8 Best Music Streaming Services (2026 Comparison)
Searching for the best music streaming services? You’re in the right place.
Whether you’re hunting for the biggest libraries, the best sound quality, or features that make discovering music easy, the right platform can make a huge difference.
Some are perfect for casual listeners, others are designed for audiophiles, and a few give artists more control over what they share.
In this post, we break down the best music streaming services, compare their features, pricing, and unique perks, and help you figure out which one fits your listening style.
The best music streaming services – summary
Top Picks:
- Spotify – Most popular in terms of market share.
- Apple Music – Best overall. Large library of music + better payouts for artists than some other platforms.
- YouTube Music – Best for music videos (and existing YouTube Premium users).
- Tidal – Best for audiophiles (excellent sound quality).
- Amazon Music – Best for users who want to play music through Alexa devices (and Amazon Prime subscribers).
#1 – Spotify
Spotify is the most popular music streaming platform in the world. And it leads in market share by a significant margin. But its not all sunshine and rainbows as I’ll get onto in a moment.
No other service comes close to Spotify in terms of integrations and device compatibility. Those things have helped the platform remain the number one in terms of market share.
There are native Spotify apps for iOS and Android, and with Spotify Connect you can remotely control listening on all your home devices. Including PS4/PS5, Sonos speakers, Amazon Echo, Google Nest, and more.
Spotify also offers some of the strongest recommendation features available. As you listen, it learns your tastes and builds personalized playlists around them. Add in one of the largest music catalogs on the market, and it’s easy to see why Spotify became the default choice for so many people.
On paper, it’s a solid platform. But like any platform, it has its issues. I feel the majority of issues are largely policy based. And that’s why I eventually bailed on my subscription.
Spotify has been widely criticized for low artist payouts, especially compared to other streaming services. Over time, the platform has also expanded heavily into podcasts and audiobooks, which some artists and industry commentators argue has shifted focus away from music and musicians.
There has also been ongoing discussion around Spotify’s use of commissioned or pseudonymous music in certain mood-based playlists. Sometimes referred to in reporting as “Perfect Fit Content.” Critics say this approach can make it harder for independent artists to compete for visibility, particularly in popular editorial playlists. Essentialy it means real artists get bumped off playlists and replaced with their “Perfect Fit Content.”
On top of that, several artists I regularly listen to have chosen to remove their music from Spotify as a form of protest over the platform’s policies or leadership decisions. When artists I care about aren’t available, it takes away a big part of the value of the service for me.
Available in: 180+ countries (see list)
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Available on almost every device and platform | Subscription fees are distributed using a pooled model, which means payments aren’t tied directly to the specific artists you listen to |
| Excellent recommendations and discovery tools | Widely criticized for relatively low artist payouts compared to some competitors |
| Advanced feature set, including Spotify Connect | Platform is getting flooded with AI music |
| Solid free tier for casual listening | Ongoing controversies related to company decisions, content policies, and artist relations |
| Huge music catalog across most genres | Frequent in-app promotions and pop-ups, even on paid plans |
Price
You can get started with Spotify’s free plan, but it’s limited and serves up ads.
Spotify Premium offers a better listening experience for $9.99/month for individuals or $15.99/month for a family plan. There’s also a discounted student plan for $4.99/month.
#2 – Apple Music
Apple Music is the service I personally use after deciding to move away from Spotify. More on that later.
If you’re already using Apple devices, the platform integrates seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and HomePod, making it a convenient choice. Beyond that, it’s a solid streaming service overall, and it consistently ranks as one of the most popular options among listeners.
One reason some people choose Apple Music is that it’s considered to offer relatively competitive artist payouts compared to other streaming platforms. Supporting artists can help ensure new music keeps coming, which is a win for listeners and creators alike.
Now, let’s get into the technical side:
Apple Music is more than just integration with Apple devices. It’s also known for its focus on audio quality.
The service streams AAC audio that delivers clear, high-quality sound. On top of that, Apple Music now offers a lossless HiFi option. Subscribers can access the full catalog in ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) at resolutions up to 24-bit/192 kHz.
And here’s the kicker: HiFi audio doesn’t cost extra. It’s included with standard subscriptions, which are already reasonably priced.
Apple Music is also available on Windows, so you don’t need a Mac to enjoy it.
Available in: 168 countries (including most places in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania)
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Higher average artist payouts compared to many streaming competitors | No free, ad-supported tier (only limited trials) |
| Strong focus on albums, credits, and artist presentation | Recommendations are generally considered weaker or slower to adapt than Spotify’s |
| Lossless and high-resolution audio included at no extra cost | Interface can feel cluttered or unintuitive, especially on non-Apple devices |
| Deep integration with Apple’s ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Mac, HomePod, CarPlay) | Best experience is largely limited to Apple hardware |
| Large, well-maintained music catalog | Less emphasis on social sharing and collaborative features |
| Editorial playlists curated by human editors | Discovery relies more on editorial curation than algorithmic personalization |
| No ads or podcast content mixed into the music experience | Apps on Windows and Android are often described as less polished |
Price
To unlock the full power of Apple Music, you can subscribe to an Individual plan for $9.99/month or a Family plan for $14.99/month. Alternatively, it’s included in an Apple One subscription.
A one-month free trial is also available.
#3 – YouTube Music
YouTube Music is a strong option for streaming. One standout feature is access to official music videos alongside your tracks, which makes it easy to enjoy both audio and video in one place.
If you already subscribe to YouTube Premium, YouTube Music is included, giving you a convenient way to stream music without any extra cost.
YouTube Music’s interface is one of those things that you’ll either love or hate. We really like it. In particular, the search function is excellent and makes it easy to discover new music and old gems through its video vaults. I also like the dark theme. It’s nice and easy on the eyes.
When you open a song in the YouTube Music app, you can select either Song or Video mode at the top of the screen. If you tap Video, you’ll be able to watch the music video on your device as you listen, which is pretty cool.
It offers comparably fast performance to Spotify, and has pretty good recommendations and discovery features too. It’s on most platforms and has excellent integrations across the board, especially with Google Assistant-powered home devices and speakers.
Another good thing is the deep integration with YouTube. As I’m surfing through music videos and adding them to a playlist, I can listen to them all via YouTube Music later.
Again, the biggest downside here is quality. It has a lower bit rate than Spotify as its capped at just 256kbps, and there’s no HiFi option. Nonetheless, it’s still very listenable and sufficient for most casual listeners.
Available in: Over 100 countries (including most places in Europe & the Americas)
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Massive catalog, including official releases, live recordings, and uploads | Audio quality is generally lower than lossless-focused competitors |
| Strong discovery powered by YouTube’s recommendation systems | Artist payouts are often criticized as being low |
| Included with YouTube Premium subscription | Music experience can feel secondary to video content |
| Works well across many devices and platforms | Album presentation and metadata can be inconsistent |
| Good option for casual listeners who already use YouTube | Interface and library management are often seen as weaker than rivals |
Price
You can sign up for YouTube Music Premium for $9.99 per month ($4.99 for students). Alternatively, you can subscribe to YouTube Premium for $12/month to watch ad-free YouTube videos, which come with YouTube Music included.