Alternatives to Apple Music
Lossless catalog tied to Apple devices
Apple Music ranks #4 of 10 in Music streaming, with an Alt Score of 73. It is proprietary, sold by subscription from $10.99/month and available on Web, iOS and Android. 9 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Music listeners who want on-demand access to a large streaming catalog, especially those already using Apple devices (iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod, CarPlay).
A catalog of over 100 million songs with lossless and hi-res lossless audio, plus Dolby Atmos spatial audio support. Includes curated and algorithmic playlists, synced lyrics, offline downloads, and live radio stations like Apple Music 1. Available on iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and web.
Subscribe monthly (or via an Apple One bundle), then stream or download songs and playlists through the Music app or web player, with playback syncing across signed-in Apple devices.
Where Apple Music stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Apple Music
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Apple Music compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Music streaming checklist | Apple Music | Deezer | Spotify | YouTube Music | Amazon Music | Pandora |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
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| License | ||||||
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| Lossless / hi-res tier | ||||||
| Free tier with ads | ||||||
| Offline downloads | ||||||
| Family plan | ||||||
| Artist payout reputation | ||||||
| Podcasts included | ||||||
| Music videos | ||||||
| Lyrics | ||||||
| Import playlists from competitors | ||||||
| Web player |
Every fact and feature listed for Apple Music is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Subscription verified 2026-07-11
Choose the plan that's right for you. No commitment. Cancel anytime.
https://www.apple.com/apple-music/ -
Platforms Web, iOS, Android verified 2026-07-11
Works on iOS, Android, Windows, Sonos, smart TVs, and more
https://www.apple.com/apple-music/ -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/118288 -
Starts at $10.99/month verified 2026-07-11
Individual $10.99/month, first month free for new subscribers.
https://www.apple.com/apple-music/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Music Haptics reach even more senses with taps, textures, and vibrations when you listen on iPhone.
https://www.apple.com/apple-music/ -
Lossless / hi-res tier Yes verified 2026-07-11
most of the Apple Music catalog is now also encoded using ALAC in resolutions ranging from 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD Quality) up to 24-bit/192 kHz
https://support.apple.com/en-us/118295 -
Free tier with ads No verified 2026-07-11
Always ad-free. It's everything music is meant to be.
https://www.apple.com/apple-music/ -
Offline downloads Yes verified 2026-07-11
Or download music that you've added to listen to offline.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/118288 -
Family plan Yes verified 2026-07-11
Share Apple Music with up to five people with a Family Plan.
https://www.apple.com/apple-music/ -
Podcasts included No verified 2026-07-11
Podcasts Listen to your favorite shows—from big names to independent publishers—discover your next favorite, or subscribe with Podcasts.
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-mini/listen-watch-and-play-apdd481dd775/mac -
Music videos Yes verified 2026-07-11
The Videos screen in the Apple Music app includes the hottest new music videos, curated video playlists, and Apple Music TV, a 24-hour livestream of popular music videos.
https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/watch-music-videos-atvb6e1c5b22/tvos -
Lyrics Yes verified 2026-07-11
With your Apple Music subscription, you can follow along as you listen to your favorite songs with perfectly timed lyrics and translations that appear line-by-line
https://support.apple.com/en-us/105076 -
Import playlists from competitors Yes verified 2026-07-11
You can transfer your songs, albums, and playlists from other music services to Apple Music.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/118249 -
Web player Yes verified 2026-07-11
Apple Music on the web, you can listen on any device, wherever you are.
https://support.apple.com/guide/music-web/welcome/web
FAQ
Yes. Deezer, Spotify and YouTube Music have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.