4 best music playback services (2021): Spotify, Apple Music and compared

Music playback services they were largely defined by song libraries. For example, Taylor Swift might have been on Apple Music but not on Spotify, and Tidal was originally focused on hip hop. Today, these services have similar catalogs, offer millions of songs and playlists, and generally release new albums at the same time. You shouldn’t have much trouble finding any of your favorite artists in any of them.

What sets them apart today is the quality of music discovery (based on algorithms or human healing), the user experience in desktop and mobile applications, which devices you can use them with, and their sound quality. Most have free levels, but the experience is enhanced if you subscribe and pay a monthly fee. We tried them all, and these are our favorites. Be sure to check out our shopping guides, among others The best wireless headphones, The best wireless headphones, and The best cheap headphones.

Updated July 2021: We’ve rearranged options with new features, and also added a lossless audio format and slides that explain how to invent your needs.

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