Spotify alternatives: a comparison of 6 streaming services

Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services, and makes it possible to listen to songs both online and offline. Using Spotify, users can stream DRM-protected music online or download it for later listening.

The Swedish online company has offered its music streaming service since 2006 – and it’s now available in more than 60 countries. It follows the so-called freemium model: The basic services are free, but the full version is available only with the purchase of a paid subscription – it offers many additional features that the free version does not.

Many Spotify alternatives also use this freemium business model, where you’re required to purchase a subscription in order to smoothly use services both online and offline. Music on streaming services is generally available for offline listening with a subscription.

Music streaming services have long since established themselves on the market, and there are many free alternatives to Spotify. Which Spotify alternative is ideal for you fundamentally depends on your personal requirements. Not all streaming services offer the same range and functions. In the following, we present six different streaming services.

If you’re looking for a free alternative to Spotify and don’t have a problem with advertisements, then Last.fm is the perfect music platform for you. This Spotify alternative can be used completely for free. Based on the songs in the playlist, Last.fm will independently search for music recommendations that match the listening habits of the user. It also displays recommendations for concerts taking place in the area. If you would like to use Last.fm without ads, you have to pay around £3 per month. In terms of price, Last.fm is a good alternative to Spotify.

Cheap membership isn’t the only attractive feature that Last.fm offers. It also shows what the majority of Last.fm users are listening to at the moment. With the scroll function, you can simply browse through the displayed songs until you discover something new. Last.fm also offers functions for exploring bands of various genres from other decades. You can specify two categories for the search: genre and year. With just a few clicks, you can create a small playlist with the most popular songs of the chosen genre and decade.

The website also offers a world map where you can see what is currently being listened to in different countries, and which songs are the most popular where.

SoundCloud is not only a music streaming service, but also a podcast streaming platform that has a particular draw for as-yet unknown artists. There, you can upload your own songs and share them with others.

This Spotify alternative can also be used on all popular iPhone and Android devices. If you want to listen to your favorite songs offline as well, then you have to subscribe to the SoundCloud service called SoundCloud Go+.

SoundCloud promotes the world’s largest music streaming catalogue. With a subscription, you get complete access to songs offered by the streaming service.

The music streaming service from Apple, similar to Spotify, has more than 30 million titles available. With Apple Music, it’s possible to follow artists and ‘like’ as well as comment on entries – a clear advantage in comparison to Spotify. Apple Music isn’t only available for Apple devices, but can also be used on Windows and Android. The service is free for the first three months.

All subscriptions for the streaming services presented here are paid by the month and can be canceled at any time. This way, you can easily switch to another streaming service if its offer seems more enticing. Many of the streaming services are also an interesting alternative to Spotify due to their student and family subscriptions.