Spotify has been a dominant player in the music streaming platform market for a considerable time. Also, many continue to find this platform useful for streaming music. However, despite its long-term popularity, there are several flaws that users might encounter with this streaming application.
Although you will hear the name of Spotify from a lot of people, there are numerous Spotify alternatives that you can find on the Internet. For instance, many people have a hard time affording the premium subscription, or they find the free features very limited to their needs, alongside there are also several other reasons that might tempt you to choose an alternative to Spotify.
In this blog, we will help you choose a reliable and efficient Spotify alternative for music streaming, alongside numerous other convenient features.
Several Restrictions of Spotify
Choosing an alternative for Spotify may happen due to several reasons, while some are not able to pay the premium subscription, others are short-handed with the available features, and the music quality. Nonetheless, here are some reasons why you should select a Spotify alternative for music streaming:
Unwanted Advertisements
A lot of people have complained about the unwanted advertisements that they face while they are streaming music. For example, you will also have to wait till you complete hearing several ads before you can stream your favourite song.
Moreover, if you wanted to get rid of these unwanted advertisements, you would need to purchase the premium subscription, which several people find inconvenient.
High-quality Music
With the free tier on Spotify, you can hardly enjoy the high-res audio. Nonetheless, even if you have a premium subscription, the high-res audio options are not up to the mark as you can find on other platforms such as Amazon Music and Tidal, as these platforms let you stream high-quality and lossless music, many users might definitely want to switch to one of these platforms.
Regional Limitations
Although the Spotify platform has a huge user base, the streaming application is still not available in many regions, which makes it harder for its local people to access it. Also, it is not just about regional limitations for the application; the streaming application may also not have the artist you are looking for.
There are a lot of people who cannot find a particular song or an artist because of regional restrictions. Alongside the local users, travelers may also find it hard to stream music in a different country.
Restricted Device Availability
Although you can access a lot of devices with Spotify, it still may show restrictions for the free-tier users. As a free user, you cannot access several features such as regulating playbacks or downloading songs offline.
It creates a problem for those who want to experience good music without paying for a subscription, and this reason ultimately encourages them to look for other available options.
Why Should You Look for A Spotify Alternative?
People look for a Spotify alternative for several reasons. Several users have reported many drawbacks that they experience while using the application. Nonetheless, some relatable drawbacks that you can find and which might encourage you to look for alternatives are:
Premium Subscription
Throughout the year, Spotify has increased its premium subscription costs by a lot, which has troubled many people as they can no longer afford to pay it. While you can also find other music streaming platforms out there that can offer you good music streaming at an affordable price, you will automatically move to this particular platform.
High-res Streaming Features
As we have highlighted previously, the streaming quality of Spotify is not as good as its competitors, such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc. By using these other platforms, you can leverage features like Dolby Atmos and HiFi alongside other lossless music formats for your songs.
User Interface
Numerous people express negative comments on the Spotify interface as they find it less convenient to navigate. And if you go to other streaming platforms, you will get a lot better intuitive, and user-friendly interface than that of Spotify’s.
Advertisements
Advertisements are one of the nuances that you can experience on the Spotify platform. In the middle of a song or while the next song is about to be played, a random ad will start playing if you are a free user.
Top 10 Best Spotify Alternatives You Can Find
As we have gone through many drawbacks and reasons to choose a reliable alternative to Spotify, here are the top 10 Spotify alternatives that we can recommend:
1. Amazon Music
The Amazon platform has many streaming facilities alongside its music streaming applications. The Amazon Music platform aims to offer its users high-quality music at an affordable price, especially if you have joined the Amazon ecosystem. Moreover, users will get to stream music in Ultra HD lossless and HD format for providing a top-notch audio streaming experience to its users.
Furthermore, this streaming platform also supports other Alexa devices, which can provide a convenient interface for audio regulation. Also, the platform has over one hundred million songs alongside podcasts, hand-picked playlists, Dolby Atmos, and many more for a smooth music streaming experience.
If you have a Prime subscription, you can access the multi-platform support and Alexa-compatible devices at an affordable price. And you can also stream music in offline mode.
Main Facilities
- Has an enormous music collection.
- Provides users with Ultra HD and HD audio formats.
- Offers an effortless Alexa combination.
- Users can experience spatial music with Dolby Atmos.
Pricing Options
- Unlimited Individual Tier: 9.99 dollars month for prime users and 10.99 per month for external users.
- Unlimited Single Device Tier: 5.99 dollars month.
- Unlimited Student Tier: $5.99 per month.
- Unlimited Family Tier: $16.99 every month.
Website: https://music.amazon.com/
2. YouTube Music
Although you can find several music streaming platforms for a Spotify alternative, you might want to look at the YouTube Music platform because of its features. By using this streaming platform, you can listen to over 100 million audio files, music videos, live performances, and much more.
Furthermore, this platform is also reliable because of its integration with YouTube, so many people can trust this platform without much problem. Nonetheless, if you are looking for some quality in your music streaming, YouTube may be the perfect choice for you because of its high-quality audio features. This platform effortlessly supports the YouTube Premium membership alongside its other features.
For example, you can refer to ad-free music listening, offline streaming, background playbacks, and many more. Moreover, the platform is not just about streaming audio only; users can also experience remixes, live concerts of an artist, and their video content. And just many other music streaming platforms, this one also offers its users the offline listening feature.
Key Facilities
- Has a large music collection for streaming.
- Users can experience both audio and its music video at the same time.
- Premium offers ad-free streaming.
- Automated song recommendations.
- Background and offline streaming.
Pricing Options
- Personal Subscription: $10.99 per month.
- Family Subscription: $16.99 per month.
- Student Subscription: $5.49 each month.
Website: https://music.youtube.com/
3. Apple Music
Spotify is not the only platform that is highly popular among audiophiles. Nonetheless, a lot of people also stream their favourite music on Apple Music because of its large library and high-quality audio features. Moreover, the platform is mainly popular for its deep and high-quality audio streaming experience for all music lovers.
And people mainly use this streaming platform for its lossless and spatial audio streaming features, ultimately providing a high-quality streaming experience. Alongside its streaming quality, it also has an audio collection of over 90 million songs. Moreover, you can also leverage other facilities such as new releases and suggested playlists, and all these features make this platform accessible for anyone who owns an Apple device.
Nonetheless, the platform also has good device compatibility as you can stream music across multiple Apple devices, such as iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, etc. It also has some distinctive features, such as Apple Music Sing and live radio stations.
Main Features
- Offers lossless and high-quality audio.
- Enormous music collection.
- Replay facilities and live radio.
- Easy access across several Apple devices.
- Users can experience new tools and song releases.
Pricing Options
- Voice Subscription: $4.99 per month.
- Student Subscription: $5.99 per month.
- Individual Subscription: $10.99 per month.
- Family Subscription: $16.99 every month.
- Apple One Bundle: $19.95 per month.
Website: https://music.apple.com/us/new
4. Tidal
Tidal is one of the platforms that offer you to stream music in extremely high-quality in several formats, such as HiFi FLAC and many more. Moreover, if you talk about audio streaming, users can also experience Dolby Atmos for those who prefer audio fidelity. The Tidal streaming platform is mainly famous among its users for high-quality music streaming. However, it also has a robust music library that supports over 110 million audio files.
Moreover, other facilities of this platform include artist compensation assurance and a platform for rising artists, which separates it from other audio streaming platforms. Nonetheless, this feature is good for those who want to subscribe to certain artists alongside streaming high-quality music.
Also, by using this platform, you can listen to music in offline mode and experience personalized mixes. Moreover, this music streaming platform primarily focuses on its audio output quality for its users.
Main Features
- Has a library of over 110 million.
- Emerging artists can use Tidal Rising.
- Customized playlists and live performances.
- Offline streaming availability.
Pricing Options
- Individual Tier: $10.99 per month.
- Family Tier: $16.99 each month.
- Student Tier: $5.49 each month.
- DJ Extension Tier: $9 every month.
Website: https://tidal.com/
5. SoundCloud
As we have said before that Spotify is not only a streaming platform that is popular among a large number of music lovers. One other good music streaming platform that you can choose as an alternative to Spotify is SoundCloud. Moreover, this music platform is famous for both music lovers and artists alike for its artist-oriented experience.
Also, among all the other streaming platforms, SoundCloud is one of the platforms that has over 400 million music collections. Moreover, this large collection of music mainly includes live streams, user-uploaded audio, remixes, and collections from rising artists.
One of the reasons for the popularity of this platform gets because of engagement with artists and open-source facilities. Moreover, if you are looking for a community-based music streaming platform, SoundCloud might be the right call for you.
Main Features
- Community-driven engagements.
- Suggested playlists and suggestions.
- Fan-driven support for rising artists.
- Offline streaming features with a subscription.
Pricing Options
- SoundCloud Go Subscription: $4.99 per month.
- SoundCloud Go Plus Subscription: $10.99 per month.
Website: http://soundcloud.com
6. Audiomack
Another suggestion that we would like to refer to as an alternative to Spotify is the Audiomack streaming platform. This particular streaming platform is highly popular for providing a service of robust music genres. For example, you can refer to hip-hop, classics, rap, and many more. The platform has a user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for its users to access.
Also, by using this platform, users can easily access both mainstream music and rising artists, which helps users find newly released music. Moreover, the streaming platform aims to provide users with a free audio library where they won’t require a subscription and have to deal with any unwanted advertisements while streaming.
There are many features that you can experience, such as audio uploads, chosen playlists, offline song availability, and many more. Also, the platform is mainly ideal for those who love to listen to hip-hop tracks.
Key Facilities
- Offline streaming availability.
- Publicity and artist uploads.
- Personalized audio selection.
- Selected playlists for finding new tracks.
- Free audio streaming.
Pricing Options
- Premium Subscription: $4.99 per month.
Website: https://audiomack.com/
7. Qobuz
Qobuz is another platform that you can replace Spotify with. Moreover, the streaming platform is ideal for all kinds of music lovers and artists alike while providing a smooth streaming experience. As users can find over 100 million music collections covering most of the audio genres, such as jazz, hip-hop, classical, and many more.
Other than that, you can also stream music in a very high quality, for example, you can refer to the FLAC 24-bit High-res with 192 kHz streaming quality for most of your songs, to provide an authentic sound quality for your songs. Moreover, there is also an option available for offline streaming, like you can find on different streaming platforms.
Nonetheless, the platform functions more than just a regular music streaming application, as it also provides you with a record shop. Moreover, with this feature, you can buy your favourite music in a high-resolution format. Other functions such as artist descriptions, reviews, etc, also make the platform distinctive than its other competitors.
Main Features
- High-quality audio streaming in FLAC 24-bit with 192 kHz frequency.
- Certain audio catalogues for genres like jazz and hip-hop.
- Users can download songs for offline streaming.
- Contains general audio journalism and album recommendations.
Pricing Options
- Studio Subscription: $10.83 per month.
- Sublime Subscription: $14.99 every month.
Website: https://www.qobuz.com/
8. iHeartRadio
Among all the competitors for Spotify alternatives, iHeartRadio is another you can find on the market. Moreover, this audio platform is efficient in providing podcasts, custom audio stations, live audio, and many more. One of its highlighting features is offering users a large library of FM and AM music stations.
Also, the reason it can combine live audio with custom music podcasts and stations because it carries a huge attraction to a big user base, which ranges from ardent radio fans to casual music listeners. Users can benefit from its paid subscription as it enhances their overall streaming experience.
Also, with the paid subscription, you will get streaming without interference, offline audio playbacks, and no skipping. Moreover, it is ideal for those who prefer podcasts, radio, etc, alongside normal audio streaming.
Main Facilities
- Access to over a thousand live radio stations.
- Huge podcast roster.
- Custom stations and expert playlist choices.
Pricing Options
- iHeartRadio Plus Subscription: $4.99 per month.
- iHeartRadio All Access Subscription: $9.99 per month.
- Family Subscription: $14.99 per month.
Website: https://www.iheart.com/
9. Napster
Although you will find a lot of alternatives for Spotify, Napster is one of the reliable streaming platforms that you can use. Nonetheless, the platform is popular for giving users access to millions of songs, which range from famous artists to new musicians in the industry. Moreover, the platform offers a big collection of songs and a user-friendly interface for easy navigation.
Also, this streaming platform offers custom playlists and intuitive suggestions that assist users in finding recent songs based on their choices. Moreover, the streaming service primarily focuses on the music quality and its accessibility, alongside offline streaming access.
By using the Napster platform, you will experience several features such as podcasts, selected playlists, and recent music for its premium members. Furthermore, the streaming platform also has broad device compatibility.
Key Facilities
- Custom playlists and suggestions.
- Offers offline music streaming.
- High-res audio streaming.
- Selected podcasts and playlists.
Pricing Options
- Premium Subscription: $9.99 per month.
- Family Subscription: $14.99 each month.
- Student Subscription: $4.99 per month.
Website: https://www.napster.com/us/
10. Musicful
At the end of our list, we are going to suggest the Musicful streaming service, which you can mark as a good alternative to Spotify. Moreover, you will not have to install the application on your device for music streaming. Also, this platform is mainly famous among creators, YouTubers, and streamers who require certified and license-free audio.
It also provides users with a convenient interface that helps users find music and playlists easily without much problem, while ultimately gaining a smooth audio streaming experience along the way. Also, the platform primarily focuses on providing license-free and high-quality content to different users.
Moreover, it does not matter if you are making a podcast, video, live streams, or many more, the platform can offer you ready-made tracks for your content.
Key Facilities
- Free to use.
- Copyright and license-free streaming.
- Does not require device installation.
- Ideal for vloggers, content creators, etc.
Pricing Options
- Free to use.
Website: https://www.musicful.ai
Major Qualities to Consider While Choosing A Spotify Alternative
As you are searching for Spotify alternatives, there are several qualities alongside your specific needs that you will have to consider. For example, you can refer to the following points:
- Music Quality: You have to ensure that the streaming application you have chosen offers high-res audio streaming, such as HiFi, FLAC, and Ultra HD formats.
- Offline Streaming: One of the major features that your Spotify alternative should have is its offline streaming features, while your device has no internet connection.
- Subscription Choices: The preferred Spotify alternative should provide its premium packages at either an affordable or low cost.
- Device Compatibility: The preferred alternative for Spotify should support a wide range of devices so you can access the streaming platform on any device you want.
How to Select The Ideal Audio Streaming Platform for You?
Choosing an ideal streaming platform for music, alongside choosing an alternative to Spotify, will require you to go through several important points. And some of the points include:
Free Tier And Subscription Package
The ideal audio streaming platform should have a free tier that does not add unnecessary ads of pop-ups in its free tier. Also, the premium subscription should be affordable for most users.
Device Access
Your chosen music streaming platform should allow access across most devices for easy access to the music.
Audio Quality
While looking for an alternative to Spotify or finding an ideal music streaming platform, you have to inquire whether the platform offers high-res audio streaming, such as HiFi, Dolby Atmos, and many more.
Offline Streaming And Other Features
Offline music streaming is one of the crucial aspects of an ideal music streaming platform. Furthermore, it should also be ideal for listening to live radio, podcasts, and many others.
In Conclusion
Although you can find numerous alternatives for Spotify, choosing the perfect one will require your research and requirements. And even though you can come across many music streaming applications and music generator tools that offer a variety of features, they are often unreliable and not trustworthy. This is why you should always verify the platform you are working on.
Nonetheless, you will also need to remember that the choices we have mentioned so far have some limitations of their own. While some may offer robust features, others will let you stream in a more efficient quality. So, it is important that you choose a platform that best fits your needs.
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FAQs
How do you find the best alternative to Spotify?
– Although the definition of the best alternative for Spotify depends on your taste and requirements but you can refer to other platforms like Amazon Music and Tidal.
Can you find a better streaming service than Spotify?
– There are many streaming alternatives for Spotify, you can find such as Tidal, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and many more.
Can you find ad-free music streaming platforms other than Spotify?
– You can find a lot of ad-free audio streaming platforms such as SoundCloud, Tidal, Qobuz, etc.
Is it possible to make your music without requiring Spotify?
– Yes, as there are a lot of facilities that offer this feature, for example, Musicful for its AI-driven functions.
