Three major music streaming services, with retail prices that vary by region and plan. Sound quality, catalogue, discovery, platform support, music videos — here's the complete side-by-side.
| Feature | Apple Music |
Spotify |
YouTube Music |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official retail price | Check your region | Check your region | Check your region |
| Bundle option | Apple One | None | YouTube Premium ($13.99) |
| SubSplit price | from ₦1,050 | from $1.50 | YouTube Premium Individual $4/mo or Family $6/mo (international) |
| Audio quality | Lossless + Spatial Audio | Up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC lossless in eligible markets | Up to 256kbps AAC/Opus |
| Music catalogue | 100M+ tracks | 100M+ tracks | 100M+ + YouTube uploads |
| Music videos | Limited | Selected tracks and markets | Core experience across YouTube |
| Music discovery | Editorial / curated | Best-in-class algorithm | Learns from YouTube history |
| Personalised playlists | Good | Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes | Good (YouTube-informed) |
| Offline downloads | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Background play | Yes | Yes | Premium only |
| Free tier | No | Yes (with ads) | Yes (with ads) |
| iOS / macOS integration | Deep (Siri, CarPlay, HomePod) | Good | Good |
| Android app quality | Good | Excellent | Excellent |
| Web player | Limited | Full-featured | Full-featured |
| Smart speakers | HomePod, Alexa, Google | All major speakers | Google Home, Alexa |
| Podcasts | Separate app | Built-in, extensive | Limited (via YouTube) |
| Lyrics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crossfade / EQ | EQ only | Crossfade + EQ | EQ only |
| Family plan | Yes ($16.99) | Yes ($17.99) | Yes: SubSplit $6/mo internationally; same-household rules |
| Student discount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Apple Music wins
Apple Music is the clear winner on audio quality. It streams lossless audio (ALAC) up to 24-bit/192kHz and Dolby Atmos spatial audio on thousands of tracks — at no extra cost on the standard plan.
Spotify Premium now offers lossless audio at up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC on eligible plans and devices. Apple Music offers lossless at higher sample rates on compatible hardware, plus Dolby Atmos on supported tracks. Official Spotify lossless details.
YouTube Music streams at up to 256kbps AAC — solid quality but behind both competitors. For casual listening on Bluetooth speakers or phone speakers, the difference between all three is negligible. But with good headphones, Apple Music pulls ahead noticeably.
Apple Music wins — lossless + spatial audio at no extra cost. Best for audiophiles and anyone with quality headphones or speakers.
Spotify wins
Spotify's algorithm is the best in the streaming industry — and it's not particularly close. Discover Weekly, Release Radar, Daily Mixes, and Blend all use your listening history to surface music you'll genuinely like. They update every week and are consistently accurate.
Apple Music relies on editorial curation — human-made playlists, radio stations, and genre mixes. The quality is high but it's not personalised the same way. It doesn't know you the way Spotify does.
YouTube Music sits in the middle. Its recommendations are informed by your full YouTube history — not just music — which gives it a unique angle. If you watch a lot of music content on YouTube, the recommendations get surprisingly good. But for pure music discovery, Spotify still wins.
Spotify wins — Discover Weekly and Daily Mixes are the best personalised music discovery available. No other service comes close.
YouTube Music has the strongest connection to the wider YouTube video catalogue. For eligible songs, you can switch between audio and the official video and discover live performances, covers and remixes. Spotify also offers music videos for supported tracks and markets, so YouTube Music is not the only service with videos.
Spotify has music videos on supported tracks in eligible markets, while Apple Music also has music-video content. If watching videos and discovering YouTube uploads matters most to you, YouTube Music may still be the stronger fit.
YouTube Music stands out for its connection to the wider YouTube music-video catalogue.
All three services have over 100 million tracks — for mainstream music, the difference is zero. Where YouTube Music pulls ahead is in the long tail: user-uploaded content, rare live recordings, covers, remixes, and tracks that exist on YouTube but aren't officially distributed to streaming platforms.
If you're looking for something obscure — an underground artist, a rare live version, an unofficial remix — YouTube Music often has it when the others don't.
Spotify runs on everything. Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Samsung TVs, LG TVs, Sony TVs, PlayStation, Xbox, Alexa, Google Home, Sonos, Garmin watches — if it plays audio, Spotify probably supports it.
Apple Music is excellent on Apple devices — deep Siri, CarPlay, HomePod, and AirPlay integration that neither competitor can match. Outside the Apple ecosystem, it's good but not dominant.
YouTube Music excels on Android and Google devices. Its web player is excellent. Smart TV support is growing but not as broad as Spotify.
Official retail prices change and vary by country and plan. Check each service's current price in your region rather than assuming all three cost the same.
YouTube Music Premium benefits are included with eligible YouTube Premium plans without a separate music charge. Official YouTube prices vary by country. On SubSplit's international storefront, Individual costs $4/month and Family costs $6/month, subject to YouTube's household requirements for Family.
On SubSplit, YouTube Premium Individual costs $4/month and Family costs $6/month on the international storefront, each on your own Google/YouTube account. The Family plan requires an eligible same-household group, and neither offer is listed on the Nigeria storefront. Compare the other services’ prices and regions separately.
Compare current SubSplit options: Spotify from $1.50/mo · Apple Music from ₦1,050/mo · YouTube Music is included with YouTube Premium Individual ($4/mo) or Family ($6/mo), on the international storefront only. Family members must meet YouTube’s same-household requirement; prices and eligibility vary by product and market.
You're in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, Mac, AirPods, HomePod). You care about lossless audio and spatial audio. You prefer human-curated playlists over algorithms. You use Siri or CarPlay regularly.
Discovering new music is important to you. You use Android, Windows, or non-Apple devices. You also listen to podcasts. You want a free tier to try first. You share music with friends (Blend, collaborative playlists).
You already pay for YouTube Premium. You watch a lot of music videos. You want access to live recordings and rare tracks. You use Android or Google devices. You want the widest possible catalogue including unofficial uploads.
The best music discovery, broadest platform support, free tier, podcast integration, and the most social features. Apple Music wins on audio quality alone — a meaningful advantage if you have good headphones. YouTube Music wins if you're already paying for YouTube Premium or care about music videos. But for most people starting fresh, Spotify delivers the best all-round experience.
Compare current prices and availability for each service. YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music: Individual is $4/month and Family is $6/month on SubSplit’s international storefront.
Which is better — Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube Music?
Spotify wins for music discovery and cross-platform support. Apple Music wins for audio quality with lossless and spatial audio. YouTube Music wins if you already use YouTube and want music videos. For most people, Spotify is the best all-round choice.
Which has the best sound quality in 2026?
Apple Music offers lossless and Dolby Atmos with compatible content and hardware. Spotify Premium now offers lossless FLAC on eligible plans and devices. YouTube Music offers up to 256kbps AAC/Opus. The right choice depends on your equipment and preferences.
Which is cheapest — Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube Music?
YouTube Music Premium benefits are included with YouTube Premium. On SubSplit’s international storefront, Individual costs $4/month and Family costs $6/month. Family eligibility is subject to YouTube’s same-household rules.
Which has the biggest music catalogue in 2026?
All three have 100M+ tracks. YouTube Music has a unique edge — it also includes user-uploaded content, live recordings, and covers not available on Spotify or Apple Music.
Does YouTube Music include music videos?
Yes. YouTube Music supports switching between audio and official videos for eligible songs. Spotify offers videos for selected tracks and markets, and Apple Music has music-video content too.