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Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team
Streaming music is now the primary way music lovers consume their music. Sales of streaming music surpassed physical CDs in 2014, digital downloads in 2015, and are now driving new growth in the music industry1.
If you are looking for new music, or to listen to classics, instead of buying that next song from iTunes or a CD from the record store, you can now stream millions of songs with services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Streaming services have thousands of pre-programmed playlists and stations for every genre and mood plus allow you to listen to broadcast radio, individual albums, songs, and artists. You can also create your own playlists and and most services even include podcasts. With free, premium and trial plans, it's easy to try before committing to a subscription.
Which service is right for you? Below is a chart breaking down the differences between Spotify, Apple Music, other alternatives to help you find the best one.
SpotifyApple MusicTidalGoogle Play MusicAmazon Music
Price$9.99/month$9.99/month$9.99-$19.99/month$9.99/monthFree with Amazon Prime for 2 million songs. $7.99/month with Prime$9.99 without Prime.SongsOver 40 millionOver 50 millionOver 50 millionOver 40 millionOver 10 millionFree optionUnlimited free option with adsNoNoNoIncluded with a Prime membershipWill it have all your favorite songs?Yes (Missing some Beyonce, Jay-Z and Dr. Dre)YesYesYesYes (Tends to get music late)Music QualityHigh QualityHigh QualityHigh Quality to HIFI lossless depending on planHigh QualityHigh QualityDoes it work well on all your devices?Runs well on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhoneRuns well on Mac and iPhone andless reliablyon Android and WindowsRuns well in Browser but less reliably on Windows, iPhone, and AndroidRuns well on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhoneRuns well on Amazon devices such as Amazon Echo and Fire TV but less reliably on other devicesUser interfaceGreatGreatOkayGoodNeeds ImprovementMusic recommendations and playlist curationsBestGreatGoodGoodNeeds ImprovementAllows you to downloadmusic for offlinelisteningYesYesYesYesYesDevice SupportSonos, Amazon Echo, and Google HomeSonos, Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo, and Google HomeSonos, Amazon Echo, and Google HomeSonos, Amazon Echo, and Google HomeSonos, Amazon Echo, and Google HomeOther featuresAllows you to see what your friends are listening to and the lyrics for songsAccess to Beats 1 radio and the ability to view lyricsHighest quality audioComes with YouTube Red which allows you to download YouTube videos and watch them without adsIssuesDoesn’t work with Google Assistant and AmazonEchoslimited podcasts. Does not include music videos
Download and Listen to Songs Offline on Spotify for Apple iOS
Launch Download and Listen to Songs Offline on Spotify for Android
Play or Stream Music and Audio with Amazon Alexa
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