Today's music streaming services give you easy access to your favorite tunes while helping you unearth new gems. Sound quality is better than everand many of the paid subscriptions include lossless quality for free. It's not just about music anymoreeither. Audiobooks and podcasts are now must-have featureswith Spotify and Amazon Music including both as part of their monthly fees. I've tested all the major services and compared all the relevant featuresalong with a full price breakdown.
Our Picks
What is the best music streaming service overall?
When choosing a music streaming serviceit's a close race between two in particular: Spotify Premium and Apple Music. Both services boast extensive catalogs and plenty of featuresbut there is a clear winner. Despite a price increase to $12 a monthSpotify is the best streaming service for most people. It offers the best mix of featuresincluding lossless musicaudiobooksSpotify Connect streaming and great community offerings such as Spotify Wrapped (now it's not just for the holidays). Spotify also offers the best free tier: Without paying a dime or providing a credit card numberyou can listen to millions of tunes on demand and stream to Wi-Fi devices.
For Apple device usersthe excellent Apple Music is hot on Spotify's tail with potential for even better sound due to the inclusion of spatial musicand it's a dollar cheaper. Although the company has made strides in recent yearsa few bricks of the former walled garden remainand it's not as recommendable to Android or PC users. Spotify is still a better choice for users of both iOS and Android. Lastlyif you're an audiophile -- or simply love music -- then both Tidal and Qobuz offer excellent sound quality at realistic prices. Of those twoTidal has taken pains to remove the proprietary MQA format and offer a cheaper feewhile Qobuz offers a point of difference in its download store.
Read more: Apple Music vs. Spotify: Comparing the Top Music Streaming Services
Best music streaming services of 2025
Pros
- Lossless music on Premium for no extra charge
- Free version is robust
- Spotify Connect simplifies connection to devices
- Great playlist features including live "Jam"
Cons
- Free-service ads can be intrusive
- Podcast integration is awkward
- Hard to find a non-audiobook option
Spotify is a pioneer in music streaming and is arguably the best-known service. It offers several curated music discovery servicesincluding its Discover Weekly playlistand is constantly implementing new onessuch as Stationsan AI DJaudiobooks and podcasts. After years of waitingSpotify has rolled out lossless music for no extra charge.
Spotify is great if you're seeking a solid all-around serviceespecially one that lets you makebrowse and share playlists for any occasion. The company's year-end Wrapped is an institution and it has spawned "best of" imitations from most of the company's competitors. The service even introduced on-demand stats so you don't need to wait till year's end.
It's worth noting that Spotify has undergone some price changes in the last 18 months that coincided with the addition of audiobooks. The service now costs $12 in the US£12 in the UK and AU$14 in Australia. The company does have a book-free tier for $11but it's available only to current and "eligible" customers. There's also an ad-supported free version of Spotifyand the student rate costs $6 per month.
Pros
- Spatial and hi-res music included
- Combines your iTunes library with music you don't ownwith a choice of music lockers
- Human music experts and algorithms help find music you'll want to hear based on what you play
- Tight integration with Apple HomePod and iOS devices
Cons
- Not as fun for Android or PC users
At the same price as SpotifyApple Music offers a lot for the moneyincluding 100 million tracks and iOS and Android compatibility. The service runs second to Spotify in terms of subscribers but surpasses its rival in that it has hi-res lossless and spatial audio albumsplus classical music app at no extra charge.
Though it makes the most sense if you're an Apple userMusic is an option if you're listening on a PCAndroidor have invested in smart speakers -- including those from Google. If you own an Apple HomePod, Mini or Nest deviceyou can summon Apple Music tracks with your voice. The service also features a ton of curated playlistsmany handcrafted by musicians and tastemakersalthough the service lacks the robust sharing options (or some of the cool add-ons) available to Spotify users.
If you're looking to move to Apple Music from its main rival Spotifythen Apple has released a tool which enables you to swap your libraries from one to the other.
Pros
- High-fidelity music streamsincluding Dolby Atmos surround mixes
- Lots of video contentincluding concert livestreams
- Profiles and record reviews on every pageplus up-and-coming artist spotlights
Cons
- The mobile apps and web player aren't as straightforward as some others
- The catalog isn't as exhaustive as Spotify Premium
- Most high-res music uses MQAwhich needs a specialized decoder
Though Tidal quietly did away with its free serviceit also scrapped its $20 Hi-Fi Plus tier in favor of an all-inclusive $11 plan instead -- this means hi-res music for everybody. It's worth noting that the service is (still) replacing its proprietary MQA files with hi-res FLAC for better compatibility.
The service also boasts an impressive number of tracks -- more than most competitors -- at 110 million songs.
If you're an audiophilea fan of urban musicor a mix of boththen Tidal offers a great catalog and a very attractive price.
Pros
- The app is really clean and fun to use
- Ability to listen to 24-bit music without needing a specialized decoder
- Download store as well
Cons
- No spatial audio
Qobuz's streaming service offers a wealth of music in hi-resand you don't need a special hardware decoder to listen to it. The service offers two main plans: Studio Premier ($13 monthly or $130 yearly) and the $180 annual Sublime Plus. If you're a studentits new $5-a-month plan is a great value. Uniquelythe streaming service offers its own hi-res download storeand if you sign up for Sublimeyou get a discount on purchases.
In 2025the company added Qobuz Connectwhich enables users to stream from the app to their compatible hi-fiand takes on similar functionality from Tidal and Spotify.
At 100 million tracksQobuz's streaming catalog rivals Tidal's and Spotify's in numberand based on our testsits catalog of more-obscure artists is now pretty impressive. Excellent sound quality at a decent price? Qobuz is our favorite service for serious music lovers who also want to be able to purchase tracks.
YouTube Music ($11 a month) is the successor to Google Play Musicand if you sign up for the ad-free YouTube Premium at $14 a monthyou get YouTube Music for free. The good news is that YouTube Music is a mostly impressive service (the lower bit rate of 256Kbps is mildly disappointing)but Google has retained the predecessor's music locker system enabling you to upload new tracks. In even better newsYouTube Music offers a clean interface with over 100 million tracks to choose from. YouTube Music offers well-curated radio stations that play endlessly and are updated often. The service also has the ability to make playlists out of YouTube music clipswhich makes it a worthy option. Lastlythe Apple HomePod has joined Google's Nest devices in enabling users to set YouTube Music as the default.
Pros
- Cheaper than the top three if you're an Amazon Prime member
- Lyrics automatically pop up on the "now playing" screen
- Hi-res and spatial audio from Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos at no extra charge
- Offers free music stations for Amazon EchoEcho Dot and Amazon Tap (includes ads)
Cons
- Artist profiles don't have biographies
- The service no longer includes a music locker
While Amazon Prime Music comes "free" as part of a Prime membershipusers can choose to upgrade to Music Unlimited for audiobooks and higher-quality music streams. At $11 for Prime membersor $12 if you don't have PrimeUnlimited offers an expanded catalog plus Atmos audio mixes which can be played on Dolby Atmos soundbarsAndroid or iOS devicesand the Amazon Echo Studio. In terms of usabilitythe Music Unlimited interface is also more powerful than before with playlistsgenres and podcasts all accessible from the main page.
Pros
- Hi-res music included
- Has a free tier
- Catalog conversion at no extra cost
Cons
- Plenty of competition at the price
French stalwart Deezer has been operating in the US since 2016and it has a lot to offerincluding a free tier (mobile only) and an impressive 120 million tracks. It has more subscribers than some others on this listthanks in part to its previous affiliation with Cricket Wireless. The main Premium plan is $12 a monthand users are also able to upgrade their audio quality within the app. Deezer also offers a couple of unique featuresincluding being the first service to let users upload their catalogs from competitors at no extra charge.
Top services compared
| Amazon Music Unlimited | Apple Music | Qobuz | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube Music | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Prime members: $11£11AU$13; Non-Prime members: $12£12; Echo-only service: $6£6AU$7 | $11£11AU$13; Voice $5£5AU$6 | Studio: $13£13AU$20; Sublime (per year): $180£180AU$250 | $12£12AU$14 | $11£11AU$12 | $11£12AU$12; YouTube Premium (includes Music): $14£13AU$17 |
| Free option? | Yeswith ads | No | No | Yeswith ads | No | Yeswith ads |
| Free trial period | 120 days | 30 days to 3 months | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Music library size | 100 million | Over 100 million | Over 100 million | Over 100 million | Over 110 million | Over 100 million |
| Maximum bit rate | 256Kbps3,730Kbps (HD) | 256Kbps1,152 Kbps (HD estimated) | 6,971Kbps | 320Kbps | 1,411Kbps | 256Kbps |
| Family plan? | Yes$17£17AU$19 for max 6 | Yes$15£15AU$18 for max 6 | Yes$18£22AU$30 | Yes $20£20AU$24 per monthmax 6 | Yes$17£17AU$20 max 6 | Yes$17 |
| Student discount | Yes | Yes$6£6AU$7 | Yes$5£5 | Yes$6£5 with Hulu | Yes$5.49£5.49 | Yes$8 |
| US military discount | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Offline listening | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile | Premiummobile only |
| Radio stations | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Podcasts | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Music videos | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Music locker functionality | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Factors to consider
The principal thing you'll need to weigh is your monthly cost. Until recentlyprices were stable at around $10 a monthbut Apple Music, Amazon Music UnlimitedTidalYouTube Music and Spotify have all hiked rates to $11 or more.
While your subscription fee can give you access to a number of features -- including classical music, karaoke and podcasts -- what it can also do is unlock higher-quality audio. Sound quality is also an important considerationand services such as Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited offer lossless and Dolby Atmos music at no extra charge. MeanwhileSpotify now offers lossless music as part of the Premium subscription.
With the addition of audiobooksboth Amazon Music and Spotify offer an additional point of difference over the other services.
If you like to buy your own digital music, Apple Music and YouTube Music are the only services to offer a digital locker to store your existing library of songswhile Qobuz also offers a storefront (without a locker for existing libraries).
How we test streaming services
We've checked out the big namesincluding Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon MusicYouTube Music and Deezeras well as smaller ones such as Tidal, QobuzNapster and Pandora Premiumto see how each platform stacks up for your subscription dollar. Most of the services feature music catalogs of around 100 million tracks and are supported by a host of different devices.
Given that all of the services basically have the same librarieswe evaluated each one based on:
- Ease of use
- Cost
- Features
- Sound quality
While YouTube Music offers objectively the "worst" quality based on numbers alonemost people won't notice a differenceespecially on phones or Bluetooth speakers. The biggest boons for Spotify usersin particularare that service's ubiquitycommunity features and ability to easily pair with other devices.
Apple's also gets high marks due to its suitability for iOS and Mac usersas well as the ability to listen to higher-quality streams at no extra cost. If the service was more yielding to PC users and smart home fansApple Music would easily become the service we would recommend. In shortSpotify is better for users of almost any phonesmart device or computer.
We also tested
- Napster: Popular music streaming service Rhapsody relaunched as Napster in 2016. It offers 110 million tracks including lossless for $11 a month. The service is finealthough it lacks the killer features of the best here -- e.g. podcastssimplified streaming and community features. Competition is stiffand Spotify and Apple are a better value. See at Napster.
- Pandora Premium: Still one of the most popular streaming radio services in the USPandora also offers the a la carte Premium ($11 a month) and no-ads Plus ($5 a month). The result is more flexibility than most competitorsand Premium has gained plenty more subscribers in recent yearseven if the service is not keeping up in terms of overall catalog size. Sadlyits audio quality is among the lowest availableeven on the Premium subscription (192Kbps)and it doesn't offer enough of an incentive for an upgrade from its highly popular free tier. See at Pandora.
