Best Music Streaming Service of 2023 – CNET
Best Music Streaming Service of 2023 - CNET
What is the best music streaming service overall?
When choosing a music streaming service, it’s a close race between Spotify Premium and Apple Music. Both cost around $11 a month and boast extensive catalogs, so competition is tough. But there is a clear winner. Spotify is the best streaming service. It offers the best mix of features, including deep community integration, plus the excellent Spotify Connect for streaming to all your devices. Spotify also offers the best free tier: Without paying a dime or providing a credit card number, you can listen to millions of tunes and even stream to numerous Wi-Fi devices.
For Apple device users, the excellent Apple Music is hot on Spotify’s tail with the potential for better sound due to the inclusion of lossless music. Though the company has made strides in recent years, a few bricks of the walled garden remain, and it’s not as recommendable to Android or PC users. Spotify is still a better choice for users of both iOS and Android. And lastly, if you’re an audiophile — or simply love music — then Qobuz offers excellent sound quality at a realistic price. Plus, it also includes a hi-res download store.
Read more: Apple Music vs. Spotify: Comparing the Top Music Streaming Services
Today’s music streaming services offer a world of exploration and convenience, giving you access to your favorite artists easily and quickly. Sound quality is even better than ever, too, with some of the best services including spatial Dolby Atmos audio and lossless for free. I’ve tested all the major services and compared all the relevant features, along with a full price breakdown.
Best music streaming services of 2023
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Spotify is a pioneer in music streaming and is arguably the best-known service. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations and an AI DJ and podcasts,
While it may not have lossless (yet), Spotify is great if you’re seeking a solid all-around service, especially one which lets you make, browse and share playlists for any occasion.
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Best music streaming service overall
Spotify
Spotify is a pioneer in music streaming and is arguably the best-known service. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations and an AI DJ and podcasts,
- Free version is robust
- Spotify Connect simplifies connection to devices
- Great playlist features including live “Jam”
- Artist bios and alerts
- Free service ads can be intrusive
- No lossless option (yet)
- Podcast integration is awkward
Spotify is a pioneer in music streaming and is arguably the best-known service. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations and an AI DJ and podcasts,
While it may not have lossless (yet), Spotify is great if you’re seeking a solid all-around service, especially one which lets you make, browse and share playlists for any occasion.
Best music streaming service overall
Spotify
- Free version is robust
- Spotify Connect simplifies connection to devices
- Great playlist features including live “Jam”
- Artist bios and alerts
- Free service ads can be intrusive
- No lossless option (yet)
- Podcast integration is awkward
Spotify is a pioneer in music streaming and is arguably the best-known service. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations and an AI DJ and podcasts,
While it may not have lossless (yet), Spotify is great if you’re seeking a solid all-around service, especially one which lets you make, browse and share playlists for any occasion.
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Despite a small price increase in 2022, Apple Music is still able to offer a lot for the money, including 100 million tracks and both iOS and Android compatibility. The service runs second to Spotify in terms of subscribers, but surpasses its rival in one key respect. Yes, it has hi-res lossless, spatial audio albums, plus a new classical music app at no extra charge.
While it makes the most sense if you’re an Apple user, Music is an option if you’re listening on a PC, or have invested in smart speakers, including those from Google. If you own an Apple HomePod, Mini or Nest device you can summon Apple Music tracks with your voice. There are also a ton of curated playlists, many handcrafted by musicians and tastemakers, though it lacks the robust sharing options (or some of the cool add-ons) available to Spotify.
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Best alternative to Spotify
Apple Music
Despite a small price increase in 2022, Apple Music is still able to offer a lot for the money, including 100 million tracks and both iOS and Android compatibility. The service runs second to Spotify in terms of subscribers, but surpasses its rival in one key respect. Yes, it has hi-res lossless, spatial audio albums, plus a new classical music app at no extra charge.
- Spatial and hi-res music included
- Combines your iTunes library with music you don’t own, with 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
- Not as fun for Android or PC users
Despite a small price increase in 2022, Apple Music is still able to offer a lot for the money, including 100 million tracks and both iOS and Android compatibility. The service runs second to Spotify in terms of subscribers, but surpasses its rival in one key respect. Yes, it has hi-res lossless, spatial audio albums, plus a new classical music app at no extra charge.
While it makes the most sense if you’re an Apple user, Music is an option if you’re listening on a PC, or have invested in smart speakers, including those from Google. If you own an Apple HomePod, Mini or Nest device you can summon Apple Music tracks with your voice. There are also a ton of curated playlists, many handcrafted by musicians and tastemakers, though it lacks the robust sharing options (or some of the cool add-ons) available to Spotify.
Best alternative to Spotify
Apple Music
- Spatial and hi-res music included
- Combines your iTunes library with music you don’t own, with 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
- Not as fun for Android or PC users
Despite a small price increase in 2022, Apple Music is still able to offer a lot for the money, including 100 million tracks and both iOS and Android compatibility. The service runs second to Spotify in terms of subscribers, but surpasses its rival in one key respect. Yes, it has hi-res lossless, spatial audio albums, plus a new classical music app at no extra charge.
While it makes the most sense if you’re an Apple user, Music is an option if you’re listening on a PC, or have invested in smart speakers, including those from Google. If you own an Apple HomePod, Mini or Nest device you can summon Apple Music tracks with your voice. There are also a ton of curated playlists, many handcrafted by musicians and tastemakers, though it lacks the robust sharing options (or some of the cool add-ons) available to Spotify.
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The Qobuz service offers a wealth of music in hi-res and you don’t need a special hardware decoder to listen to it (unlike competitor Tidal). The service offers two plans — the hi-res Studio Premier ($13 monthly or $130 yearly) and the $180 annual Sublime Plus. Uniquely, the service offers its own hi-res download store, and if you sign up for Sublime you get a discount on purchases.
At 100 million tracks, Qobuz’s streaming catalog rivals Tidal’s and Spotify’s in number, and based on our tests its 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.
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Best for audiophiles
Qobuz
The Qobuz service offers a wealth of music in hi-res and you don’t need a special hardware decoder to listen to it (unlike competitor Tidal). The service offers two plans — the hi-res Studio Premier ($13 monthly or $130 yearly) and the $180 annual Sublime Plus. Uniquely, the service offers its own hi-res download store, and if you sign up for Sublime you get a discount on purchases.
- The app is really clean and fun to use
- Ability to listen to 24-bit music without needing a specialized decoder
- One of the more affordable hi-res services
- Download store as well
- No spatial audio
The Qobuz service offers a wealth of music in hi-res and you don’t need a special hardware decoder to listen to it (unlike competitor Tidal). The service offers two plans — the hi-res Studio Premier ($13 monthly or $130 yearly) and the $180 annual Sublime Plus. Uniquely, the service offers its own hi-res download store, and if you sign up for Sublime you get a discount on purchases.
At 100 million tracks, Qobuz’s streaming catalog rivals Tidal’s and Spotify’s in number, and based on our tests its 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.
Best for audiophiles
Qobuz
- The app is really clean and fun to use
- Ability to listen to 24-bit music without needing a specialized decoder
- One of the more affordable hi-res services
- Download store as well
- No spatial audio
The Qobuz service offers a wealth of music in hi-res and you don’t need a special hardware decoder to listen to it (unlike competitor Tidal). The service offers two plans — the hi-res Studio Premier ($13 monthly or $130 yearly) and the $180 annual Sublime Plus. Uniquely, the service offers its own hi-res download store, and if you sign up for Sublime you get a discount on purchases.
At 100 million tracks, Qobuz’s streaming catalog rivals Tidal’s and Spotify’s in number, and based on our tests its 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.
Top services compared
Amazon Music Unlimited | Apple Music | Qobuz | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube Music | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly fee | Prime members: $10, £10, $13; Non-Prime members: $11, £11, AU$12; Echo-only service: Free, AU$6 | $11, £11, AU$13; Voice $5, £5, AU$6 | Studio: $13, £13, AU$20; Sublime (per year): $180, £180, AU$250 | $11, £10, AU$12 | HiFi: $10, £10, AU$12; HiFi Plus: $20, £20, AU$24 | $14, £12, AU$12 |
Free option? | Yes, with ads | No | No | Yes, with ads | Yes | Yes, with ads |
Free trial period | 30 days | 30 days to 3 months | 30 days | 30 days | 3 months | 30 days |
Music library size | 100 million | Over 100 million | Over 100 million | Over 100 million | Over 100 million | 100 million |
Maximum bit rate | 256Kbps, 3,730Kbps (HD) | 256Kbps, 1,152 Kbps (HD estimated) | 6,971Kbps | 320Kbps | 1,411Kbps | 256Kbps |
Family plan? | Yes, $17, £17, AU$19 for max 6 | Yes, $15, £15, AU$18 for max 6 | Yes, $22, £22, AU$30 | Yes $17 per month, max 6 | Yes, HiFi: $15, £15, AU$18 HiFi Plus: $20, £20, AU$24 max 6 | Yes, $17, £15, AU$18 per month for max 6 |
Student discount | Yes | Yes, Price varies by country | No | Yes, $6, £5 with Hulu and Showtime | Student HiFi: $5, Student HiFi plus: $10 (US only) | Yes, $5 |
US military discount | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Offline listening | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile | Premium, mobile 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 |
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Now partly owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block, Tidal has introduced some important changes recently: namely that it now has a free tier called, naturally, Tidal Free. The company also offers the $10 Tidal HiFi plan, which includes lossless playback, and the premium $20 Tidal HiFi Plus tier. It’s worth noting that most of the current hi-res catalog is in the proprietary MQA format, though the service also now offers hi-res FLAC as well.
Until recently, the service justified its higher prices with the Direct Artist Payouts (DAP) program which paid your top streamed artist each month a 10% cut of your subscription fee, but that was scrapped. Meanwhile, Qobuz may not have Tidal’s Atmos library but it has caught up by promising a cheaper price and recent improvements in its catalog. Even so, if you’re an audiophile, a fan of urban music or a mix of both, then Tidal still holds plenty of appeal.
” superlative=”Best for rock and urban fans” imagegroup=”{"alt":"tidal-android.jpg","caption":"
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Best for rock and urban fans
Tidal
Now partly owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block, Tidal has introduced some important changes recently: namely that it now has a free tier called, naturally, Tidal Free. The company also offers the $10 Tidal HiFi plan, which includes lossless playback, and the premium $20 Tidal HiFi Plus tier. It’s worth noting that most of the current hi-res catalog is in the proprietary MQA format, though the service also now offers hi-res FLAC as well.
- High-fidelity music streams including Dolby Atmos surround mixes
- Lots of video content, including concert livestreams
- Profiles and record reviews on every page, plus up-and-coming artist spotlights
- Free tier, while its top tier offers payouts for favorite artists
- 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 MQA, which needs a specialized decoder
Now partly owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block, Tidal has introduced some important changes recently: namely that it now has a free tier called, naturally, Tidal Free. The company also offers the $10 Tidal HiFi plan, which includes lossless playback, and the premium $20 Tidal HiFi Plus tier. It’s worth noting that most of the current hi-res catalog is in the proprietary MQA format, though the service also now offers hi-res FLAC as well.
Until recently, the service justified its higher prices with the Direct Artist Payouts (DAP) program which paid your top streamed artist each month a 10% cut of your subscription fee, but that was scrapped. Meanwhile, Qobuz may not have Tidal’s Atmos library but it has caught up by promising a cheaper price and recent improvements in its catalog. Even so, if you’re an audiophile, a fan of urban music or a mix of both, then Tidal still holds plenty of appeal.
Best for rock and urban fans
Tidal
- High-fidelity music streams including Dolby Atmos surround mixes
- Lots of video content, including concert livestreams
- Profiles and record reviews on every page, plus up-and-coming artist spotlights
- Free tier, while its top tier offers payouts for favorite artists
- 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 MQA, which needs a specialized decoder
Now partly owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block, Tidal has introduced some important changes recently: namely that it now has a free tier called, naturally, Tidal Free. The company also offers the $10 Tidal HiFi plan, which includes lossless playback, and the premium $20 Tidal HiFi Plus tier. It’s worth noting that most of the current hi-res catalog is in the proprietary MQA format, though the service also now offers hi-res FLAC as well.
Until recently, the service justified its higher prices with the Direct Artist Payouts (DAP) program which paid your top streamed artist each month a 10% cut of your subscription fee, but that was scrapped. Meanwhile, Qobuz may not have Tidal’s Atmos library but it has caught up by promising a cheaper price and recent improvements in its catalog. Even so, if you’re an audiophile, a fan of urban music or a mix of both, then Tidal still holds plenty of appeal.
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Amazon Prime Music comes "free" as part of a Prime membership, but users can choose to upgrade to Music Unlimited. At $10 for Prime members, or $11 if you don’t have Prime, Unlimited offers an expanded catalog as well as over 1,000 "spatial" remixes. These 360 audio mixes can be played on Dolby Atmos soundbars, Android or iOS devices and the Amazon Echo Studio. In terms of usability, the Music Unlimited interface is also more powerful than before with playlists, genres and podcasts all accessible from the main page.
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Best for Prime members
Amazon Music Unlimited
Amazon Prime Music comes “free” as part of a Prime membership, but users can choose to upgrade to Music Unlimited. At $10 for Prime members, or $11 if you don’t have Prime, Unlimited offers an expanded catalog as well as over 1,000 “spatial” remixes. These 360 audio mixes can be played on Dolby Atmos soundbars, Android or iOS devices and the Amazon Echo Studio. In terms of usability, the Music Unlimited interface is also more powerful than before with playlists, genres and podcasts all accessible from the main page.
- 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 Echo, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap (includes ads)
- Artist profiles don’t have biographies
- The service no longer includes a music locker
Amazon Prime Music comes “free” as part of a Prime membership, but users can choose to upgrade to Music Unlimited. At $10 for Prime members, or $11 if you don’t have Prime, Unlimited offers an expanded catalog as well as over 1,000 “spatial” remixes. These 360 audio mixes can be played on Dolby Atmos soundbars, Android or iOS devices and the Amazon Echo Studio. In terms of usability, the Music Unlimited interface is also more powerful than before with playlists, genres and podcasts all accessible from the main page.
Best for Prime members
Amazon Music Unlimited
- 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 Echo, Echo Dot and Amazon Tap (includes ads)
- Artist profiles don’t have biographies
- The service no longer includes a music locker
Amazon Prime Music comes “free” as part of a Prime membership, but users can choose to upgrade to Music Unlimited. At $10 for Prime members, or $11 if you don’t have Prime, Unlimited offers an expanded catalog as well as over 1,000 “spatial” remixes. These 360 audio mixes can be played on Dolby Atmos soundbars, Android or iOS devices and the Amazon Echo Studio. In terms of usability, the Music Unlimited interface is also more powerful than before with playlists, genres and podcasts all accessible from the main page.