Spotify VS Apple Music: Who is the  Best Music Streaming App?

The days of having a ton of CDs are over. Music fans now have a new rivalry to contend with: Spotify Vs Apple Music.

Large libraries, mood- and genre-specific playlists, and simple user interfaces are features shared by both platforms. Selecting the ideal one, however, might be daunting due to the abundance of features, including seamless crossfades, SharePlay for group listening, live lyrics for singalongs, and the capacity to co-create playlists with friends.

Spotify, the original music streaming service, may be feeling the heat from Apple Music’s quick growth. Also Resso. What service, nevertheless, holds the secret to your perfect listening experience? Hurry up, music fans! We are going to explore the features that will make you want to revisit your choice. 

This comprehensive analysis covers all the important elements, including platform compatibility, music selection, special features, and more, to enable you to stream the soundtrack of your life precisely customized to your tastes.

Let’s lay out the main differences first.

Features	Spotify	Apple Music
Music Library Size	80 Million Songs	100 Million Songs
Platform support	Available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One; Spotify Studios podcasts	iOS & desktop
Exclusive features	Available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One; Spotify Studios podcasts	Works with Siri on the HomePod/HomePod mini; Apple Music 1 Radio; Cloud music locker; spatial audio
Audio file format	Ogg/Vorbis	ALAC
Pricing	$10.99 / £10.99 / AU$12.99 for a month	$10.99 / £10.99 / AU$12.99 for a month
Sound Quality	320kbps	from 16-bit/44.1kHz to 24-bit/48kHz & Hi-Res up to 24-bit/192kHz

Apple Music VS Spotify have almost similar prices, but there is one significant difference: Apple Music does not have a free tier, but Spotify does. Spotify Premium will now cost $10.99/month as of July 24, 2023, up from $9.99. This is the streaming service’s first price rise for American users in 12 years. There isn’t a formal yearly subscription, but you may purchase a $99 Amazon gift card that will last for a year.

Apple Music raised its fees in 2022, but it still comes with a dedicated Classical app with 5 million songs, lossless streaming, and spatial audio as basic features. If you want to switch to an annual plan, you must first sign up for a monthly plan before making the switch to an annual payment in the app or device settings. Apple Music’s individual plan provides better value than Spotify’s free tier.

This is a common query among music fans. Spotify launched in 2006, and since then, it has consistently ranked among the top music streaming services. With a huge and varied selection of music and podcasts, as well as free and paid membership options, it has become many people’s go-to option. Is it the best, yet?

Apple Music launched in 2015 and emerged as Spotify’s main rival. From making customized mixes to recommending new music and artists, the streaming service and Spotify have a lot in common. However, there are also some notable distinctions between the two, such as sharing on social media, paid services, and audio quality.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Large Music Library

Both Spotify and Apple Music have enormous song catalogues, but Apple claims to have “over 100 million” songs compared to Spotify’s “over 80 million.” While there is a completely other Apple Podcasts service, the latter also offers about 2.6 million podcast titles; Apple Music thus undoubtedly has a greater overall selection of pure music tracks.

In terms of raw numbers, Apple technically wins here, but unless you have very diverse preferences, you’re probably going to discover the musicians you want on one of the platforms.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Audio Quality

When it comes to sound quality, Apple Music is a preferable choice over Spotify. You may listen to lossless audio files on Apple Music for free. You’ll be able to detect the difference in sound quality with the correct wired audio equipment. You are currently unable to play lossless audio files on Spotify. 

To be clear, neither of the services’ audio quality is particularly poor; most users won’t perceive this. There’s little use comparing services based just on sound quality, especially if you use a cheap pair of earphones. This only affects people who wish to stream music via Apple Music and have expensive audio equipment.

Spatial audio, a type of virtual surround sound that produces a more engaging listening experience, is another benefit of Apple Music. 

Spotify VS Apple Music: Playlists & Content 

Recommendation engines are the lifeblood of music streaming services. While Spotify had a significant early advantage in this regard, Apple Music has been gradually gaining ground. Spotify’s algorithm is still superior at suggesting music, but Apple Music has a ton of fantastic playlists that are hand-picked by humans and might be more appealing to some users.

This is a very personal argument that goes either way, depending on the genres you like. It is therefore recommended that you try these services and check if the playlists that are suggested are suitable for you. 

Spotify VS Apple Music: Cloud Storage 

The most notable feature of Apple Music is the iCloud Music Library, which can be accessed through iTunes and lets music enthusiasts access their collections of songs in AAC 256kbps from any location as long as they are logged in with the same Apple ID. 

Although issues that caused collecting distortion hindered the service’s initial launch, this feature now makes the service distinguish from the competition. You can listen to your own MP3s directly within the Spotify app.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Pricing

Pricing Plan	Spotify	Apple Music
Premium Individual	$10.99 per month	$10.99 per month
Premium Duo	$14.99 per month	____
Premium Family	$17.99 per month	$16.99 per month
Premium Student	$5.99 per month	$5.99 per month
Pricing	$10.99 /AU$12.99 for a month	$10.99 /AU$12.99 for a month
Annual Plan	$99 per year with a gift card	$109.99 per year

When it comes to social features, Spotify is the best. It’s simple to share music, see what friends are listening to, and make customized playlists. A thriving culture of playlist sharing and discovery is fostered by its free tier and social features that are activated by default.

The social features on Apple Music are opt-in only, which restricts the ability to discover playlists and receive real-time listening updates. Although you can browse some shared playlists and interact with friends, it’s not as user-friendly as Spotify. Apple is bringing SharePlay via CarPlay and collaborative playlists with iOS 17, which could help close the gap. To effectively compete with Spotify in this space, Apple must, however, improve social connectedness even more.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Browser Playback

Apple Music may now be listened to in a browser, just like Spotify, and no longer requires users to install iTunes. Like their app counterparts, both browser versions let you explore their respective libraries, access your playlists, and play “Made for you” content.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Interface

Spotify has a black theme throughout its apps, but Apple Music has a simple white design. (Apple Music will also switch if you enable dark mode on iOS.) With the primary tabs (Radio, Search, Your Library, and so on) located at the bottom of the UI, both apps are rather simple to use.

If lyrics are available for a certain song, you can view them on both. But only Apple Music has karaoke mode and allows you to search by inputting a stream of lyrics to find music you don’t know the names of.

On iOS and Android devices, Google Maps provides control over Spotify or Apple Music listening from within the navigation interface. A comparable function for Spotify customers is also provided by Waze. In addition to supporting CarPlay, Apple Music for Android is compatible with Android Auto, allowing you to manage playback via the infotainment system.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Value

NCE Apple Music doesn’t have a free tier, Spotify is your best option if you’d rather stream for free with advertisements. While Spotify Premium offers a one-month trial, Apple Music offers a more extensive six-month free trial; after that, a membership is required.

Both sites provide student discounts and charge $10.99 a month for individual accounts. With lossless and spatial audio included at this price, Apple Music beats Spotify, which only offers these capabilities at the Premium tier. Apple Music still has the spatial audio advantage, but the rivalry would be closer if Spotify HiFi were included in Premium.

At the moment, Apple Music is a better value for those who are prepared to pay. Still, the comparison is tied overall because of Spotify’s free option.

Spotify VS Apple Music: Availability 

Spotify and Apple Music have both increased the range of devices they support. Spotify may be accessed on a number of devices, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, Macs, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and earlier gaming consoles. Additionally, Apple Watch and Wear OS devices can utilize it for offline listening.

Apple CarPlay, HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K, Apple Watch, Sonos, Xbox, PS5, Roku, and Android are all supported by Apple Music. iTunes is required for Windows users to access the library. Unfortunately, Bluetooth constraints prevent you from completely enjoying Apple Music’s lossless music on wireless headphones, even while using AirPods.

Although both services support a wide range of devices, Spotify has a tiny advantage because of its enhanced compatibility with game consoles.

Podcasts and audiobooks are available on Spotify, which has been a controversial addition to the service. While some individuals don’t mind listening to various types of audio on Spotify, others want their music app to include only that. But even for premium users, the fact that Spotify shows advertisements during podcasts annoys practically everyone. The service costs extra if you wish to listen to audiobooks for longer than the allotted few hours.

Conclusion

The final decision between Spotify and Apple Music is based on your priorities. Both provide large music selections, customizable playlists, and intuitive user interfaces. Spotify’s merits are its vast device compatibility, ad-supported free tier, excellent social networking, and integrated podcasts and audiobooks. With lossless and spatial audio available at no additional cost, as well as exclusive content like Apple Music 1 Radio and a dedicated Classical app, Apple Music shines in audio quality. 

It also offers the iCloud Music Library for private music libraries, as well as wide connectivity with Apple products and third-party components. Both have comparable prices, but Apple Music has a longer free trial period—six months—than Spotify, which only offers a one-month trial.

In the case of free users, premium subscribers may get more for their money with Apple Music’s stronger audio features and extra content. So, it comes down to how important it is to you to have free access and social features (Spotify) or high-end audio quality and Apple-only integration (Apple Music).

Frequently Asked Questions About Spotify vs Apple Music?

Is Spotify better than Apple Music in 2024?

As both Spotify and Apple Music have advantages and disadvantages, it will be difficult to determine which is superior in 2024. In the end, everything comes down to personal choices for functionality, cost, audio quality, and content selection.

Are there any exclusive features or content available on Apple Music?

Yes, Apple Music offers unique features, including Apple Music 1 Radio, a 5 million song Classic app, and a smooth connection with the Apple ecosystem. Spotify does not have these functionalities.

Can I use Apple Music and Spotify on any device I own?

Numerous gadgets are supported by Spotify, such as PCs, Macs, game consoles, tablets, cellphones, and smartwatches of different kinds. Along with a wide range of devices, Apple Music is compatible with iOS devices, HomePod, Apple TV, Android, Apple Watch, and some third-party components.

Which streaming service—Spotify VS Apple Music—has superior audio quality?

Superior audio quality is available with Apple Music, which includes spatial and lossless audio at no additional cost. Spotify’s highest quality setting is 320 kbps; lossless audio is not supported at this time.

What are the primary distinctions between Spotify VS Apple Music?

Spotify provides excellent social features, a wide range of device compatibility—including gaming consoles—and a free tier with ads. Apple Music offers superior device integration, exclusive programming, including Apple Music 1 Radio, and lossless and spatial audio.