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Music & Audio Apps · head to head

Bandcamp vs Spotify

Bandcamp logo

Bandcamp

Music & Audio Apps

An artist-first music platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spotify logo

Spotify

Entertainment

Music for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bandcamp the vendor's own About page as captured by the Internet Archive on 20 November 2021 stated that when a fan buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82 percent of the money goes to the artist or label, with the remainder covering Bandcamp's revenue share and payment processor fees; this is an average figure rather than a fixed per-sale rate and the capture is several years old; Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Bandcamp covers Downloads, Spotify covers Podcast streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bandcamp and Spotify actually diverge.

Attributes where Bandcamp and Spotify differ
AttributeBandcampSpotify
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers
CategoryMusic & Audio AppsEntertainment
Founded20082006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Bandcamp

  • Downloads
  • Artist support
  • Merchandise
  • Community
  • Social media
  • Payment processing
  • Artist tools
  • Secure payments

Only in Spotify

  • Podcast streaming
  • Playlist creation
  • Music discovery
  • Social sharing
  • Offline downloads
  • Cross-device sync
  • Audio quality options
  • Spotify Connect

Both cover

  • Music streaming
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bandcamp

  • Artist discoverynot Spotify
  • Music supportnot Spotify

Spotify

  • Music listeningnot Bandcamp
  • Podcast consumptionnot Bandcamp
  • Playlist sharingnot Bandcamp
  • Music discoverynot Bandcamp
  • Background musicnot Bandcamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bandcamp

  • The vendor's own About page as captured by the Internet Archive on 20 November 2021 stated that when a fan buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82 percent of the money goes to the artist or label, with the remainder covering Bandcamp's revenue share and payment processor fees; this is an average figure rather than a fixed per-sale rate and the capture is several years old

Spotify

  • Ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
  • Lossless streaming tops out at 24-bit/44.1 kHz
  • The Duo plan at $18.99 a month covers two people and the Family plan at $21.99 covers a household, with no per-seat option between them

Pricing, plan by plan

Bandcamp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited listening
    • Artist support

Spotify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad-supported music
    • Shuffle play
    • Limited skips
  • Premium$9.99/month
    • Ad-free music
    • Play any song
    • Unlimited skips
  • Family$15.99/month
    • 6 Premium accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

Which should you pick?

Choose Bandcamp if

  • You need downloads.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want artist support.
Bandcamp review

Choose Spotify if

  • You need podcast streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
  • You also want playlist creation.
Spotify review

Questions people ask

Is Bandcamp or Spotify better?
Neither clearly leads. Bandcamp starts at Free and Spotify at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bandcamp or Spotify?
Bandcamp starts at Free and Spotify at Free.
Does Bandcamp or Spotify run on more platforms?
Bandcamp runs on Web, Ios, Android. Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
Can I use Bandcamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bandcamp best used for?
Bandcamp is most often used for artist discovery, music support. Of those, artist discovery and music support are not what Spotify is typically brought in for.
What can Bandcamp do that Spotify cannot?
Bandcamp covers Downloads, Artist support, Merchandise, Community. Spotify covers Podcast streaming, Playlist creation, Music discovery, Social sharing. Both handle Music streaming, Web support.
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Related pages

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