Best Apple Music Alternatives
Reviewed
The top-ranked Apple Music alternative is Spotify (Freemium).
Apple Music raised its US prices in July 2026, to $11.99 a month for individuals, $19.99 for families and $6.99 for students, citing higher licensing costs. It still includes lossless and spatial audio at no extra charge, but Spotify Premium has also offered lossless since September 2025, so hi-fi is no longer unique to Apple. People look elsewhere for better recommendations, a free tier, Android-first apps or audiophile catalogs.
1Leading streaming service; lossless audio included in Premium since September 2025.
2Google's streaming service with official tracks, remixes, and live versions.
3Amazon Music
FreemiumMusic streaming service with HD audio integrated into Amazon Prime.
High-fidelity music streaming with hi-res audio and artist focus.
Qobuz
SubscriptionAudiophile streaming and download store focused on hi-res quality.
Global music streaming service with HiFi audio and personalized flow.
Pandora
FreemiumPersonalized radio and music streaming service in the US.
Platform for independent artists, remixes, and emerging music.
Bandcamp
FreemiumMarketplace and streaming platform supporting independent musicians.
iHeartRadio
FreemiumFree streaming with live radio stations, podcasts, and custom playlists.
Plexamp
FreemiumMusic player from Plex for streaming your own personal library.
Top Apple Music alternatives compared
Spotify
Spotify is a music streaming service with a free, ad-supported tier and paid Premium plans. Premium Individual costs $12.99 a month in the US and now includes lossless audio at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz, plus offline downloads. It suits people who want one app on every device, including Linux.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is Google's music app, free to use with ads. Music Premium removes ads and adds background play, and you can switch between a song's audio and its music video. It suits listeners who already use YouTube for live versions, covers and remixes.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music has a free tier with ads, while Prime members get the full catalog ad-free in shuffle mode. Amazon Music Unlimited costs $12.99 a month, or $11.99 for Prime members, and adds on-demand play of 100 million songs, offline listening, spatial audio and one audiobook a month. It suits Prime households.
Tidal
Tidal is a paid-only streaming service. Every plan includes lossless audio up to 24-bit, 192 kHz, plus Dolby Atmos, and the Individual plan is $11.99 a month in the US. It suits listeners with good headphones or a hi-fi system who care about audio quality first.
| App | Price | Platforms | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | Free with ads; Premium $12.99/month | Windows, macOS, Linux, web, mobile | Listening on every device |
| YouTube Music | Free with ads; Music Premium paid | Web, iOS, Android | Music videos, live versions and remixes |
| Amazon Music | Free with ads; Unlimited $12.99/month ($11.99 with Prime) | Web, iOS, Android | Prime members |
| Tidal | Paid only; Individual $11.99/month | Windows, macOS, web, iOS, Android | Hi-res lossless audio |
We checked each app's official site on 6 November 2026. Tidal's own system requirements page says Linux is not currently supported, while Spotify offers a Linux app, so Spotify is the only one of these four with a desktop app for Linux.
Apple Music alternatives: FAQ
What is the best alternative to Apple Music?
Spotify is ranked first on this list (Freemium). The ranking combines our base score with readers' votes, so it can change.
Which Apple Music alternatives work on Mac?
Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz run on macOS.
Which Apple Music alternatives work on Linux?
Spotify and Plexamp run on Linux.
Are there Apple Music alternatives for Android?
Yes: Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and Tidal have Android apps.
Know a Apple Music alternative we missed? Suggest it — we review submissions before they go live.