Apple Music vs Spotify
I made a video comparing two of the giants of the music streaming world; Apple Music and Spotify. I have used Spotify for many years, as well as Apple Music, since when it was just iTunes. I think the platform has really done a lot to match Spotify in the past few years, including building a massive library that has finally surpassed Spotify.
When it comes to choosing a music platform, however, there's more to it than just the sheer numbers. Besides, all these platforms have most of the music on them now anyway that most western people will find almost anything they're looking for on there. The missing stuff is a YouTube search away.
| Feature | Apple Music | Spotify |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription Cost | $9.99 per month (individual) | $9.99 per month (individual) |
| $14.99 per month (family, up to 6 members) | $14.99 per month (family, up to 6 members) | |
| Free Tier | No | Yes (with ads) |
| Trial Period | 3 months | 3 months (individual), 6 months (student) |
| Library Size | Over 90 million songs | Over 85 million songs |
| Offline Listening | Yes | Yes |
| Audio Quality | Lossless ALAC | Up to 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis |
| Supported Devices | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Apple Watch | iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web |
| Exclusive Content | Yes | Limited (some podcasts, playlists) |
| Social Features | Limited | Extensive (playlist sharing, collaborative playlists) |
| Podcasts | Yes | Yes |
| Integration with Voice Assistants | Siri (Apple) | Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa |
| Customisation | Limited | Extensive (personalised playlists, Discover Weekly) |
| Supported Regions | Available in multiple countries | Available in multiple countries |
| Student Discount | Yes | Yes |
This information was sourced from both websites: Apple and Spotify. I use both platforms also so I've corrected the data to be more accurate too.
Overall I prefer Spotify to Apple Music, but that's a personal thing. I like the look and feel on the interface better and the playlists feel more organic to me. That's because the playlists are mostly created by users like myself on Spotify. On Apple Music, the playlists are mostly put together by professional curators so they don't feel as diverse as they should be.
Peace & Love,
Adé