Media & Entertainment · head to head
Stitcher vs Spotify
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Stitcher service discontinued August 29, 2023; Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
- They diverge on capability: Stitcher covers Original content, Spotify covers Music streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Stitcher and Spotify actually diverge.
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 Stitcher
- Original content
- Ad-free
- Offline listening
- Recommendations
- Account security
- Content controls
- Ios support
- Android support
Only in Spotify
- Music streaming
- Playlist creation
- Music discovery
- Social sharing
- Offline downloads
- Cross-device sync
- Audio quality options
- Spotify Connect
Both cover
- Podcast streaming
- Smart speakers
- Car systems
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Stitcher
- Podcast listeningnot Spotify
- Audio entertainmentnot Spotify
Spotify
- Music listeningnot Stitcher
- Podcast consumptionnot Stitcher
- Playlist sharingnot Stitcher
- Music discoverynot Stitcher
- Background musicnot Stitcher
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Stitcher
- Service discontinued August 29, 2023
- No longer available for download or 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
Pricing, plan by plan
Stitcher
Free- FreeFree
- Free podcasts
- Ad-supported
- Stitcher Premium$4.99/month
- Ad-free
- Exclusives
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 Stitcher if
- You need original content.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
- You also want ad-free.
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 playlist creation.
Questions people ask
- Is Stitcher or Spotify better?
- Neither clearly leads. Stitcher 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, Stitcher or Spotify?
- Stitcher starts at Free and Spotify at Free.
- Does Stitcher or Spotify run on more platforms?
- Stitcher runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers. Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
- Can I use Stitcher for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Stitcher best used for?
- Stitcher is most often used for podcast listening, audio entertainment. Of those, podcast listening and audio entertainment are not what Spotify is typically brought in for.
- What can Stitcher do that Spotify cannot?
- Stitcher covers Original content, Ad-free, Offline listening, Recommendations. Spotify covers Music streaming, Playlist creation, Music discovery, Social sharing. Both handle Podcast streaming, Smart speakers, Car systems, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Stitcher: Is Stitcher still available?
No. Stitcher shut down on August 29, 2023. SiriusXM, which acquired Stitcher in 2020, discontinued the app to consolidate podcasts into its flagship SiriusXM subscription. Users can listen to podcasts via the SiriusXM app instead.
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