Spotify vs Apple Music vs YouTube Music: Which music streaming platform is your best bet?

Music, as the saying goes, is medicine for the soul. When speaking with individuals about their personal experiences with music, they often express how it has played a vital role in helping them overcome heart-wrenching situations such as heartbreak, self-pity, depression, and regret. For some, it was their best friend when they had no one else to turn to.  

Choosing the right music and catalogue to lift your mood can be challenging. Finding the perfect streaming platform with your preferred options is even more daunting.

Music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music have been trying to cater to the individual preferences of their listeners over the years. They employ organic and inorganic algorithms to personalise music recommendations, putting themselves in the shoes of their users. 

They also add unique features to keep users engaged on their platforms. This approach helps them curate music specific to their users while enticing them to return for more.

This article will provide you with a comprehensive comparison of Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music. We will explore what each platform offers, their similarities and differences, subscription fees, and how they cater to streamers. 

By the end, you will have all the information you need to decide on which music streaming service best suits your needs. Hopefully, we can help you choose the one you want.

Read also: Spotify’s Afrobeats Celebration: Where music meets the hearts of influencers, media, & music fans

Prices

As for the price options of each platform, see the table below:

Spotify

Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services worldwide, for some, it is the world’s most popular music streaming service. 

The platform is known for its extensive library, which includes over 82 million tracks across various genres. The streaming platform offers users an engaging, personalised experience through features like “Discover Weekly” and “Release Radar,” which curate music based on your listening habits. 

Its simple, user-friendly interface allows you to navigate easily across the platform and create custom playlists. Its algorithmic playlists have become a fan favourite, allowing listeners to discover new artists and tracks effortlessly.

In addition to its vast music library, Spotify also hosts an array of podcasts covering topics ranging from entertainment to education. The platform’s support for podcasts has made it a one-stop destination for audio content. It also offers collaborative playlists, allowing you to create and share playlists with friends, fostering a social music experience.

Personally, Spotify’s algorithm suggestions and the ability to maintain a playlist for hours with only a few skips are soothing. However, a major turnoff is that those who opt for the free version are forced to listen to ads in between playlists.

Its social integration makes it easy to share your favourite tracks on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Whether you’re looking for a personalised music journey or a way to share your taste with friends, Spotify offers a well-rounded experience.

Read also: Looking for simple ways to subscribe for Spotify or Apple Music in Nigeria? Here are 3 easy options.

Apple Music

Apple Music is a little bit different, and it’s grown a lot since it was launched a few years ago. With over 100 million songs in its catalogue, the platform stands out for its exclusive content, offering early releases and albums from top artists that may not be available elsewhere. 

Apple Music also provides curated playlists and radio stations, such as Beats 1, that cater to a variety of tastes. Honestly, the platform’s UI is pretty clean, with simple, logical controls that only take a few minutes to learn

One of the biggest draws of the platform is its seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Apple users can easily sync their music library across devices, control music with Siri voice commands, and access music on their Apple Watch or HomePod. This level of integration ensures a smooth and consistent experience across all your Apple devices.

Similar to Spotify, Apple Music’s family plan allows up to six family members to share one account, making it a cost-effective option for families. The platform also offers lossless and spatial audio, enhancing the overall listening experience with high-fidelity sound.

A major drawback of the platform is the absence of collaborative playlists that allow users to share, thus eliminating the social component that both YouTube Music and Spotify have.

Additionally, it costs $1 more per month than Spotify.

YouTube Music

Google has done an excellent job of combining YouTube Music with regular YouTube to offer one of the best-value streaming plans available and making it a compelling choice.

The platform combines the best of YouTube’s vast video library with a comprehensive music streaming service. The platform’s unique offering includes music tracks, music videos, live performances, and user-generated content. This makes it a top choice for those who enjoy watching music videos or discovering lesser-known artists.

As well as eliminating ads, one of YouTube Music’s standout features is its smart downloads, which automatically download songs for offline listening based on your preferences. This feature allows you to download music for offline listening and play music in the background or after locking your phone. You can get a free one-month trial to test it out.

Read also: Google Podcasts shutdown: creators to migrate to YouTube Music before July

Personally, the user interface is a beauty for me, with its capturing yet simplistic colours of black and red. It’s almost an allure at first glance.

This ensures you always have access to your favourite music, even without an internet connection. Additionally, the platform’s “Explore” tab helps you discover new music and playlists tailored to your tastes.

The platform also integrates well with YouTube’s main app, allowing easy transitions between watching videos and listening to music.

In day-to-day use, YouTube music does fine. You can search for music, add it to playlists and your library, and engage with stuff just like the others. There are curated and collaborative playlists that help you find new music.

You can also surf YouTube and add music to your playlists that you can’t find on other services. An example is user-uploaded concerts. There is just more on YouTube Music.

Which streaming platform is best for you?

In summary, each platform has its strengths and caters to different preferences. All three platforms offer a vast selection of music, podcasts, and playlists. They provide offline listening and ad-free experiences with premium subscriptions.

Spotify is excellent for discovering new music and podcasts. The platform is familiar, comfortable, easy to use, and gets the job done, perhaps more so than any other music service.

Apple Music is perfect for those invested in the Apple ecosystem. It is easily the best choice of the three for audiophiles, and the UI has gotten a lot better as well.

YouTube Music is ideal for music video enthusiasts. YouTube Music is the best value, but as with all value-oriented things, there are some corners cut to make it that way. If you are looking to get the best value from these three, you can stop now. Spotify and Apple Music don’t come close.

However, consider your specific needs and preferences when choosing the right music streaming service for you.