Apple companies have not all the time remained locked contained in the walled backyard. In reality, Apple first made a reputation for itself within the client tech area with the iPod and iTunes, which have been each appropriate with Home windows PCs along with Macs. Apple Music is following swimsuit, 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 machine.
I have been a fan of Apple Music because it was referred to 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 help whereas preserving costs low. I’ve acknowledged that Spotify and YouTube Music have been higher choices for Android customers previously, however it’s getting tougher and tougher to make that argument.
The place Spotify is falling quick
Spotify is the biggest 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 also 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 dearer streaming companies. The platform’s particular person plan now prices two {dollars} extra per 30 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.
Individuals sometimes flock to Spotify for its glorious algorithms and suggestions. 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 likely 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 preserve these options. If my music streaming invoice is $2 greater every month in order that my music app is cluttered with one other messaging inbox, I will not be pleased.
What about YouTube Music?
If Spotify is out, YouTube Music appears like the subsequent smart possibility for Android customers. YouTube Music is a streaming service that is exhausting to evaluate, primarily as a result of it’s bundled with YouTube Premium for $13.99 per 30 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 could be much more upset with YouTube Music. It now serves as Google’s main distribution channel for podcasts, cluttering the app. You too can discover audiobooks on YouTube Music, for the reason that platform faucets into the YouTube database. This comes with advantages and downsides — you’ll find 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 not too long ago, it started testing AI-generated backgrounds for lyric playing cards. Lots of YouTube Music’s AI instruments, together with this experiment, come off as pointless.
The massive purpose YouTube Music’s standing as a severe 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 proper gear. Nonetheless, YouTube Music’s mere help for as much as 256kbps AAC or Opus is missing even by lossy requirements. It simply is not adequate, particularly when it is lacking Dolby Atmos too.
If you happen to already deliberate to subscribe to YouTube Premium and are content material with what YouTube Music Premium provides without cost, by all means, hold utilizing it. It is a wonderful add-on to YouTube Premium. However till the streamer’s sound high quality and music options enhance, it is not possible for me to advocate it as a standalone subscription.
Apple Music shines, even on Android
Then there’s Apple Music, a completely featured, noncontroversial music streaming app for Android. The service prices simply $10.99 per 30 days whereas providing hi-res, lossless audio as much as 24-bit/192 kbps (sure, that is greater high quality than Spotify). There’s additionally Dolby Atmos help, so you may take your choose of a lossless or immersive audio format.
Crucially, the app helps each characteristic 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. If you happen to’re sticking with Spotify regardless of the value hike over fears of dropping your library, worry not.
I have been a loyal Apple Music consumer for a decade and possibly will not ever change. I can not say it is one of the best music streaming service for everybody. Nonetheless, it does supply one of the best music high quality and have set for the value level ($10.99/mo). If you happen to’ve averted the streaming service as a result of it is hosted by Apple, you could be lacking out.
A steal
Apple Music provides hi-res lossless audio, Dolby Atmos help, and extra for a similar value as YouTube Music and two {dollars} cheaper than Spotify per 30 days. It is absolutely supported on Android, Home windows, and the online, making it a succesful possibility — even for these outdoors the Apple ecosystem.
