By
ChesterUpdated on February 10, 2025
Summary
This Review shows the best music streaming services in 2025, and compare Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, and YouTube Music in terms of their pros and cons.
As the way we listen to and enjoy music is becoming increasingly digitized, music streaming services have become a important part of our daily lives, and with so many options to choose from, it can be challenging to determine which service is the best for you. Here is a comprehensive review of the best music streaming services in 2025, comparing Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, and YouTube Music, along with their pros and cons.
CONTENTS
Apple Music
Apple Music is a music streaming service offered by Apple Inc. that provides access to millions of songs, playlists, and radio stations. It was launched in 2015 and has since become one of the most popular music streaming services worldwide. It offers a personalized experience with features such as personalized playlists, radio stations, and recommendations based on the user's listening history.
Apple Music is available on various devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Android devices. The service can be accessed through the Apple Music app, which is available for download from the App Store or Google Play. It also provides high-quality audio and seamless integration with Apple devices, making it a popular choice among music lovers. Whether you're a fan of pop, hip-hop, classical, or any other genre, Apple Music has something for everyone.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Extensive library of songs, podcasts, and music videos
Personalized playlists and radio stations
User-friendly interface
High-quality audio
Good integration with Apple devices
Cons
Limited free version
Can be more expensive than other services
Subscription Plans
- Individual Plan: This plan costs $9.99 per month and provides access to the full Apple Music library.
- Family Plan: This plan costs $14.99 per month and allows up to six people to access Apple Music using a single subscription.
- Student Plan: This plan costs $4.99 per month and is available to college students.
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Tips:
Songs downloaded from Apple Music can't be transferred to other devices, and they stop working if your subscription ends. To keep your playlists forever or play them on any device, you need to
convert Apple Music to MP3.
UkeySoft Apple Music Converter makes this easy by downloading songs in batches, converting them to DRM-free MP3 files with original quality, so you can enjoy your music anywhere, anytime.
Spotify
Spotify is a popular music streaming service that provides access to a vast library of songs from various genres and artists from around the world. It was launched in 2008 and is now available in over 90 countries. Users can listen to music on Spotify for free with ads or upgrade to the premium plan for ad-free listening, unlimited skips, and offline playback. The premium plan also offers higher audio quality options.
Spotify also offers personalized recommendations and playlists based on a user's listening habits, as well as curated playlists and radio stations. The platform has also expanded into the world of podcasts, offering a wide range of exclusive and third-party content. It has a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to search for and discover new music. It also offers social features that allow users to share music and playlists with friends, follow other users, and see what their friends are listening to.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Extensive library of songs and podcasts
Personalized playlists and algorithm-based recommendations
Social features for music sharing
Affordable pricing
Good integration with devices and smart speakers
Cons
Limited high-quality audio options
Limited podcast options
Subscription Plans
- Free plan: The free plan allows users to stream music with limited features and occasional ads.
- Premium Individual Plan: This plan costs $9.99 per month and provides ad-free streaming, unlimited skips, and offline listening.
- Premium Family Plan: This plan costs $14.99 per month and allows up to six people to access Spotify using a single subscription.
- Premium Student Plan: This plan costs $4.99 per month and is available to college students.
- Premium Duo Plan: This plan costs $12.99 per month and is designed for two people living at the same address.
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Tips:
Are you using Spotify for free but still want to download songs for offline listening? Don’t worry! Here’s an easy solution: try
UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter. This powerful tool lets you
download Spotify songs without a Premium subscription, saving them as standard MP3 files on your device. With it, you can enjoy offline listening anytime without the need for expensive Premium plans!
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is a music streaming service offered by Amazon. It is available to Amazon Prime members and Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers. The service offers users access to a large music library, personalized playlists, and a range of additional features. It allows users to stream music on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, smart speakers, and smart TVs. The service offers a library of over 75 million songs, making it one of the largest in the industry. Users can also access playlists curated by Amazon Music editors and personalized playlists based on their listening habits.
Amazon Music can be controlled using voice commands with Amazon's smart assistant, Alexa, making it convenient to use. The service also offers Hi-Res audio quality for those who want a premium listening experience. Amazon Music Unlimited is ad-free, ensuring uninterrupted listening.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Extensive library of songs and podcasts
Integration with Alexa
Affordable pricing
High-resolution streaming options
Cons
Limited social features
Limited personalization options
Subscription Plans
- Amazon Prime Music: This is a free service for Amazon Prime members, offering access to a limited number of songs, playlists, and radio stations.
- Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan: This plan costs $9.99 per month and provides access to the full music library, unlimited skips, and ad-free listening.
- Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan: This plan costs $14.99 per month and allows up to six people to access Amazon Music Unlimited using a single subscription.
- Amazon Music Unlimited Student Plan: This plan costs $4.99 per month and is available to college students.
- Amazon Music Unlimited HD Plan: This plan costs $14.99 per month and provides access to Hi-Res audio quality.
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Tips:
Did you know there's more than one way to download music from Amazon Music? Beyond using the official app, here’s an extra tip: you can easily download songs, playlists, and albums from Amazon Music with
UkeySoft Amazon Music Converter. This powerful tool supports Amazon Music Prime, Unlimited, and HD, allowing you to convert tracks to high-quality MP3 files. Enjoy offline listening on any device, anytime!
Tidal
Tidal is a music streaming service that was launched in 2014 by Norwegian company Aspiro. It is a high-fidelity streaming service that focuses on providing users with the highest-quality audio experience possible with offering a wide range of music genres, including hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock, and electronic music.
One of the main features of Tidal is its high-fidelity audio quality, which offers users a lossless, CD-quality streaming experience. This makes Tidal particularly attractive to audiophiles and music enthusiasts who prioritize high-quality audio. Tidal also offers exclusive content, including music videos, documentaries, and interviews with popular musicians. The service also features editorial content, such as articles and playlists curated by Tidal's team of music experts.
Pros and Cons
Pros
High-quality audio options
Exclusive content, such as live performances and music videos
Personalized playlists and recommendations
User-friendly interface
Cons
Limited library compared to other services
More expensive than other services
Subscription Plans
- Tidal HiFi: This plan costs $19.99 per month and provides access to Tidal's entire music library in high-fidelity audio quality, which offers lossless, CD-quality audio.
- Tidal Family: This plan costs $14.99 per month for Tidal Premium and $29.99 per month for Tidal HiFi, and allows up to six family members to use the service.
- Tidal Student: This plan costs $4.99 per month for Tidal Premium and $9.99 per month for Tidal HiFi, and is available to students with a valid student ID.
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Tips:
Can you keep listening to Tidal music after downloading it? Sadly, no. If you cancel your Tidal HiFi or HiFi Plus subscription, all your downloaded songs will become inaccessible. To enjoy Tidal music offline without limits, try
UkeySoft Tidal Music Converter. It lets you convert Tidal tracks to MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, WAV, and AIFF, so you can save them permanently on your computer and listen anytime, anywhere.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is a music streaming service offered by YouTube, the popular video sharing platform. Launched in 2018, it allows users to stream music from a vast library of songs and music videos, including official music videos, live performances, and remixes.
YouTube Music offers personalized playlists and recommendations based on a user's listening history, as well as curated playlists by YouTube's team of music experts. It also offers a range of additional features, such as the ability to search for songs based on lyrics, and the ability to download music for offline listening.
One unique feature of YouTube Music is its integration with YouTube. Users can seamlessly switch between watching music videos and listening to audio-only tracks, without having to switch apps or platforms. This makes it a convenient choice for those who enjoy watching music videos as well as listening to music.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Vast library of songs, music videos, and live performances
Personalized recommendations based on listening habits
Good integration with YouTube
Cons
Limited high-quality audio options
Limited social features
Subscription Plans
- YouTube Music Free: This plan is free but includes ads and limited features.
- YouTube Music Premium: This plan costs $9.99 per month and provides ad-free access to YouTube Music's entire music library, the ability to download music for offline listening, and background play, which allows users to listen to music while using other apps.
- YouTube Music Premium Family: This plan costs $14.99 per month and allows up to six family members to use the service, each with their own personalized account.
- YouTube Premium: This plan costs $11.99 per month and includes ad-free access to YouTube Music, as well as ad-free video streaming on YouTube, offline playback, and exclusive content.
- YouTube Premium Family: This plan costs $17.99 per month and allows up to six family members to use the service, each with their own personalized account.
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Tips:
YouTube Music lets Premium users download songs for offline listening, but they can only be played in the app. With
4kFinder YouTube Music Converter, you can download and
convert YouTube Music playlists/albums to MP3 without needing Premium subscription. After conversion, you can enjoy your music offline on any device, like a smartphone, tablet, or music player, without being limited to the YouTube Music app. This gives you full control over your music, so you can listen whenever and wherever you want!
Deezer
Deezer, a French streaming service launched in 2007, became available worldwide in 2012, gaining a strong reputation for its high-quality audio. The service offers CD-quality/FLAC streaming and supports 360 Reality Audio at the HiFi level for $14.99 per month. Alternatively, you can use the free tier with ads or subscribe to the premium plan for $9.99. Wondering how it works with your device? Deezer provides a helpful guide for HiFi users to sync with other devices, ensuring you can enjoy FLAC-quality audio wherever you go.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Deezer offers a free plan with ads and some restrictions
Over 120 million tracks available
Includes exclusive videos and content
Launched HiFi audio quality in January 2022
Many users find Deezer's interface easier to use than other streaming apps
Cons
The free plan has a smaller catalog and many ads
You can't upload MP3 files via the mobile apps
Live radio streams can't be rewound
Deezer doesn't support Alexa or Google devices
Subscription Plans
- Free Tier: Ad-supported with limited features and fewer offline options.
- Premium Plan: $9.99/month for ad-free listening, offline access, and better audio quality.
- Family Plan: $14.99/month for up to six accounts, ideal for families or groups.
- Student Plan: $4.99/month for all the Premium benefits at a discounted rate for students.
- HiFi Plan: $14.99/month for CD-quality audio (FLAC) for the best sound experience.
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Tips:
If you’re new to Deezer, you can enjoy a free trial for one or three months. During this period, you’ll have access to premium features and can download music for offline listening. However, once the trial ends, those downloads will no longer be accessible. To keep your favorite songs forever, try
UkeySoft Deezer Music Downloader. This tool allows you to download Deezer tracks, playlists, and albums, converting them to MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, WAV and AIFF. With it, your music remains yours permanently and available offline anytime!
Pandora
Pandora has been around since 2000 and maintains a large user base compared to its competitors. Back then, it was known as a streaming radio platform dedicated to music discovery and organic recommendations based on listener taste. Since then, Pandora has adapted to compete with other music streaming apps.
Compared to the competition, Pandora does a good job of keeping things affordable. You can enjoy the classic free experience or subscribe to Plus for $4.99 per month or Premium for $9.99. In exchange, you get a fairly complete streaming experience with ad-free skips and stations, offline listening, and even playlist features. It may lack high-fidelity audio, but it’s still a great platform for discovery and radio-like listening.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Free, ad-supported option with personalized stations
Flexible plans: Plus ($4.99/month) and Premium ($9.99/month)
Premium users can download music for offline listening
Offers podcasts alongside music
Compatible with phones, tablets, and smart speakers
Cons
Free tier has lots of ads and limited skips
Lower audio quality unless on Premium
Only available in the U.S
Subscription Plans
- Studio Premier: $12.99/month for unlimited Hi-Res audio streaming with access to a large library of high-quality tracks.
- Studio Sublime: $179.99/year for Hi-Res streaming plus discounts on track and album purchases, ideal for music enthusiasts.
- Duo Plan: $17.99/month for two accounts, each with separate profiles and personalized music.
- Family Plan: $17.99/month for up to six accounts, perfect for families, with individual profiles for each member.
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Tips:
With a Pandora Plus account, you can download music for offline listening, but you're limited to three stations and can't choose specific songs. However,
UkeySoft Pandora Music Converter lets you download Pandora's full catalog, including songs, albums, playlists, and podcasts, and save them permanently in MP3 format on your computer. This way, you can enjoy Pandora's music anytime, anywhere, on any device without restrictions.
Here is a comparison table of the music streaming services
|
Audio Quality
|
Price
|
Free Trial Period
|
Offline Listening
|
Ad-Free
|
Apple Music
|
256 kbps AAC |
$9.99/month |
3 months |
Yes |
Yes |
Spotify
|
Up to 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis |
$9.99/month |
1 month |
Yes |
Yes |
Amazon Music
|
Up to 3730 kbps FLAC (Amazon Music HD) |
$7.99/month (Prime members) or $9.99/month (non-Prime members) |
3 months (Prime members) or 30 days (non-Prime members) |
Yes (Amazon Music Unlimited) |
Yes |
Tidal
|
Up to 1411 kbps FLAC |
$9.99/month (Premium) or $19.99/month (HiFi) |
30 days |
Yes(HiFi) |
Yes |
YouTube Music
|
Up to 256 kbps AAC |
$9.99/month (Premium) or $14.99/month (Family) |
1 month |
Yes |
Yes (Premium) |
Deezer
|
Up to 1411 kbps FLAC |
$9.99/month (Premium) or $14.99/month (HiFi) |
1 month |
Yes |
Yes |
Pandora
|
Up to 192 kbps AAC |
$12.99/month |
1 month |
Yes |
Yes |
Conclusion
This article highlights seven major music streaming platforms, detailing their differences and unique features. Each platform offers its own strengths and benefits, making the choice depend on your preferences. Once you’ve found the one that fits your needs, you can follow the downloading tips provided here to easily save your favorite music for offline listening anytime, anywhere!
Best Music Streaming Services
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