The best music streaming services compared

Remember the days of mixed tapes in the '90s?

Well, we've come a long way since then!

With an ever-growing number of music streaming apps vying for our attention, we navigate the Australian music streaming scene to uncover the top platforms to elevate your listening experience.

As we delve deeper, we'll be scrutinising the key factors that define an exceptional music streaming platform: price, library size, user interface, offline listening capabilities, compatibility, sound quality and more.

Note: Retail prices and available content described below are determined by the relevant third-party service provider and are based on information available on each website as of Tuesday 24 October 2023. For current plan details, available content, pricing and full terms and conditions, please visit each service provider’s website.

Spotify

Spotify is the giant of music streaming and offers a plethora of features across its free and Premium tiers.

Where it excels is in offering personalised playlists and boasting an extensive library of over 82 million songs and 3.6 million podcasts.

Premium users enjoy ad-free streaming, offline downloads, and even global access. Plus, you can share the musical love with friends via Spotify Duo or your household with Spotify Family. It also makes seamless integration with social media easy and quick!

It's no wonder Spotify tops the charts for music variety, extra features, user-friendly interface and overall satisfaction.

Price: free or $12.99 per month for Premium Individual.

YouTube Music

The place where videos meet tunes!

YouTube Music certainly has its benefits. It allows you to follow your favourite creators, and enjoy personalised playlists like 'Up Next' and discover similar tunes with 'Related.'

It also offers direct connection into the original YouTube database and a well-renowned algorithm for personalisation.

It's available worldwide with ads, but you can silence those with premium subscriptions.

The best part?

You can enjoy both audio and video music, complete with features like background play.

Price: Free or $13.99/month for Music Premium Individual.

Amazon Music

While Amazon Music might not be a household name in Australia yet, it boasts something unique – HiFi Audio Quality at no extra cost. Studio-level sound quality right in your ears!

Amazon Music has three levels of membership: Free, Prime and Unlimited.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you get Amazon Music Prime included in your membership giving you access to all the ad-free music, among other perks.

Amazon Music plays nicely with Alexa, making it a breeze to crank up your favourite tunes around home.

Price: Free, included with Prime or $12.99 per month for an Individual Unlimited membership.

Apple Music

If you're in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Music is the easy option.

Seamlessly sync your audio collection from iTunes and enjoy HiFi audio with built-in Siri to keep the party going.

While premium sound quality comes at an extra cost, it's worth every penny for those regular listeners.

Apple Music's vast artist lineup ensures you'll find just what you're looking for. It's a Spotify alternative that's hard to beat, especially for Apple aficionados!

Price: $12.99 per month for an Individual membership.

SoundCloud

Remember SoundCloud from the early days?

It's been a pioneer in helping new artists share their creations, including remixes.

You’ll find music on here that you can’t find anywhere else!

But what really sets it apart is the social vibe. Like, share, and comment on songs, creating a unique community experience.

Unlike other apps, SoundCloud lets you engage with the music you love. And with premium subscriptions, you can enjoy an ad-free jam session.

Plus, if you're feeling creative, SoundCloud allows you to collaborate and remix to your heart's content!

Price: Free or $5.99 for SoundCloud Go or $11.99 for SoundCloud Go+.

Just like in the world of music streaming, telco services also offer a world of possibilities.

Don't be confined to one option.

At Tangerine, discover the freedom of no lock-in contracts, mobile plans with a range of flexible data options and incredible value.

Get ready to groove to your own beat!