In the modern era of technology, music streaming services have completely transformed how we access and relish music. Among the prominent contenders in this arena are YouTube Music and Spotify, which provide an extensive array of features and an immense music collection. However, YouTube Music vs. Spotify has always been debated in 2024.
In the context of music streaming platforms, YouTube Music and Spotify have emerged as two of the most widely used services in the present day. These platforms boast extensive libraries of songs, enabling users to enjoy their favorite tunes conveniently. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that notable distinctions exist between the two, which may shape your preference as a user.
This article briefly discusses the distinction between YouTube Music vs. Spotify.
YouTube Music Vs Spotify- A Detailed Comparision:
Swedish entrepreneurs Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon created Spotify, a well-known music streaming service. It appeared in Europe in 2008 and quickly gained popularity, amassing its first million users by 2011. It is currently one of the most popular music streaming sites.
On the other hand, YouTube Music is a music streaming service established by YouTube, which Google owns. It was first presented as YouTube Music Key in 2014 as a companion service for video streaming alongside Google Play Music. In 2018, it ultimately landed on YouTube Music after a series of rebranding initiatives.
Youtube Music vs Spotify 2023 has been a great topic of debate. Here’s a detailed comparison of both platforms to make your work easier.
1. User Interface:
YouTube Music and Spotify provide user-friendly interfaces, yet they have distinctive dissimilarities. YouTube Music boasts an aesthetically pleasing interface that strongly emphasizes music videos. Its homepage presents a beautiful amalgamation of tailored suggestions, trending music, and famous albums. The search bar facilitates effortless exploration of specific songs, artists, or albums.
On the other hand, Spotify adopts a more minimalist design that revolves around handpicked playlists and personalized recommendations. The user interface exudes a sense of clarity and intuitiveness, allowing seamless navigation within the application.
2. Free Plan Comparison:
Both music streaming services offer a freemium model business. That means a subscription is not necessary to use the platform. Both streaming services offer a free package but are full of ads and networks. If you want to listen to music without the ads, you must subscribe at a cost. We’ll discuss that later in the article.
Both services differ in their free plans. Here’s a detailed comparison table for you to choose the best among both.
| Features | Youtube Music Free Plan | Spotify Free Plan |
| Grants access to the entire content library | Yes |
Yes |
| Ad skips | After 5 seconds | No |
| Background play | Yes (Web player only) | Yes (All platforms) |
| Song skips | Yes (Unlimited) | Yes (Maximum of 6 songs/hour) |
| On-demand playback | Yes (All platforms) | Yes (Desktop and web player) |
| Offline streaming | No download option for songs or videos |
No download option for songs |
| Playback modes | Offers song mode and video mode | No video mode |
| Number of audio quality settings for desktop app | 2 settings: Low (48kbps) Normal (128kbps) |
4 settings: Automatic (depends on internet speed) Low (24kbps) Normal (96kbps) High (160kbps) |
| Number of audio quality settings for web player | 2 settings: Low (48kbps) Normal (128kbps) |
1 setting: Normal (128kbps) |
| Number of audio quality settings for mobile | 1 setting: Normal (128kbps) |
4 settings: Automatic (depends on internet speed) Low (24kbps) Normal (96kbps) High (160kbps) |
| Highest audio streaming quality | 128kbps | 160kbps |
Youtube Music presents enhanced flexibility to its non-paying users. So if you are unwilling to pay money to any music streaming platform, YouTube Music is good for you as it has a better free model than Spotify. Free Youtube Music provides the ability to skip ads, unlike Spotify. You can enjoy your music in various ways, be it through shuffle mode, queue-based listening, or curated playlists.
On the other hand, Spotify restricts playback solely to specific playlists. Additionally, you can’t skip every ad on Spotify. It has a limit of skipping ads to 6 per hour. That means you can skip only 6 ads per hour.
It is important to note that one main drawback of Youtube Music is the requirement to keep the mobile application open for uninterrupted listening. If you minimize the app, the song will stop. However, this constraint does not apply when utilizing the desktop application.
3. Pricing & Plans:
Regarding YouTube Music vs. Spotify pricing, both music streaming services offer almost the same subscription pricing. Here is a general overview.
YouTube Music provides a monthly subscription option of $9.99 for individual users. A family plan is also available at $15.99, accommodating up to six users. The family plan YouTube Music offers is one dollar cheaper than Spotify’s. Furthermore, YouTube Music presents a special student subscription priced at $4.99.
However, it is worth mentioning that Google presents an enticing option known as YouTube Premium, which caters to individuals with a habit of watching YouTube videos. This subscription comes at a higher monthly cost and encompasses the benefits of YouTube Music and YouTube Premium.
With YouTube Premium, users can bid farewell to ads while enjoying the ability to download YouTube videos and use background play functionality. This means that even if the app is closed or the phone screen is turned off, the audio of a video will continue playing uninterrupted.
For Spotify, the monthly subscription fee for individuals stands at $9.99. If you opt for the Duo plan, designed for two users, the cost increases slightly to $12.99 monthly. On the other hand, students can avail themselves of a discounted rate of $4.99 per month. Spotify offers a family plan for up to six accounts, priced at $15.99.
| Pricing Plan | YouTube Music | Spotify |
| Individual | $9.99/month |
$9.99/month |
| Student | $4.99/month | $4.99/month |
| Family (up to six people) | $14.99/month | $15.99/month |
| Duo (two people) | N/A | $12.99/month |
| Annual | $99/year | N/A* |
4. Sound Quality:
It’s time to discuss one of the most crucial aspects i.e. Youtube music vs Spotify sound quality. Audio quality holds paramount importance for music lovers. Spotify offers three distinct audio quality options: Normal (96 kbps), High (160 kbps), and Very High (320 kbps).
The Very High quality enhances the listening experience, particularly for individuals with high-fidelity audio systems.
On the other hand, YouTube Music offers two audio quality alternatives: Standard (128 kbps) and High (256 kbps). While both platforms deliver commendable audio quality, Spotify’s Very High option surpasses YouTube Music’s high music quality. Here’s the difference mentioned in tabular form.
| Spotify | Youtube Music | |
| Coding standards | AAC | AAC and OPUS |
| Low-quality mode | 24Kbps bitrate | 48Kbps bitrate |
| Normal quality mode | 96Kbps bitrate | 128Kbps bitrate |
| High-quality mode | 160Kbps bitrate | 256Kbps bitrate |
| Very high-quality mode | 320Kbps bitrate (Only available for Premium subscribers) | N/A |
5. Music Library:
Both Spotify and YouTube Music grant access to an extensive library of tens of millions of songs. In terms of quality, I have found that there isn’t a substantial difference between the two platforms.
They offer a comparable selection of my favorite songs and artists. While individual experiences may vary, especially based on personal preferences, popular and well-known artists are available on both platforms.
If we delve into numbers, Spotify boasts a collection of over 100 million songs. With over five million podcast titles, Spotify is a comprehensive platform for podcast enthusiasts. Whether the podcasts you enjoy are well-known or cater to niche interests, there is a high likelihood of finding them on Spotify. This eliminates the need for a separate app dedicated to podcasts if you are a Spotify user.
YouTube Music reportedly has an equally extensive catalog of tracks i.e. 100 million songs. The most noteworthy distinction in content lies in Spotify’s inclusion of a wide range of podcasts, while YouTube Music focuses primarily on music and music videos.
6. Offline Downloads:
Offline listening is a critical feature for customers who wish to listen to music on the go without an internet connection. The offline listening feature is available on both YouTube Music and Spotify. Spotify users can download songs, playlists, and albums for offline listening. This feature works even in the free plan Spotify.
Similarly, users can download music and videos for offline viewing on YouTube Music. However, offline listening on YouTube Music is only available to YouTube Premium users.
7. Music Discovery:
This is where the disparity between the two services becomes more evident. Spotify excels in music discovery, offering an impressive array of features. The famous “Discover Weekly” playlist, refreshed every Monday with 30 tracks, curates songs from artists and genres based on your listening preferences. Spotify generates up to six daily mixes tailored to your musical preferences based on your listening patterns.
Moreover, Spotify provides an extensive selection of charts, listing the most popular songs by country. With over 60 country-specific charts available, there is ample opportunity to explore music trends. Additionally, users can discover playlists curated by others as long as they are public.
In comparison, YouTube Music also offers several types of personalized playlists. The “Discover Mix” presents 50 lesser-known tracks weekly, allowing users to expand their musical horizons.
The New Release Mix focuses on the latest releases from your favorite artists, while a set of mixes tailored to your listening habits is also provided. The My Supermix combines songs from various genres you enjoy, delivering a compilation of 100 tracks.
YouTube Music Vs Spotify 2024: Which One Is Best For You?
Ultimately, the choice between Spotify and YouTube Music depends on individual preferences and specific needs in a streaming service. If podcasts are important to you, Spotify is the more suitable option. On the other hand, YouTube Music excels in algorithmic suggestions, making it a compelling choice for those who love to listen to new music.
In terms of pricing, both platforms offer similar subscription fees. While Spotify technically provides a higher bitrate, the distinction might not be noticeable unless you’re a particular music nerd.
Ultimately, it’s essential to consider personal priorities and requirements when deciding between these two services, as they each offer unique features and strengths that cater to diverse user preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some questions that many users ask regarding this topic.
Technically, Spotify offers a higher bitrate than YouTube Music. Spotify provides streams with a maximum bitrate of 320kbps, while YouTube Music’s highest bitrate is 256kbps. However, the bitrate difference is unlikely to be noticeable to most listeners, so it may not significantly impact the overall listening experience.
Regarding the number of songs, both platforms have an equal number of songs i.e. around 100 million. But Spotify has more podcasts as compared to Spotify.
Regarding the number of songs, both platforms have an equal number of songs i.e. around 100 million. But Spotify has more podcasts as compared to Spotify.
Conclusion:
That’s all about the comparison between Youtube music vs Spotify Premium. You can see the differences in the user interface, sound quality, pricing, and other factors and choose the one best suits you. Let us know in the comment section which one you like and why.
