The best Music apps played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of the modern smartphone. Many people who loved their iPods switched to the iPhone because it made it easy to move their huge collection of iTunes downloads, which often went back more than ten years. Around the same time, a lot of people now prefer Android phones for their mobile needs, which offer a lot of great music-listening options.
There are many great music apps for Android phones that can meet all of your audio needs while you’re on the go. Whether you’re carefully curating the perfect playlist, letting streaming services guide your musical journey, or listening to your favorite podcasts, you can do it all. Below we have mentioned the best music apps.
What to Look for in a Music App?
There are a few important things to keep in mind when you’re looking for a music app, whether you want to stream music, listen to your own library, or make your own music. These are some things you should look for in a music app:
🎵 Libraries: The number of songs and types of music in the libraries are very important. Make sure the app has a huge library of music from artists and genres you like.
🎧 Audio Quality: Make sure the app lets you stream music in high quality. A lot of music streaming services let you choose between higher bitrates and lossless audio.
📲 Offline Listening: If you want to listen to music when you’re not online, find an app that lets you save songs or playlists to listen to later.
🖥️ User Interface (UI): An UI that is well-thought-out and easy to use can make listening to music a lot more enjoyable. Find an app that fits your needs and has an easy-to-use interface.
🎨 Customization: You can make the app more fun and fit your tastes by making playlists, changing your library, and customizing the music suggestions that come up.
Best Music Apps Comparison Table
The table below shows how the best music apps compare in terms of their most important features and benefits. It helps users make smart decisions by letting them compare things like library size, offline listening, custom playlists, and price, so they can find the best music app for their tastes and needs.
| Feature | Spotify | Tidal | Apple Music | YouTube Music | Qobuz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music Library | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive | Extensive |
| Sound Quality | Good | High | Good | Variable | High |
| Offline Playback | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Tier | Yes (with ads) | No | No | Yes (with ads) | No |
| Premium Pricing | $9.99/month | $9.99/month | $9.99/month | $9.99/month | $9.99/month |
| Family Plan | $14.99/month | $14.99/month | $14.99/month | $14.99/month | $14.99/month |
| Hi-Res Audio | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Exclusive Content | Limited | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Podcasts | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | No |
| Offline Downloads | 10,000 songs | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Spotify
Features
- Extensive music library with millions of tracks.
- Personalized playlists and recommendations.
- Free tier with ads and premium subscription for ad-free listening.
- Collaborative playlists for sharing music with friends.
- Podcast integration.
- Offline listening for premium users.
Spotify has the best algorithms for finding new music and the smoothest, fastest user interface. Based on what I already liked and listened to on the app, it led me down rabbit holes to find new artists and old favorites. You can change the low-quality 96-Kbps streaming bit rate on the free tier, which comes with ads, to 160 Kbps.
For an extra $10 a month, the Premium plan gets rid of all the ads and lets you stream at up to 320 Kbps, which is the standard these days. The company says that a lossless Spotify HiFi tier is coming soon, but there is still no launch date, even though it was announced two years ago. Overall, this is one of the best Music Apps you can download now.
Pros
- Vast music library with millions of songs.
- Personalized playlists and recommendations.
- Free tier with ads available.
- Cross-platform compatibility.
- Collaborative playlists.
Cons
- Limited offline downloads for free users.
- Audio quality may be lower for free users.
- Ads can be intrusive on the free tier.
Tidal
Features
- High-fidelity audio quality (lossless and HiFi tiers).
- Extensive catalog of music and exclusive content.
- Offline downloads for offline listening.
- Music videos and exclusive artist interviews.
- Curated playlists and editorial content.
- Family and student plans available.
For a while now, Tidal and Apple Music have been switching places in our list of the best music services for audiophiles. Apple Music added a lossless quality tier last year, so Tidal raised the quality of Premium (now called HiFi) from 320 kbps to 1411 kbps, the same as Apple Music’s lossless tier. Now the differences are very small.
Yes, Tidal HiFi Plus works with Dolby Atmos Music and 360 Reality Audio. You can even play some tracks at “Master” quality (up to 9,216 Kbps), but not many of them. Tidal has added something new to the HiFi Plus level that they call “Direct Artist Payouts.” Overall, this is one of the best Music Apps you can download now.
Pros
- Exclusive content and early releases.
- Curated playlists and editorial content.
- Offline downloads for all subscribers.
- Lossless audio streaming.
Cons
- More expensive than most other streaming services.
- Smaller music library compared to Spotify and Apple Music.
- Limited free tier with fewer features.
- Limited international availability.
Apple Music
Features
- Integration with Apple’s ecosystem (iOS, macOS, Siri).
- Large music library and exclusive releases.
- Personalized playlists and radio stations.
- Offline listening and music video support.
- iCloud Music Library for syncing personal music.
- Family sharing and student pricing.
When it came to lossless quality, Apple Music was our top pick until Tidal came along and beat it. If you’re an Apple fan, though, it’s still a great option at $10 a month. The sound streams at 1411 kbps for some songs. Apple now has more than 100 million songs in its library, and all of them can be downloaded in lossless format. You can also get some songs in Dolby Atmos. The regular, lossy format on Apple Music streams songs at up to 256 Kbps, which isn’t very different from Spotify’s 320 Kbps. Overall, this is one of the best Music Apps you can download now.
Pros
- Extensive music library.
- Human-curated playlists and radio stations.
- Lossless audio quality at no extra cost.
- Family sharing plan available.
Cons
- Limited Android support.
- User interface can be less intuitive for some.
- No free ad-supported tier.
- Limited social features.
YouTube Music
Features
- Access to music videos and official tracks.
- YouTube Premium integration for ad-free experience.
- Personalized playlists and recommendations.
- Offline downloads and background listening.
- Integration with YouTube for additional content.
- Free and premium tiers available.
The interface for YouTube Music is sleek and easy to use. It doesn’t try to look like Spotify, and I like how the song list and lyrics appear in a vertical window inside the app. This makes it easier to move around and faster. It’s also simple to go from listening to a song to watching the music video, if there is one.
If you told YouTube exactly where you were, it would suggest music to you, which could be creepy. In the most recent updates to YouTube Music, that feature is no longer there. However, you can still choose to see suggestions for popular songs based on where you are. Thus, this is one of the best Music Apps you can download now.
Pros
- Integration with YouTube for music videos.
- Large music library.
- Personalized recommendations.
- Free tier available with ads.
Cons
- Limited audio quality options.
- Some content may not be available due to licensing.
- Less user-friendly interface compared to competitors.
- Ads can be intrusive on the free tier.
Qobuz
Features
- Hi-res audio quality and lossless streaming.
- Extensive catalog of high-quality tracks.
- Editorial content and artist information.
- Offline listening for on-the-go enjoyment.
- Unique feature for purchasing and downloading music.
You don’t need a hardware MQA decoder to listen to Qobuz’s high-resolution audio streams like you do with Tidal, which is its main competitor. That makes it a lot more useful. These songs sound great on both an Android phone and a high-end music system. There isn’t any Dolby Atmos music on Qobuz, but there aren’t many “immersive” songs on other services either. Overall, this is one of the best Music Apps you can download now.
Pros
- Extensive catalog of lossless and Hi-Res audio tracks.
- Editorial content and music reviews.
- Offline downloads for all subscribers.
- Cross-platform compatibility.
Cons
- Relatively high subscription cost.
- Limited international availability.
- No free ad-supported tier.
How to Choose the Best Music App for You?
Choosing the best music app for you depends on your personal preferences, needs, and the devices you use. With numerous options available, it’s essential to consider several factors before making a decision. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you choose the best music app for your needs:
📱 Compatibility with Platforms: Make sure that the music app works with the devices you have. Most music apps are available for iOS and Android, but if you need to, you can also look at desktop and other platforms.
🎵 List and library of music size: Check out how big and varied the app’s music library is. Some apps have huge libraries with lots of rare tracks and independent artists, while others may focus more on mainstream hits.
🔊 Sound Quality: If sound quality is important to you, check out how different apps stream sound. Premium subscribers to some services can get higher bitrates and better sound quality.
📶 Listening While Offline: Make sure the app lets you download music when you’re not connected to the internet if you want to listen to music when you’re not online. Check to see how many songs or playlists you can download at a time.
🖥️ The user interface and the experience: Check out how the app works and what it can do. A design that is easy to use and makes sense can greatly improve your experience.
FAQs
When it comes to picking a service, Apple Music and Spotify Premium are tied, but Spotify is still the best music streaming service overall. This is because it has a fun and easy-to-use interface, a large catalog, and works with the most devices.
Spotify is thought to have more than 11 million artists and creators on its platform right now. As of Q2 2023, 551 million people use Spotify every month. Out of those, 220 million are paid subscribers. 29% of Spotify’s monthly active listeners are in Europe.
