{"id":1143,"date":"2022-10-25T09:17:24","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T07:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soundiiz.com\/blog\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2023-08-01T14:14:37","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T12:14:37","slug":"apple-music-vs-spotify-which-streaming-service-is-the-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soundiiz.com\/blog\/apple-music-vs-spotify-which-streaming-service-is-the-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple Music VS Spotify: which service is the best?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

*07\/28\/23 update: Spotify’s Premium prices have been changed<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone who listens to music every day has asked themselves the same question: what is the best streaming platform? Which one is the most suitable for my needs? We tested Apple Music and Spotify for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Apple Music VS Spotify: what\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If numbers could talk, and as Business Of Apps<\/a> points out, Spotify is used by almost twice as many people worldwide as Apple Music. Interesting, but numbers don\u2019t always tell us all we need to know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s often difficult to know how to choose without testing each service. We all like to have something to rely on, right? Especially if it’s a paid service! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, aren’t we always on the lookout for the deal of the century? And that’s where Soundiiz<\/a> comes in: we tested two of the most potent streaming platforms: Spotify<\/a> and Apple Music<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think there’d be little difference between Apple Music and Spotify. After all, unless you’re looking for a blues album from the 1920s, played by an unknown artist with only one record to his catalog and recorded in a bedroom with a rudimentary sound device – Soundiiz guarantees that such albums exist, we’ve seen everything since we’ve started our service in 2013<\/a> – it’s unlikely you won’t find what you’re looking for on either platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And to be honest, you might even find that exact album if you look hard enough, as the catalogs are so extensive. But it doesn’t mean the platforms are all the same. Quite the opposite to be correct. There are many other streaming platforms where you can find exactly what you\u2019re desperately looking for. And the good news is that they are almost all compatible with Soundiiz<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each one offers different options regarding sounds, technologies, subscription packages, and interface. There\u2019s a lot to know, but don’t panic: Soundiiz has navigated through each of these so that you can relax, kick your feet up and choose within minutes the best one for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let’s dive right into this comparison between Apple Music and Spotify. And we guarantee you’ll have a clearer picture by the end of this article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music VS Spotify: Audio Quality & Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s face it: Apple has done everything possible to knock out the competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music has developed its music compression tool to render music in high definition. While this is all quite technical and complex, let’s just say that Apple can offer its users the clearest and most faithful sound possible. Another option adds to that: spatial audio, via Dolby Atmos<\/a>, which allows for a feeling of total immersion, with sounds coming from all sides as long as your speakers are properly placed in your listening space. This may seem like a gimmick to most users, but audiophiles will no doubt appreciate the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Apple Newsroom<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Winner<\/strong>: Apple Music<\/em> \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technologies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best part? You don’t have to pay an extra fee, the technology is included in your subscription. Beware though, the Dolby Atmos option isn’t available for all songs and you’ll probably need top-quality audio equipment – speakers, headphones,… – to fully enjoy it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple has created an explanatory page<\/a> to help you understand this technology. Spotify on his side is still proposing the MP3 quality for your songs. Some time ago, the service announced the launch of HiFi, an option to use lossless technology and compete with the compression quality of Apple Music. But the release keeps being postponed, so much so that some people wonder if it will even exist one day. Especially since little information is leaking out about it<\/a>. Is Spotify doomed to lose the race for the best audio quality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music VS Spotify: User experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is probably the criteria where the differences are least significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple has based part of its strength on its ability to create an ecosystem revolving around its products. If you own a Mac, an Apple Watch, an iPhone, or other Apple products, using Apple Music will be all the more fluid and will allow you to easily connect your different tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If some songs are not available on Apple Music, but if you own them on CD – sometimes legal matters prevent some catalogs from being available on streaming platforms – you can import them to Apple Music. Pretty convenient.  This feature came from iTunes (which on what Apple Music is based on).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyrics and connections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music and Spotify also allow you to access the lyrics of the songs you listen to. Apple even lets you search for a song by its lyrics, in case you remember a chorus or parts of the verses but not the title. It’s also possible to share bits of texts directly on your social networks, generating a rather cool graphic layout. Spotify does not offer this option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One point of difference: “Spotify Connect” allows you to broadcast your music from one listening point to another if they are connected on the same WiFi network. For example, it is possible to play music on your speaker from your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Spotify Connect Support<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As far as the user experience and homepage are concerned, Spotify will be most relevant if you are a heavy podcast consumer. The homepage allows you to access them directly, whereas you’ll have to use a third-party app, as mentioned above, to listen to podcasts via Apple Music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The search function for songs and albums also seems more intuitive with Spotify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music Homepage<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Apple Music Web Guide<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Spotify Homepage<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Winner<\/strong>: Spotify<\/em> \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music VS Spotify: Catalogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The numbers keep growing year after year, but Apple Music boasts a larger catalog than Spotify. 100 million songs are available, compared to 82 million for its rival. It\u2019s both a lot and not very significant at the same time: it’s not common that songs are available on one service and not on the other, and between you and us, this information is almost impossible to verify. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This value is constantly changing as tens of thousands of new titles are added every week. And it would probably take more than a lifetime to count them all! The difference lies in the podcasts: Spotify offers four million of them, directly integrated into the application, while Apple forces its users to go through a third-party app, Apple Podcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner<\/strong>: Apple Music<\/em> \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music VS Spotify: Algorithms, Playlists & Radios<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many users point to Spotify’s superiority over the years. The reality is more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The algorithms of the two services work differently: Spotify is playlist-oriented. The algorithm generates playlists of dozens of songs based on the user’s listening habits. Above all, they are regularly renewed and rather faithful to your previous listening. There are even genre mixes or artists\u2019 mixes, which highlight groups or singers related to those you listen to the most. The algorithm is well-refined, to say the least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spotify uses “clustering technology”, a clever combination of several listening elements, which allows them to be as close to your tastes as possible. If you’re interested in reading more about it, the Analytics India Mag<\/a> site has published an interesting article<\/a> on the matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes, we get it, you’ve seen them pass by way too many times in your Instagram stories but the “Spotify Wrapped” is an interesting and interactive tool, which allows you to review the past year and then share your listening habits with your friends. It has become an \u00ab end-of-the-year classic \u00bb over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albums rather than Playlists<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music displays whole albums to listen to rather than playlists made up of different songs and artists. It is perhaps less “modern” in its approach, in an era where albums are less and less important, in favor of single songs that can be included in playlists. As with Spotify, the albums suggested by Apple Music are generally quite relevant. If you’re a big fan of Rap, it’s unlikely that Apple Music will suggest three albums of Brazilian music! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Apple Music is more oriented toward radio shows, some of which are available exclusively through the app. A nice feature: if you like a song broadcasted during a show, you can add it live to your playlist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soundiiz can also be useful if you want to transfer your playlists from Spotify to Apple Music<\/a>. Think about it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might want to transfer an Apple Music playlist to Spotify and vice versa: Soundiiz allows you to do this in seconds and even to keep them updated by using the playlist Synchronisation feature<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who wins? It’s impossible to decide. It depends on what you consume! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winner<\/strong>: Apple Music and Spotify<\/em> \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music VS Spotify: Price & Subscription<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Apple Music<\/a><\/em> prices in the USA in USD on july 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n