Best Music Streaming App

Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon and Google Play compared

By Ty Pendlebury

Disclaimer: CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of services featured on this page.  

Forget vinyl, forget CDs and even cassettes. Streaming is the future of music listening. It's cheap -- or even free -- and is more convenient than any physical format. Sound quality is a lock too: In some cases these services sound indistinguishable from a CD. 

While most advertise catalogs of over 40 million songs, that's the least interesting thing about them these days. Each has unique pros and cons besides how many songs you won't be listening to. This guide details the top music streaming options -- Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and Tidal -- as well as Google Play Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, to help you decide which one is worth your money.  

Our top choice: Spotify is the best for most people

Let's cut to the chase. While it's a close race between Spotify and Apple Music, Spotify wins our vote with a fun, easy-to-use interface, extensive catalog and the best device compatibility. Its freemium offering is also the best no-cost option, especially after a series of recent usability upgrades. 

Apple Music is a close second, however, in part because it's the only one of the "big four" with a digital locker to store your own songs. And if you own an Apple HomePod ($349 at Walmart), you will need this service if you want to summon music with your voice. 

In third place is Tidal, which is also worth a look if you are interested in the best audio quality. 

Google Play Music and Amazon Music Unlimited are in the game. While they didn't top our list, they each are worthy options for users with specific needs or requirements. For instance, if having YouTube Red's ad-free service is important to you, Google Play Music is thrown in for free. And Amazon offers a discounted Echo-only version of its service, which may tip the scales if you already have an Alexa-heavy household.

"Free" stalwart Pandora brings up the rear, but its on-demand service is still in its early days.

Before we get into the "why," a quick note on exclusive releases. They may seem like a big deal, but neither record companies nor consumers like them. Unless you're a big fan of, say, Jay-Z or Beyonce there is no real reason to switch to another service because of an exclusive release here or there. Get a Spotify subscription, for example, and buy the album in MP3 or even FLAC when needed.

And remember: These plans all offer free trial periods, and the default sign-ups are "no contract" options. So you're largely free to come and go as you please. Don't be afraid to try the waters of a rival service if you're not completely satisfied.

So here's what we think of the the top six music-streaming services, presented in alphabetical order. It's worth noting that all of these services will work on the major platforms: Android, iOS, PC and Mac. 

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