Software · head to head
Discovery+ vs Spotify
The short version
- Only Spotify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Discovery+ standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month; Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
- They diverge on capability: Discovery+ covers Streaming, Spotify covers Music streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Discovery+ and Spotify actually diverge.
| Attribute | Discovery+ | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4.99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv | Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers |
| Founded | 2020 | 2006 |
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 Discovery+
- Streaming
- Unscripted content
- Reality TV
- Originals
- Downloads
- Smart TVs
- Streaming devices
- Account security
Only in Spotify
- Music streaming
- Podcast streaming
- Playlist creation
- Music discovery
- Social sharing
- Offline downloads
- Cross-device sync
- Audio quality options
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Discovery+
- Unscripted streamingnot Spotify
- Reality TV watchingnot Spotify
Spotify
- Music listeningnot Discovery+
- Podcast consumptionnot Discovery+
- Playlist sharingnot Discovery+
- Music discoverynot Discovery+
- Background musicnot Discovery+
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Discovery+
- Standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month
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
Discovery+
$4.99/month- Standard$4.99/month
- HD
- Ad-supported
- Premium$8.99/month
- 4K
- Ad-free
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 Discovery+ if
- You need streaming.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
- You also want unscripted content.
Choose Spotify if
- You need music streaming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
- You also want podcast streaming.
Questions people ask
- Is Discovery+ or Spotify better?
- Neither clearly leads. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and Spotify at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Discovery+ or Spotify?
- Spotify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for Discovery+ and Free for Spotify.
- Does Discovery+ or Spotify run on more platforms?
- Discovery+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
- Can I use Spotify for free?
- Yes. Spotify has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month.
- What is Discovery+ best used for?
- Discovery+ is most often used for unscripted streaming, reality tv watching. Of those, unscripted streaming and reality tv watching are not what Spotify is typically brought in for.
- What can Discovery+ do that Spotify cannot?
- Discovery+ covers Streaming, Unscripted content, Reality TV, Originals. Spotify covers Music streaming, Podcast streaming, Playlist creation, Music discovery. Both handle Web support.
Related pages
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