Pandora alternatives
Top Music Streaming like Pandora
The most popular alternative to Pandora is Spotify, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Pandora are Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud.
Most alternatives to Pandora are in the Music Streaming category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All Pandora alternatives
Spotify is a streaming service for music, podcasts and audiobooks, known for personalized playlists such as Discover Weekly and its recommendation features. The free tier is ad-supported with some playback limits, while Premium removes ads, allows offline downloads and includes lossless audio. Spotify Connect lets you move playback between phones, computers, speakers, TVs and cars.
9 Spotify alternativesPros
- Strong personalized playlists and recommendations, like Discover Weekly
- Spotify Connect hands playback between phones, speakers, TVs and cars
- Free ad-supported tier and apps on nearly every platform
Cons
- Free tier has ads and playback limits, especially on mobile
- Podcasts and audiobooks crowd the interface for music-only listeners
- Offline downloads require a Premium subscription
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesApple Music is Apple's subscription streaming service with a large catalog, curated playlists, live radio stations and time-synced lyrics. Subscriptions include lossless audio and Dolby Atmos spatial audio at no extra cost, and the service works with Siri, the iCloud Music Library and Apple devices. It is also available on Android, Windows and the web, with a free trial for new subscribers.
9 Apple Music alternativesPros
- Lossless and Dolby Atmos spatial audio at no extra cost
- Time-synced lyrics, live radio and curated playlists
- Deep integration with Siri and Apple devices
Cons
- No free tier beyond the trial
- Best experienced on Apple devices, with other platforms feeling secondary
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesAmazon 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 alternativesPros
- 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 / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesYouTube 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 alternativesPros
- 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 / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesFeaturesSoundCloud 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 alternativesPros
- 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 / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesDeezer 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 alternativesPros
- 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 / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesTIDAL is a music streaming service focused on sound quality, streaming in lossless and hi-res FLAC as well as Dolby Atmos. It offers curated playlists, music videos and detailed artist credits, and integrates with many hi-fi systems and network streamers. TIDAL no longer has a free tier: a single paid plan includes every audio quality level, and new users can start with a free trial.
9 TIDAL alternativesPros
- Lossless and hi-res FLAC streaming included in a single plan
- Detailed artist credits and curated playlists for music fans
- Works with many hi-fi systems and network streamers
Cons
- No free tier, only a trial before the paid plan
- Music discovery features are less developed than on Spotify
- No official desktop app for Linux
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesQobuz is a French music service focused on high-resolution audio, streaming in lossless and hi-res FLAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz. Alongside streaming it runs a store for buying hi-res album downloads, and adds editorial content such as reviews, liner notes and digital booklets, with a catalog known for its classical and jazz coverage. There is no free tier, but paid plans can be tried for free first.
8 Qobuz alternativesPros
- Lossless and hi-res FLAC streaming aimed at audiophiles
- Store for buying hi-res album downloads
- Reviews, digital booklets and a strong classical and jazz catalog
Cons
- No free tier, only a trial
- Personalized recommendations are less developed than on bigger services
- No podcasts, unlike most mainstream rivals
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategories
Pandora vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Pandora, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Lyrics | Offline listening | Podcasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pandora | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||
 Spotify | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android | |||
 Apple Music | Free trial | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android | |||
 Amazon Music | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android | |||
 YouTube Music | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||
 SoundCloud | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android |
Pandora alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Pandora?
The most popular alternative to Pandora is Spotify: Music, podcast and audiobook streaming with personalized playlists. Other great alternatives are Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud.
Is there a free alternative to Pandora?
Yes, 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud.
Is there an open source alternative to Pandora?
No open source alternative to Pandora is listed yet.
Is Pandora free?
Pandora has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare Pandora with its alternatives
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