Skip to content
Alternatives.toolsSubmit a tool
Spotify logo

Free Spotify alternatives

Top Music Streaming like Spotify

The most popular alternative to Spotify is YouTube Music, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Spotify are Deezer, Amazon Music, Pandora, and SoundCloud.

Most alternatives to Spotify are in the Music Streaming category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Spotify alternatives
AllFree
6 apps

All Spotify alternatives

  1. YouTube Music is Google's music streaming service, combining official albums and singles with music videos, live performances, remixes and covers from YouTube. It builds personalized mixes from your listening and lets you upload your own tracks to your library. The free version is ad-supported and does not play in the background on mobile, while Premium adds background play, downloads and no ads.

    9 YouTube Music alternatives

    Pros

    • Huge catalog that adds remixes, covers and live versions from YouTube
    • Music videos and audio tracks live in the same app
    • Lets you upload your own tracks to your library

    Cons

    • Free version has ads and no background play on mobile
    • No dedicated desktop app, only the web player on computers
    • User videos mix with official tracks and can clutter search results
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
  2. Deezer is a French music streaming service with a large catalog, podcasts and Flow, an endless personalized mix that adapts to your taste. Premium plans remove ads, unlock offline listening and stream in lossless FLAC quality, and the apps include synced lyrics and song recognition. A free ad-supported tier is also available, with features that vary by country.

    9 Deezer alternatives

    Pros

    • Flow builds an endless mix tuned to your taste
    • Lossless FLAC streaming on Premium plans
    • Synced lyrics and built-in song recognition

    Cons

    • Free tier has ads and limits that vary by country
    • Offline listening requires a paid plan
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
  3. Amazon Music is Amazon's streaming service for music and podcasts. Prime members can listen to a large catalog in shuffle mode along with some on-demand playlists, while Amazon Music Unlimited is a separate subscription with full on-demand listening, HD and Ultra HD lossless audio and spatial audio. A free ad-supported tier is offered in some countries, and the service integrates closely with Alexa and Echo devices.

    8 Amazon Music alternatives

    Pros

    • Included with Prime for shuffle-based listening
    • Unlimited plan offers HD and Ultra HD lossless plus spatial audio
    • Tight integration with Alexa and Echo devices

    Cons

    • The Prime tier is mostly shuffle play with limited on-demand control
    • Full on-demand listening needs a separate Unlimited subscription
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
  4. Pandora is a US music streaming service built around personalized radio stations, based on the Music Genome Project's analysis of songs. Listeners shape stations with thumbs up and thumbs down, and can also play podcasts. The free tier is ad-supported, Pandora Plus adds offline stations and fewer limits, and Premium adds on-demand listening. Owned by SiriusXM, it is available only in the United States.

    8 Pandora alternatives

    Pros

    • Music Genome Project powers well-tuned personalized stations
    • Thumbs up and down make each station easy to shape
    • Free ad-supported tier to get started

    Cons

    • Available only in the United States
    • On-demand listening requires the top Premium tier
    • Free tier plays ads and limits skips
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
  5. SoundCloud is an audio streaming platform where independent artists, producers and DJs upload original tracks, remixes, mixes and podcasts alongside major-label catalog. Listeners can comment at specific moments in a track, follow creators and build playlists. Listening is free with ads; SoundCloud Go plans add offline listening and remove ads, and Artist plans give creators more uploads, statistics and distribution.

    9 SoundCloud alternatives

    Pros

    • Home to independent artists, remixes and DJ mixes found nowhere else
    • Timed comments let listeners react at precise moments in a track
    • Free listening, plus Artist plans with stats and distribution

    Cons

    • Free listening comes with ads and no offline mode
    • Audio quality is uneven since tracks are uploaded by users
    Cost / License
    FreemiumProprietary
    Categories
  6. Bandcamp is an online music store and community where independent artists and labels sell digital albums, vinyl, CDs and merch directly to fans, who can often choose to pay more than the minimum price. Most music can be streamed before buying, and purchases can be played in the app or downloaded in formats including FLAC, ALAC and MP3. The service is free to use and has no ads.

    7 Bandcamp alternatives

    Pros

    • Fans buy directly from artists and labels, often paying more than asked
    • Downloads in FLAC, ALAC or MP3 that you keep
    • Vinyl, CDs and merch sold alongside digital releases

    Cons

    • Not a subscription catalog: you buy music release by release
    • Mostly independent music, with little major-label catalog
    • Successive ownership changes raise questions about its future
    Cost / License
    FreeProprietary

Spotify vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Spotify, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Spotify vs its alternatives at a glance
AppPricingPlatformsCross-device syncLossless audioLyricsOffline listeningPodcasts
SpotifyFreemiumWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android
YouTube MusicFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
DeezerFreemiumWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android
Amazon MusicFreemiumWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android
PandoraFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android
SoundCloudFreemiumWeb, iPhone, Android

Spotify alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Spotify?

The most popular alternative to Spotify is YouTube Music: Google's music streaming app with songs, videos, remixes and covers. Other great alternatives are Deezer, Amazon Music, Pandora, and SoundCloud.

Is there a free alternative to Spotify?

Yes, 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including YouTube Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, and Pandora.

Is there an open source alternative to Spotify?

No open source alternative to Spotify is listed yet.

Is Spotify free?

Spotify has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.

Compare Spotify with its alternatives

Sponsored listings and products made by the publisher of this site are always labeled. How we rank · Know a good alternative? Submit it