Software · head to head
Spotify vs Apple Music
Apple Music
Software
All the ways you love music. All in one place.
- From
- $10.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Spotify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month; Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month
- They diverge on capability: Spotify covers Podcast streaming, Apple Music covers Spatial Audio.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spotify and Apple Music actually diverge.
| Attribute | Spotify | Apple Music |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $10.99/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers | Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web |
| Founded | 2006 | 2015 |
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 Spotify
- Podcast streaming
- Playlist creation
- Social sharing
- Audio quality options
- Spotify Connect
- Smart speakers
- Gaming consoles
- Car systems
Only in Apple Music
- Spatial Audio
- Lossless audio
- Curated playlists
- Radio stations
- Siri
- HomePod
- Apple Watch
- CarPlay
Both cover
- Music streaming
- Music discovery
- Offline downloads
- Cross-device sync
- Cloud deployment
- Macos support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Spotify
- Music listening
- Podcast consumptionnot Apple Music
- Playlist sharingnot Apple Music
- Music discovery
- Background musicnot Apple Music
Apple Music
- Music listening
- Music discovery
- Playlist creationnot Spotify
- Offline listeningnot Spotify
- Family entertainmentnot Spotify
Both are used for music listening, music discovery, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Apple Music
- Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month
Pricing, plan by plan
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
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
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Apple Music if
- You need spatial audio.
- You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
- You also want lossless audio.
Questions people ask
- Is Spotify or Apple Music better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spotify starts at Free and Apple Music at $10.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spotify or Apple Music?
- Spotify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Spotify and $10.99/month for Apple Music.
- Does Spotify or Apple Music run on more platforms?
- Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers. Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
- Can I use Spotify for free?
- Yes. Spotify has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month.
- What is Spotify best used for?
- Spotify is most often used for music listening, podcast consumption, playlist sharing, music discovery. Of those, podcast consumption and playlist sharing are not what Apple Music is typically brought in for.
- What can Spotify do that Apple Music cannot?
- Spotify covers Podcast streaming, Playlist creation, Social sharing, Audio quality options. Apple Music covers Spatial Audio, Lossless audio, Curated playlists, Radio stations. Both handle Music streaming, Music discovery, Offline downloads, Cross-device sync.