Deciding between YouTube Music Premium, Apple Music, and Spotify might seem challenging in 2024 because each of the three services has something special to offer. All these platforms cater to different kinds of users and your choice would depend on the type of music experience you want. Here’s how they compare.
YouTube Music Premium vs Apple Music vs Spotify
YouTube Music Premium
YouTube Music Premium worked great for me across both audio and video content. Where it differs from the competition however is in its unique integration with YouTube, making it easy to switch between music videos and audio without missing a beat. Since the library of this service has an enormous amount of official tracks, remixes, live performances, and even user-generated content that is perfect if you are a fan of rare or unofficial music.
It comes with an advanced search feature that lets you search songs by lyrics, description, or even mood. Offline downloads and ad-free listening on YouTube Music Premium play a big role here, as does background play if you like to watch music videos. YouTube Music Premium is priced at INR 119/month in India, which is good value for money taking into account the YouTube Premium bundle as well.
Apple Music
Apple Music has been hailed for its high-quality audio. Apple Music is quickly becoming a must-have service for audiophiles, thanks to Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio. They get access to 100M+ songs along with exclusive releases, as well as curated playlists and radio shows.
Apple Music seamlessly integrates with the Apple ecosystem, making it the best choice for users deeply invested in Apple’s devices. Features like iCloud Music Library and Siri integration allow for a personalized experience across all Apple devices. Additionally, Apple Music supports offline playback and has a clean, intuitive interface. In India, Apple Music is priced at INR 99/month for individuals, with family and student plans also available.
Spotify
With its robust algorithms, Spotify still dominates in terms of personalization and music discovery. With the combo of Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes, and Release Radar. It’s easy to find great new music. With more than 80 million songs on the platform and a reputation for being user-friendly and having a lot of podcasts, this is much more than just an ordinary music streaming service.
Spotify offers offline listening, a slew of curated playlists and it plays well with both Android and iOS. Unfortunately, unlike Apple Music, Spotify does not support lossless audio which could be a turn-off to some audiophiles. Spotify Premium starts at INR 119/ month for an individual and has family, duo, and student plans as well.
