Free and Cheaper Alternatives to Spotify - Top 15

Part 1. Free Spotify Alternatives- Top 3

Looking for a free alternative to Spotify? Check out the following list of Spotify-like software to listen to music without a subscription.

#1. Bandcamp

When it comes to Spotify alternative for free, some people think Bandcamp is the best one. In fact, Bandcamp users have come to refer to the app as the "anti-Spotify" in recent years. Spotify relies on third-party advertising for revenue and uses a complex formula to calculate artists' royalties. But Bandcamp does not collect any personal data from users and lets artists set their own prices. Unlike Spotify, Bandcamp also allows anyone to submit tracks to the platform.

If you have a passion for supporting independent artists who make quality music, then you'll enjoy using Bandcamp. This Spotify alternative without ads certainly has an exhaustive list of features and a good user experience for an app that doesn't use paid advertising. You can pre-order new albums before they become available, download files for offline listening, and see new live music streams every day.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Ad-free
● User-friendly privacy policy
● The purchase goes directly to artists

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● You cannot create your own library
● You can only offline listen to your purchases and on mobile only
● The purchase goes directly to artists

💰 Pricing:

● Free

🎺 Sound quality:

● 128 kbps, MP3, FLAC or Ogg Vorbis format

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️

#2. Music Up

Music Up is one of the simplest Spotify alternatives, and although it's a bit simple, it's very easy to use. It's a web-based service with genre-style radio "stations" that are basically just playlists of varying lengths. But it has a karaoke version, so no matter what you say, it belongs on that list.

One thing we really like is that the playlists are divided into different activities such as "Open Road", "Exercise", "Relaxation and Recreation", etc. You can even create your own collaborative rooms with other users and vote on the next song in the list.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Activity-tailored stations
● Karaoke version

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Limited stations
● Not many features

💰 Pricing:

● Free

🎺 Sound quality:

● 256kbps

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️

Part 2. Cheaper Alternatives to Spotify- Top 12

Now, let's take a deeper look at the following cheaper alternatives to Spotify.

#1. Slacker

Slacker (also called LiveXLive) is like Spotify in more ways, which makes it easy to transition from Spotify. It is one of the best music streaming alternatives to Spotify. If you're in the US or Canada, you'll love this app. It gives you access to over 20 million songs and endless features to enhance your music listening experience.

First, it is available on Roku, Android, and iOS, which means that you have a wide variety of devices you can use to listen to your songs. In fact, more devices than Spotify will allow you. Secondly, Slacker allows you to create albums, genres, songs, or artists. However, unlike Spotify, Slacker uses artificial intelligence to predict what songs you'll like to listen to based on your choices and previous history.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Supports offline playback
● Informative DJs
● Unlimited skips
● Live ESPN Radio broadcasts
● No advertising

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● No crossfade feature
● No Family plan

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Radio Plus - $3.99/month
● Premium - $9.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● 320Kbps(Plus, Premium)

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#2. Deezer

The main reason you are seeking alternative to Spotify premium is probably because you live in a country where Spotify is not available. If this is the case, then Deezer is the best Spotify alternative for you. As Deezer can be accessed from 189 countries around the world. It is available in more countries than any other known music streaming service. This makes it a prime choice for frequent travelers or those looking to move abroad.

Deezer will give you access to over 90 million songs with lots of great features to enhance your listening experience. But this will cost you $10.99 per month for the premium plan to get CD-quality songs. If you are a student, then you will only need to pay $5.99 per month for the basic version, which is a huge discount.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Available in many countries
● A growing library of popular podcasts
● Users can create custom radio stations
● Ad-free, offline playback
● Lyrics available

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Very similar to Spotify

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Premium - $10.99/month
● Family - $17.99/month
● Student - $5.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● Free: 128 kbps MP3
● Premium: 1411 kbps FLAC

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#3. Google Play Music

Google Play Music is a major player in the music streaming industry. It means that this list would not be complete without mentioning the Google Play Music app as best alternative app for Spotify. If you have an up-to-date Android device, then you already have this app pre-installed. The app gives access to more than 40 million songs from all over the world in different languages.

To use this app, everyone has an affordable plan that you can purchase. One of the main advantages of the Google Play Music app is that you can use it to play the audio versions of all your YouTube videos. This gives you access to millions of podcasts, eBooks, discussions, and even YouTube videos that are available in audio only.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Good audio quality
● Links to YouTube videos
● Handy music locker

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Annoying setup
● No lyrics

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Unlimited - $9.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● 320 kbps, MP3 format

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️

#4. Amazon Music

Amazon Music is another alternative to Spotify that has invested heavily in the music streaming industry. With the Amazon Prime app, you can access a huge library of movies, podcasts, TV shows and Amazon Prime Music. That's more than Spotify offers. In addition, you'll have access to millions of Audible audiobooks. That means you'll have more content than any other music streaming service has to offer.

If you are already an Amazon Prime subscriber, then Amazon Prime Music is free. However, if not, you must pay $14.99 per month as your Amazon Prime Music subscription to enjoy the service. Surprisingly, there are many download tools available in the market today such as AudFree Amazon Music Downloader to download Amazon songs locally without a subscription.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Provides HD, ultra HD, and 3D audio
● Offline listening with unlimited skips

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Available to a limited number of countries
● Doesn't have much depth in user experience

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Amazon Unlimited - $10.99/month
● Amazon Prime membership - $14.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● Standard: 320 kbps
● HD: FLAC format up to 1411 kbps
● Ultra HD: FLAC format up to 9216 kbps

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#5. JioSaavn

If you want to listen to endless streams of music in exotic languages on a music streaming service, then JioSaavn is the best choice for you. This app allows you to listen to millions of songs from all over the world in English, Hindi and many other languages. With 50 million songs from all over the world, you will never get bored with this application.

Furthermore, the app lets you enjoy 90 days free trial, which is the longest of any paid music streaming service. If you subscribe to this app, you can download an unlimited number of songs for offline listening. One of the advantages of this app is that it is available for both iOS and Android operating systems.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Large music collection
● Offline listening
● Lyrics available

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Annoying setup
● No podcasts
● Has annoying ads

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Pro - Rs. 99/month; Rs. 999/year

🎺 Sound quality:

● Free: 320 160 kbps
● Paid: 320 kbps

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️

#6. Apple Music

Apple Inc. was the company that made music streaming possible when they introduced the iPod and iTunes in the early 2000s. As such, it means that Apple Music is one of the most important players in the music streaming industry. Apple Music gives you access to over 50 million songs whether you are using an iOS device or an Android one.

It doesn't have a free version, but this cheaper alternative to Spotify premium does give you a free three-month trial before you subscribe. It has a student version for just $5.99 for college students around the world, a premium version for $10.99 that opens up all features, and a family plan for $16.99 that allows up to six members of a family to use the same premium account.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Has better sound quality than Spotify Premium
● Offline playback, lyrics available
● Has a CarPlay mode to play safely while driving

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● The interface is not immersive

💰 Pricing:

● Voice - $4.99/month
● Student - $5.99 /month
● Individual - $10.99/month
● Family - $16.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● AAC format up to 256 kbps
● ALAC up to 24 bits/192 kHz

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#7. Pandora

It will be a crime to talk about best alternative to Spotify without mentioning Pandora. It is one of the oldest music streaming services in the world, founded in 2002, almost half a year before the birth of Spotify. Because of its history, it is better known as an online radio station than a music streaming service.

With over 75 million subscribers, Pandora has clearly been doing something right. For just $9.99 a month subscription, you get access to millions of songs.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Lyrics available
● Display artist tour and ticket information
● Offers insightful album commentary

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Lacks Hi-Res audio tracks
● Intrusive listening requirement with a free tier

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Plus - $4.99/month
● Premium - $9.99 /month

🎺 Sound quality:

● Low: 32 kbps AAC+
● Standard: 64 kbps AAC+
● High: 192 kbps MP3

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#8. Grooveshark

If you are looking for a free Spotify alternative, the Grooveshark app is also an option. But wait, it is not entirely free, right? There are two versions of this music sharing app, the free version and the paid version. Just like Spotify, the free version has ads and limited features.

However, this app offers you a chance to discover songs that are not available in many other music streaming services. That's because musicians love it and often use it to share their songs, some of which haven't been picked up by the mainstream media.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Larger music catalog
● Direct customer support
● Available anywhere

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Many tracks are mislabeled
● Questionable legality

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● VIP - $3/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● 320kbps

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#9. SoundCloud

If all you want is the ability to never listen to the same songs twice in the next decade, then SoundCloud is your best Spotify alternative. SoundCloud has over 200 million tracks from artists across the world. This means that you have access to more songs that you can listen to in your lifetime. If you are a student, this app offers huge discounts just like Apple Music. And you can take advantage of these discounts to keep enjoying your best songs whenever you want.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Ad-free and offline playback
● Has wonderful discovery features
● Has unlimited song skips on mobile

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Cannot find popular artists' full discographies
● Some songs are not available in some countries
● Premium plans are only available in a few countries

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● SoundCloud Go - $4.99/month for web/Android; $5.99/month for iOS
● SoundCloud Go+ - $9.99 /month for web/Android; $12.99/month for iOS

🎺 Sound quality:

● Free: 128 kbps
● Premium: 320 kbps MP3

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#10. Tidal

Tidal is the home of hip-hop music and a nice alternative to Spotify premium. Owned by hip-hop heavyweights like Jay-Z and his wife Beyoncé, you can expect more from this app. The app has over 50 million songs from all genres, not just hip-hop. It's also known for offering the highest quality of songs, just as the artists themselves like it. If the highest sound quality is what you want, then this is your best bet outside of Spotify.

By the way, if you find the Tidal subscription fee a bit expensive, you can use third-party tools, like AudFree Tidal Music Downloader, to download Tidal music locally for offline playback whenever you want without the Tidal app.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Offer CD-quality and high-res audio
● Music videos also available
● The interface is intuitive and modern
● There are playlists imported from Spotify, Deezer, etc.

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● HiFi Plus plan is a bit expensive

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● HiFi - $9.99/month
● HiFi Plus - $19.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● FLAC format with up to 1,411 kbps (HiFi)
● MQA format with up to 9,216 kbps (HiFi Plus)

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#11. YouTube Music

Music industry surveys and studies often conclude that YouTube is the first place people go to listen to music online. So, why is YouTube Music in the second tier? Largely because of Google's poor track record of maintaining long-term support for such services. YouTube Music is just the latest in a long line of Google Music services that users may feel Google has burned them too many times.

In terms of content, YouTube sometimes offers surprising examples of music content that you won't find on Spotify. But YouTube's podcast offerings don't even come close to Spotify's. YouTube Music, however, does a better job with music videos.

😊 What are its benefits:

● An all-in-one video and music app
● Cheaper than Spotify
● Ad-free, offline listening

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Don't have sound quality tiers
● The free plan cannot lock the phone without music being interrupted

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Premium - $9.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● Standard/Free: 128 kbps, AAC format
● Premium: 256 kbps, AAC format

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#12. Qobuz

Qobuz is both a digital music store and a high-end streaming service. Its HD streaming plans are cheaper than Tidal's and don't require a specialized decoder. If you're looking for a Spotify alternative for the "big" streaming companies, this is your best bet.

Qobuz even focuses on Hi-Res, offering a subscription service for lossless music only. Thus, the entire catalog can be found on the platform, at least in CD quality. However, as Qobuz is associated with the availability of high-resolution music, its catalog is narrower in some places than that of larger providers such as Spotify and Apple Music.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Has music magazine
● Lots of information about music
● Associated download shop

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Few extras
● No recommendation algorithm

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● Studio Premier Solo - $12.99/month
● Studio Premier Duo - $17.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● FLAC 24-Bit up to 192 kHz

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#13. iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio is one of the most memorable names in all of music streaming services. iHeartRadio has one of the main advantages of live radio. For example, you can stream a New York Yankees baseball game on ESPN Radio through the iHeartRadio mobile app on your Android or iOS device.

iHeartRadio has a huge selection of radio stations, news, podcasts, talk shows, and of course music playlists by genre. They even have some cool partnerships with artists like Usher who hosts the iHeartRadio Music Awards. You can listen to iHeartRadio without creating an account, but you'll have to put up with the ads. If you upgrade to the paid version, you can enjoy unlimited skips, offline listening, and the ability to save your playlists.

😊 What are its benefits:

● Informative news articles and event listings
● Many live and curated artist streams
● Available for podcasts

😞 What are its drawbacks:

● Unable to rewind live radio
● Lacks videos and Hi-Res audio track

💰 Pricing:

● Free
● iHeartRadio Plus - $4.99/month
● iHeartRadio All Access - $9.99/month

🎺 Sound quality:

● 128 kbps

Recommends: ⭐️⭐️

Comparison Table of the Top 15 Alternatives to Spotify

	Free Trial Period	Music Library Size	Maximum Bitrate	Offline Listening	Podcasts	Music Videos
Bandcamp	Free	over 5 million albums	128kbps	✔	✔	✔
Music Up	Free	over 20 million songs	256kbps	✔	✔	✘
Slacker	30 days	over 20 million songs	320kbps	✔	✔	✘
Deezer	30 days	over 90 million	1,411kbps	✔	✔	✔
Google Play Music	30 days	50 million	320kbps	✔	✔	✔
JioSaavn	3 months	100 million	320kbps	✔	✘	✔
Apple Music	1 month	over 90 million	256kbps	✔(Mobile only)	✔	✔
Pandora	14 days	50 million	192kbps	✔	✔	✘
Grooveshark	30 days	15 million	320kbps	✔	✔	✘
SoundCloud	30 days	over 150 million	320kbps	✔	✔	✔
Tidal	30 days	over 80 million	1,411kbps	✔(Mobile only)	✔	✔
YouTube Music	30 days	over 60 million	320kbps	✔(Premium and mobile only)	✔	✔
Qubuz	30 days	70 million	6,917kbps	✔(Mobile and desktop)	✘	✘
iHeartRadio	30 days	over 20 million songs	128kbps	✔	✔	✘

This is our summary of the 15 best Spotify alternatives. While some are similar to Spotify, others have completely different interfaces and features. Therefore, you have enough variety to find something you like. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to Spotify (that offers similar features), you might consider Tidal. If you're looking for a free Spotify alternative, go with Bandcamp or Music Up.

No matter what streaming music platform you decide to choose, you probably need to transfer your Spotify playlist to it, right? So we are here to provide you with a professional tool that helps you transfer Spotify playlists to Deezer, YouTube Music, Tidal, etc.

What you need is AudFree Spotify Music Converter. It allows you to download Spotify playlists, songs, albums, and podcasts as local files. Also, you can choose to convert Spotify playlists to MP3 or any other common formats. Once downloaded, you can easily upload them to your new streaming music service. You'll be able to listen to them even without Spotify app.