Since most music streaming companies offer free one-month trials, it’s easy to sign up or switch between services to give different ones a try without paying for it. But with all the options out there—and there are many—how do you pick the right one? Here’s a look at the big players, their various tiers and costs, and what they offer.
Spotify
Tiers and pricing: Spotify’s free offerings aren’t too bad if you don’t mind lots of ads—and you’re listening on desktop.
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Pros: A 70-million song library with good sound quality, well-curated playlists, and a robust selection of podcasts. A decent social tool that shares music with friends. Good algorithmic recommendations for new music.
Cons: The free mobile version of Spotify is even more limited than the desktop version, with sparse on-demand song selection and too many ads. The options for organizing a large personal library of saved music are extremely limited.
Free trial: Spotify offers a 90-day trial at a reduced cost of $9.99 ($3.33 per month). Students get 50% off Premium for up to 4 years, and there’s a $12.99/month “duo” discount for two people living together.
Amazon Music
Tiers and pricing: There is an array of tiers for Amazon Music, though they are a tad confusing.
Pros: Amazon Music Unlimited has a library of 75 million lossless high-definition songs, as well as curated playlists, podcasts, and personalized stations. Music HD is the cheapest high-definition service on the market, with seven million tracks available in 24-bit “Ultra HD.”
Cons: The free options are limited to a puny collection of two million songs. Lots of people find the interface clunky and the recommendations to be less effective than other services, nor does Amazon Music offer fun social features like Spotify Wrapped.
Free trial/discounts: Currently, you can get a free four-month trial of Amazon Music Unlimited. There is also a discount for students, who pay $4.99/month.
Apple Music
Tiers and pricing: Apple Music costs $9.99/month, or $14.99/ month for a family subscription for up to six people. There is no free service.
Pros: A large library of 75 million that’s easily accessible across all of your devices. For many users, it’s a convenient way to carryover their old iTunes library with access via iCloud. It has some cool features like uploadable songs and a look-up tool that helps you find songs based on their lyrics. High-def “lossless” audio is coming this month at no additional charge.
Cons: People complain about the overly complicated interface, particularly for the mobile version of the app. There’s a social tool, but it’s weak. And that lossless audio? You might have trouble taking advantage of it without buying new headphones.
Free trial/discounts: In partnership with Best Buy, Apple Music is offering a six month trial. College students can subscribe for $4.99/month.
Pandora
Tiers and pricing: Pandora’s free option will take you back to the days when you actually listened to the radio.
Pros: Good recommendations if you’re looking to discover new music, as the service is more like a live radio station. It also has the ability to find music based on 450 different attributes.
Cons: An ugly interface; the audio quality varies, and its highest quality setting is inferior to what other competitors offer. You have to get the Premium tier if you want to make your own playlists.
Free trial: Pandora offers a 90-day trial. Students get 50% off, and people in military service get 20% off.
Tidal
Tiers and pricing: There’s no free option for this former Jay-Z-backed streaming joint.
Pros: The biggest draw is Tidal’s ability to integrate with high-end audio devices that are capable of utilizing its lossless music feature. It also offers a lot of visual content like music videos, documentaries, and live performances.
Cons: It’s expensive, and the features (aside from sound quality) aren’t anything special. The interface is decent, but doesn’t stand out compared to other services in the market.
Free trial: Discounted plans for families, students, and members of the military are available. The service offers a free one-month trial.
