Deleting Spotify? These are the best alternatives – CNET

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James Martin/CNETNeil Young left Spotify last week in protest of the platform’s support for controversial podcaster Joe Rogan. As a result, artists* and listeners alike have vowed to boycott Spotify in solidarity. Are you also looking to delete the music app? Thankfully, there is a bounty of good music streaming services out there, and some are able to offer an even better deal than Spotify does. Check the table at the end of this article to see how they compare.
Whether you personally disagree with Rogan or you are leaving for other reasons — for instance, wanting better pay for musicians — if you’re looking for a Spotify alternative, here are your best options:
Qobuz is both an online store and streaming service
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If you’re looking for services that still offer Neil Young in particular, you can try Deezer, Napster, YouTube Music and Pandora Premium. In addition, SiriusXM has revived its Neil Young radio channel.
If you want to be able to transfer your music library from Spotify first, it’s best to sign up for Soundiiz. The service works with all the major streaming services, and a monthly subscription costs $4.50. Once your music is transferred, you can cancel the service if you wish.
*It’s worth noting that while Joni Mitchell announced she would pull her music from the service, it’s still available at the time this was published.
Amazon Music Unlimited | Apple Music | Qobuz | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube Music | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly fee | Prime members: $8, £8, N/A; Non-Prime members: $10, £10, AU$12; Echo-only service: Free, AU$5 | $10, £10, AU$12; Voice $5, £5, AU$6 | $13, AU$20 | $10, £10, AU$12 | HiFi: $10, £10, AU$15; HiFi Plus: $20, £20, AU$24 | $10, £10, AU$12 |
Free option? | Yes, with ads | No | No | Yes, with ads | Yes | Yes, with ads |
Free trial period | 30 days | 3 months | 30 days | 30 days | 3 months | 30 days |
Music library size | 75 million | 90 million | 70 million | Over 70 million | Over 80 million | Over 60 million |
Maximum bitrate | 256Kbps, 3,730 Kbps (HD) | 256Kbps, TBD | 6,971Kbps | 320Kbps | 1,411Kbps | 320Kbps |
Family plan? | Yes, $15, £15, AU$18 for up to 6 people | Yes, $15, £15, AU$18 for up to 6 people | Yes, $16.67, £16.67, AU$44.99 | Yes $16 per month, up to 6 | Yes, 50% off each additional account, up to 4 | Yes, $15, £15, AU$18 per month for up to 6 people |
Student discount | No | Yes, Price varies by country | No | Yes, $5, £5 with Hulu and Showtime | Student HiFi: $5, Student HiFi plus: $10 (US only) | Yes, $5 |
US military discount | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Offline listening | Mobile and desktop | Mobile only | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop | Mobile only | Premium and mobile only |
Radio stations | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Podcasts | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Music videos | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Music locker functionality | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |