that of course you can’t really enjoy her access with Spotify. Plus I use an apple iPhone, and with using Apple devices, it raises more intriguing features that Spotify just can’t do. It’s really hard to choose so I decided to keep both because I love the loudness and the deeper bass on Spotify and the Crossfade effect, EQ and all. But as an apple lover, an apple user, it’s impossible for me to completely cut things off with Apple Music because I’ve been with them since I was a child plus they are just so visually appealing to me fun to explore in, every time I’m in there for you tab or home tab or genres you name it I feel like I’m in Disneyland. Everything is colorful and there’s so much to explore and view. I just love it. Plus Apple I feel as well I’m better at creating playlists for you. If you really dig dig dig, you can find some really cool stuff that they offer for you. People always say apples terrible at that but I think they’re wrong you just have to dig dig and explore and you’ll find the gold that they have for you. I’ve been trying to find this in Spotify and I just don’t lol. I know they’re the best out there now, but I just don’t find playlists that are as good as Apple when it comes to Apple auto generating, specifically playlists for you and helping you discover new playlists, similar or non-similar. Course when it comes to songs on the spot, Spotify is better at doing that, I will admit. Also, another pro to Spotify I like how you can interact with your friends more then on Apple Music, such as the blend feature collaborating with other friends to make a playlist like that’s really cool, I love that. I wish Apple has that the closest they have is just a feature that combines what you and all your friends are listening to N2 one playlist. And they also add avatars to them which is kind of cool. But yeah, all in all for me personally Spotify, an apple weigh the same and I can’t just choose one over the other so I’m using both. If there’s one thing I can’t deny is that Spotify is probably the most popular streaming service almost all my friends are on there and I want to be connected to my friends but I don’t wanna let go of Apple lol so the popularity pushed it, as well as the EQ and features that follow that..