Apple providers have not all the time remained locked contained in the walled backyard. In truth, Apple first made a reputation for itself within the shopper tech house with the iPod and iTunes, which have been each appropriate with Home windows PCs along with Macs. Apple Music is following go well with, because the music streaming service is now extensively out there on platforms like Android, Home windows, Google TV, and ChromeOS. There’s additionally an online app for Apple Music that may be accessed on just about any gadget.
I have been a fan of Apple Music because it was known as Beats Music earlier than the Apple acquisition. Since then, the music streaming service continued to win me over, including options like Dolby Atmos and lossless audio assist whereas protecting costs low. I’ve acknowledged that Spotify and YouTube Music have been higher choices for Android customers prior to now, however it’s getting tougher and tougher to make that argument.
The place Spotify is falling brief
Spotify is the most important music streaming service, with over 700 million month-to-month energetic customers and roughly 281 million subscribers as of 2025. It is a music streaming large in each sense, with over 100 million songs out there for listening and downloading. Spotify can be extremely costly, with the corporate’s most up-to-date value hike elevating costs by a greenback or extra throughout all of its subscription tiers.
Spotify was already one of many costlier streaming providers. The platform’s particular person plan now prices two {dollars} extra per thirty days than the likes of YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Tidal. Amazon Music Limitless is $1 cheaper month-to-month for everybody and $2 cheaper for Prime members. It is a comparatively small premium to pay, however over time, the additional prices add up.
Folks usually flock to Spotify for its glorious algorithms and proposals. The platform’s social options, together with the well-known Spotify Wrapped expertise, are one other interesting facet of the service for followers. I are inclined to view these extras as each a blessing and a curse. Whereas they’re typically neat, others are pointless — like Spotify DMs — and add bloat to an already-overloaded music app.
I might ignore them, however the bigger concern right here is that Spotify is paying somebody to develop and keep these options. If my music streaming invoice is $2 increased every month in order that my music app is cluttered with one other messaging inbox, I will not be completely satisfied.
What about YouTube Music?
If Spotify is out, YouTube Music seems like the following wise possibility for Android customers. YouTube Music is a streaming service that is laborious to evaluate, primarily as a result of it’s bundled with YouTube Premium for $13.99 per thirty days. Whilst you can subscribe to YouTube Music Premium individually for $10.99 month-to-month, the YouTube Premium bundle is actually the higher worth. With that being stated, YouTube Music Premium is an excellent perk of subscribing to YouTube Premium, however it struggles to face by itself.
Those that thought Spotify was bloated is likely to be much more disillusioned with YouTube Music. It now serves as Google’s main distribution channel for podcasts, cluttering the app. It’s also possible to discover audiobooks on YouTube Music, for the reason that platform faucets into the YouTube database. This comes with advantages and disadvantages — yow will discover area of interest content material that is not out there wherever else, however you may also be distracted by it.
YouTube Music’s willingness to cram synthetic intelligence into the app is not inspiring for music purists, both. Most lately, it started testing AI-generated backgrounds for lyric playing cards. A lot of YouTube Music’s AI instruments, together with this experiment, come off as pointless.
The massive cause YouTube Music’s standing as a critical music streamer is unsure is its low music high quality. I will be the primary to confess that lossless high quality is pointless with out the best gear. Nonetheless, YouTube Music’s mere assist for as much as 256kbps AAC or Opus is missing even by lossy requirements. It simply is not ok, particularly when it is lacking Dolby Atmos too.
For those who already deliberate to subscribe to YouTube Premium and are content material with what YouTube Music Premium affords without cost, by all means, hold utilizing it. It is a superb add-on to YouTube Premium. However till the streamer’s sound high quality and music options enhance, it is not possible for me to suggest it as a standalone subscription.
Apple Music shines, even on Android
Then there’s Apple Music, a totally featured, noncontroversial music streaming app for Android. The service prices simply $10.99 per thirty days whereas providing hi-res, lossless audio as much as 24-bit/192 kbps (sure, that is increased high quality than Spotify). There’s additionally Dolby Atmos assist, so you possibly can take your choose of a lossless or immersive audio format.
Crucially, the app helps each function Android customers care about, together with Google Solid.
I like that the Apple Music app is not suffering from pointless AI options or different media, like podcasts or audiobooks. It is all about music. There’s a stunning quantity of customization out there, because the app permits customers to handle animations, lyrics, listening historical past, quantity normalization, crossfade, and audio high quality.
Better of all, Apple Music helps importing libraries from YouTube Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and Tidal. For those who’re sticking with Spotify regardless of the worth hike over fears of shedding your library, concern not.
I have been a loyal Apple Music person for a decade and possibly will not ever change. I am unable to say it is the very best music streaming service for everybody. Nonetheless, it does supply the very best music high quality and have set for the worth level ($10.99/mo). For those who’ve prevented the streaming service as a result of it is hosted by Apple, you is likely to be lacking out.
A steal
Apple Music affords hi-res lossless audio, Dolby Atmos assist, and extra for a similar value as YouTube Music and two {dollars} cheaper than Spotify per thirty days. It is absolutely supported on Android, Home windows, and the net, making it a succesful possibility — even for these exterior the Apple ecosystem.
