Music streaming has become an integral part of our lives. With a plethora of music streaming apps available, Spotify has established itself as the undisputed leader in the industry. Spotify offers an impressive collection of songs, playlists, and podcasts to its users, along with some exclusive features that have kept users hooked to the platform. So, let’s dive into the world of music streaming apps and talk about the best Spotify alternatives available in 2024.
However, while Spotify offers a great user experience, it comes at a cost. Many people find the premium subscription fee to be quite steep and would rather not pay for the service. Fortunately, there are several Spotify alternatives available in the market that offer similar features and services but for free.
This article will explore the best Spotify alternatives in 2024. We will delve into each app’s features, interface, and music library, as well as examine their unique selling points. Whether you’re looking for a completely free app or one that offers premium features at a lower cost, this article has got you covered.
We will also examine how these apps compare to Spotify and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, we will discuss the compatibility of each app with various devices and operating systems.
Why Do You Need Spotify Alternatives?
Firstly, you can enjoy the best of Spotify’s services only when you subscribe to the Premium version, starting from $9.99/month/user. The free version does not let you freely download offline songs and enjoy the service ad-free. You do not have access to an unlimited range of songs, which can be quite disappointing. Moreover, as per the users’ reviews, it shows annoying popup ads and stops the song suddenly. When resumes, it starts playing from the beginning. So, without further ado, let’s discuss the best premium, open-source and free alternatives to Spotify.
11 Best Spotify Alternatives (FREE for Android & iOS) in 2024:
1. Amazon Prime Music
The best Spotify alternative is Amazon Prime Music. In this present era of live-streaming audio and videos, it is rare not to find Amazon Prime members. And if you are a Prime member, this is undoubtedly the best and free Spotify alternative since you won’t have to pay anything extra. You will have access to millions of songs, thousands of stations, and playlists, all ad-free.
You can have unlimited offline access and the freedom to skip as many songs as you wish—all at your Prime membership expense. Amazon Music is available on all Alexa-enabled devices, FireTV, FireTablets, mobile devices, computers, and Amazon Echo devices. Log in to the Amazon Music app or go to https://music.amazon.com/ and enjoy the endless services. It could be a proper alternative to Spotify Premium.
If you are new to Prime, you can enjoy a 30 days free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited and, after that, subscribe to a plan starting from $7.99/month for Prime membership.
Download Amazon Music
2. Bandcamp
Bandcamp app is a unique alternative to Spotify that lets you stream music and explore a wide range of songs played by artists from different corners of the world. The app not only enables you to support local artists, but you can also buy their merch and get unlimited access to your Bandcamp purchases.
It is a unique platform and an excellent collaboration for artists from every corner of the world trying to sell their tracks, and buyers like you get to follow them and access their tracks the moment they release and sell them in the market. There are no monthly or yearly subscriptions. Once you buy/support an artist’s album, you get unlimited access and free downloads from your Bandcamp purchase.
The app also offers multiple filters that make it easy to find and locate. Artists also use tags while uploading and selling their tracks, enabling buyers like you to search for interesting songs without sweating a lot. The app is available on the Web, iOS, and Android.
Download Bandcamp
3. SoundCloud
One of the largest music streaming platforms, SoundCloud allows the collaboration of artists, podcasters, bands, and music creators. You can get access to millions of songs and listen to brand-new songs before it gets popular. You hear, and you offer your feedback.
The application is a reliable Spotify alternative if you are looking for new songs. There is also a provision for you to like, subscribe, and follow people on SoundCloud. You will receive notifications if the person you are following likes a song. Also, your recently played links can be found in the sidebar.
You may find a few bugs in the interface among the cons, thus slowing down the whole experience. It does not offer you an ad-free experience, which is why your content will include sponsor ads.
Download SoundCloud
4. HUDL Music
HUDL Music is another alternative to Spotify with some neat features that sets it apart from the pack. It’s a place where independent musicians and artists come together and create music. Its iOS app is centered around artists. HUDL Music gives them a platform to perform and exhibit their talents, throwing a spotlight on their name.
Unlike Spotify, where musicians need to pay a fee to upload their music, HUDL Music offers free music marketing. This means that artists don’t need to pay anything. They only need to register as an artist to the site and freely upload their music and other content.
HUDL Music does have a ‘tip jar’ feature that costs $1 to activate monthly for artists. And as listeners can enjoy free music online using this app, they can freely donate to their favorite indie artists as a form of supporting them. Fans can also watch their favorite artists perform with this app and support them as they grow. HUDL Music is the best companion for anyone looking to fill their living room with dope soundtracks.
Download HUDL Music
5. Pandora
Pandora is an American-based Spotify Premium alternative restricted to US subscribers that lets you choose from a plethora of collections of songs. The application works on intelligence based on your selection and focuses on traits, combined to predict your likable songs. It uses various conditions to determine the song inclusions in your station, marking every single rating to learn your preferences. Along with the same, Pandora also reflects the reason behind your input and why the song was played in the first place.
It works like a personalized radio learning from your input each time. You are free to build your own station with selective songs. With the Pandora Premium plan, you can download as many numbers of times, have unlimited skips and replays, create your Pandora playlist, and enjoy an ad-free experience. The Premium subscription starts from $9.99/month.
With Pandora Plus, you can enjoy the ad-free experience with unlimited access to stations and podcasts- up to four stations to listen to songs in offline mode. The Plus version starts from $4.99 per month. Without the Premium subscription, the app limits your playlist to specific songs/albums, restricts your number of skips and replays, and does not allow you to rewind a song.
Download Pandora
6. Deezer Music
If you are looking for apps like Spotify but free for Android devices, Deezer Music is a good stop. The app is an amazing music app, probably the most extensive music catalog that lets you listen to new tracks without ads. The app offers you a curated collection of the latest releases in albums and over 160000 podcasts.
Further, you can create your own collection and a music library. Switch to Deezer through your PC, tablet, or mobile devices. One of the most interesting features is its built-in lyrics feature that shows the currently playing track’s lyrics. Another curious thing is its Flow feature which is supposed to learn singular song preferences from your playlists.
However, several users find it disappointing. The app is available in significant parts of the world. Deezer Premium can be compatible with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and other connecting devices such as Sonos.
Download Deezer Music
7. Musique
With an amazing, user-friendly interface, Musique is a site similar to Spotify if you are on the hunt for a finely crafted music player. Known for its minimalistic outlook, Musique is an app like Spotify but iOS, macOS, Windows, and Ubuntu & Debian. You can locate songs and track your favorite singer’s album by artist’s photos, album cover, etc.
Its interface’s uniqueness lies in the fact that it only shows what you need. For instance, if you want to see the lyrics, you can find them in the Info View, which shows you what you are looking for, hiding the rest. The play queue is visible on the right.
You can also browse for your songs in the manner you organize them, i.e., in folders and subfolders. It never modifies your file instead stores all your data in its database. Though compatible with macOS, it cannot be an add-on to iTunes. Musique app supports several formats, such as TTA, APE, FLAC, OGG Vorbis, etc.
Download Musique
- Musique on the mac App Store
- Not Available on Google Play
8. Mixcloud
Known for its audio culture globally, you can be a part of the free Spotify alternative music streaming platform. Get access to radio shows, DJ mixes, and podcasts, all for free with Mixcloud. The music community ranges from local artists to community radio stations and the world’s topmost DJs.
As an artist, too, you can build your station, curate your channel, upload as many album and audio recordings, and share it with the world. Grow your fanbase and be a part of the audio culture. To support, you will have to subscribe to individual channels.
You can find the app on both Google Play and App Store and choose your favorite song and play it across any device.
Download Mixcloud
9. Tidal
Known for its exceptional audio quality, Tidal is similar to sites like Spotify which offers you high-fidelity songs and high-definition video quality. It provides you with more than 70 million songs, all with an ad-free experience. You will have access to mixes, radios, videos, live streams, and hand-picked playlists anywhere anytime, either at home, in your car, or from your phone, online or offline. You can play it across any device.
As a Spotify alternative, Tidal pays the artists three times more than Apple Music does. However, one of the primary considerations is that it is not a free alternative to Spotify, which is why you need a subscription. The app offers you a seven days free trial period. You can also use a special discount available only for students.
Download Tidal
10. Nuclear Music Player
A web-based, cross-platform, open-source Spotify alternative, Nuclear Music Player is a music streaming service that streams from free available sources. Being open-source, the app is also a free alternative to Spotify that lets you listen to whatever you want whenever you wish to. The app also allows scrobbling to last.fm to update the playlists.
It supports YouTube, SoundCloud, and Bandcamp and can also add more through plugins. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Download Nuclear Music Player
11. YouTube Music
The last mention is something every browser is acquainted with. Being Google’s subsidiary, YouTube Music began its music streaming service based on genres, playlists, and recommendations. As a well-established Spotify alternative, all you have to do is install the app, choose your preferred language, and get going.
Youtube learns your preference over a while and tries to develop a playlist that keeps updating according to your music selection. You get access to unlimited singles, remixes, parodies, cover songs, live performances, videos, and official albums across many devices, viz. iOS, Android, and Desktop.
The Premium version offers you an ad-free experience and lets you offline access. It starts from $10/month. The free version is anytime a better alternative to Spotify’s free version.
Download YouTube Music
See Also:
Conclusion
With the top ten Spotify alternatives explained, now you have options for cheaper Spotify alternatives, free ones, paid ones, open-source ones, and those available for phones, iOS, and Android. You can choose the one that fits your unique needs.
What is the best alternative to Spotify?
Apps such as Pandora, SoundCloud, and Amazon Prime Music could qualify as the best Spotify alternatives in the market.
What app is like Spotify but free?
Deezer Music app is one such free Spotify alternative that offers you millions of songs and podcasts from artists. There is both a freemium and premium, ranging from $0 to $19.99 per month.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Spotify?
As a cheaper alternative to Spotify, Pandora Plus and SoundCloud are reliable options to stream music anywhere and anytime without paying much.
Who are Spotify's competitors?
Spotify has several competitors who could very well stand up against it, both in terms of price, quality, and accessibility. Some of them are YouTube Music, Tidal, and Pandora.
Is YT music better than Spotify?
In terms of the unlimited range of music collection, YouTube is undoubtedly better and far more significant than Spotify.
Is Spotify better than Napster?
When it comes to paying the artists, Napster goes way better than Tidal and Spotify.
Does Google own Spotify?
In 2019, Google acquired Spotify giving it a competitive edge against Apple Music which one of the most extensive paid music subscriptions.
Moira
September 30, 2021 at 7:45 am
I can’t wait to try these! Thank you for this list.