Software · head to head
Apple Music vs YouTube
Apple Music
Software
All the ways you love music. All in one place.
- From
- $10.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only YouTube has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month; YouTube youTube Premium/Music subscriptions bill through the App Store with a stated auto-renewal clause: renewal charges are applied within 24 hours of the current period ending unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before that point, and no price figure is disclosed in the listing itself.
- They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, YouTube covers Video hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apple Music and YouTube actually diverge.
| Attribute | Apple Music | YouTube |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10.99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles |
| Founded | 2015 | 2005 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Apple Music
- Music streaming
- Offline downloads
- Spatial Audio
- Lossless audio
- Curated playlists
- Radio stations
- Music discovery
- Cross-device sync
Only in YouTube
- Video hosting
- Live streaming
- Content discovery
- Creator tools
- Analytics
- Google services
- Social media
- Creator tools
Both cover
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apple Music
- Music listeningnot YouTube
- Music discoverynot YouTube
- Playlist creationnot YouTube
- Offline listeningnot YouTube
- Family entertainmentnot YouTube
YouTube
- Video sharingnot Apple Music
- Content marketingnot Apple Music
- Educationnot Apple Music
- Entertainmentnot Apple Music
- Live streamingnot Apple Music
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Apple Music
- Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month
YouTube
- YouTube Premium/Music subscriptions bill through the App Store with a stated auto-renewal clause: renewal charges are applied within 24 hours of the current period ending unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before that point, and no price figure is disclosed in the listing itself.
Pricing, plan by plan
Apple Music
$10.99/month- Individual$10.99/month
- 100+ million songs
- Ad-free listening
- Offline downloads
- Family$16.99/month
- Up to 6 accounts
- Individual profiles
- Parental controls
YouTube
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited video watching
- Basic video uploads
- Community features
- YouTube Premium$11.99/month
- Ad-free videos
- Background play
- YouTube Music included
Which should you pick?
Choose Apple Music if
- You need music streaming.
- You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
- You also want offline downloads.
Choose YouTube if
- You need video hosting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- You also want live streaming.
Questions people ask
- Is Apple Music or YouTube better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and YouTube at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apple Music or YouTube?
- YouTube has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10.99/month for Apple Music and Free for YouTube.
- Does Apple Music or YouTube run on more platforms?
- Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. YouTube runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
- Can I use YouTube for free?
- Yes. YouTube has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month.
- What is Apple Music best used for?
- Apple Music is most often used for music listening, music discovery, playlist creation, offline listening. Of those, music listening and music discovery are not what YouTube is typically brought in for.
- What can Apple Music do that YouTube cannot?
- Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. YouTube covers Video hosting, Live streaming, Content discovery, Creator tools. Both handle Ios support.