Spotify vs Apple Music: Price, Free Plan and Lossless Audio

Pick Spotify if you want a free, ad-supported plan, a Linux app, or audiobooks bundled into your subscription. Pick Apple Music if you are happy to pay from day one, use an iPhone or Mac, and want higher-resolution lossless audio for $1 a month less.

Both cost about the same, both work on most phones and computers, and both offer lossless music on their standard paid plan. The differences are in the free tier, audio resolution and the extras each one adds.

Spotify vs Apple Music at a glance

Which is cheaper, Spotify or Apple Music?

Apple Music is $1 a month cheaper for one person, but only Spotify lets you listen for free. On 6 November 2026, we read both official US price pages side by side. Apple Music listed its Individual plan at $11.99 a month and Family at $19.99, each with the first month free for new subscribers. Spotify listed Premium Individual at $12.99 a month after a $0 first month, Duo at $18.99 and Family at $21.99.

Students pay the same on both: $6.99 a month. Spotify's student plan also includes Hulu, according to its Premium page.

Two more things change the maths. Apple Music is free for 3 months when you buy an eligible new Apple device, and it is part of Apple One, a bundle of Apple services that starts at $21.95 a month. Spotify has a Duo plan for 2 people at the same address, which Apple Music does not offer.

Does Apple Music have a free plan?

No. Apple's page does not describe a free Apple Music tier. A few radio stations, including Apple Music 1 and Apple Music Hits, play without a subscription, but you cannot pick songs or albums for free.

Spotify has a free, ad-supported service. Paying for Premium removes ads and adds offline listening, playing songs in any order with unlimited skips, and lossless audio. If you want to listen without paying anything, Spotify is the only option of the two.

Which sounds better?

Apple Music, on paper. Both include lossless audio on the standard paid plan, but Apple lists lossless up to 24-bit/192 kHz, while Spotify lists sound quality up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz.

There is a catch. Apple notes that its highest tier, Hi-Res Lossless, needs external equipment such as a USB digital-to-analog converter. Through normal Bluetooth headphones you will not hear that difference. Apple Music also offers Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos on thousands of tracks, which neither of Spotify's official pages we read mentions.

Which works on more devices?

Both work almost everywhere, with one gap each. Spotify has apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, a web player, mobile apps, and support for CarPlay, Android Auto and smartwatches.

Apple Music runs on every Apple device, from iPhone and Mac to Apple Watch, Apple TV 4K, HomePod and Apple Vision Pro. Outside Apple, it has an Android app, a Windows app in the Microsoft Store, a web player at music.apple.com, and support for Sonos, Alexa and Google Nest speakers. We found no Linux app, so Linux users would rely on the web player.

What extras do you get?

Spotify's main extra is audiobooks. Premium Individual includes 15 hours a month from its audiobook catalog. On Duo and Family, only the plan manager gets those hours, and the Student plan does not list them. Spotify also has social and discovery features such as DJ, daylist, Jam and Blend.

Apple Music's extras lean towards music itself. You get real-time lyrics with translations for some songs, Apple Music Sing for karaoke, and Apple Music Classical, a separate classical app included with Individual, Family and Student plans. Apple says its catalog has over 100 million songs.

Want to see other options too? Our guide to Apple Music alternatives covers Tidal, Amazon Music and YouTube Music, and we also compared Spotify vs YouTube Music.

Which should you choose?

• You do not want to pay: Spotify, the only one with a free plan.
• You own an iPhone, Mac or HomePod: Apple Music, which is built into Apple devices.
• You want the highest lossless resolution: Apple Music, up to 24-bit/192 kHz with the right equipment.
• You listen to audiobooks: Spotify Premium Individual, with 15 hours a month.
• You use Linux: Spotify, which has a Linux client.
• You share with one partner: Spotify Duo at $18.99 a month.
• You listen to classical music: Apple Music, with Apple Music Classical included.

FAQ

Is Apple Music cheaper than Spotify?

Yes, slightly. In the US, Apple Music Individual is $11.99 a month and Spotify Premium Individual is $12.99. Family is $19.99 on Apple Music and $21.99 on Spotify. Student is $6.99 on both.

Can I use Apple Music on Android or Windows?

Yes. Apple lists an Android app, a Windows app in the Microsoft Store and a web player at music.apple.com.

Do both have lossless audio?

Yes. Spotify Premium includes lossless up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz. Apple Music includes lossless up to 24-bit/192 kHz, though the top tier needs external equipment such as a USB DAC.

Does Spotify Premium include audiobooks?

Premium Individual, Duo and Family include 15 hours a month of audiobook listening in the US, for the plan manager on shared plans. Student does not list audiobook hours.