Spotify and Apple Music are two of the most popular music streaming services available right now. If you’re looking to subscribe to either one, here are some things you should know about the two platforms.
Each platform has its own strengths. Spotify, for instance, has the better interface. Meanwhile, if you’re heavily into the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Macbook, etc.), then Apple Music makes more sense.
In terms of music, Apple Music claims it has “over 100 million” songs on its platform, compared to Spotify’s “over 80 million.” The latter also has around 2.6 million podcast titles in the mix. Apple has a separate app for podcasts. Also, Spotify has integrated audiobooks into their platform, but it’s only available in the US at the moment.
Meanwhile, in terms of audio quality, Spotify goes all the way up to 320 kbps on very high setting. There’s been buzz about a HiFi tier, but its still not available at the time of this article. Apple Music, on the other hand, offers lossless audio and Spatial Audio in all their standard plans.
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Here are some other differences between Spotify and Apple Music.
| Spotify | Apple Music | |
| Plans | More diverse with Mini, Individual, Duo, Family, Student, and a free option | Only has three – Student, Individual, Family |
| Audio Quality | > Up to 160kbits/s on free > Up to 320kbits/s on Premium | > Up To Lossless Audio 24-bit/48 kHz > Up to Hi-Res Lossless Audio 24-bit/192 kHz > Spatial Audio |
| App Availability | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
| Playback | App, browser, gaming consoles, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay | App, browser, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay |
| Others | Also available on gaming consoles | Apple ecosystem |
The difference in prices of the Premium Plans for both services are close to each other, and pretty much negligible in my opinion. Take a look at the comparison table below.
| Plans | Spotify | Apple Music |
| Free | Free | NA |
| Mini | ₱7 /day | NA |
| Duo | ₱185 | NA |
| Student | ₱75 | ₱75 |
| Individual | ₱149 | ₱139 |
| Family | ₱214 | ₱219 |
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Spotify and Apple Music’s offerings have their own pros and cons. Whichever is best for you will entirely depend on what you’re more comfortable with and what music you’re into.
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