Apple computer vs Microsoft computer. Apple phone vs Samsung phone. Apple earbuds vs other wireless headphones. Yet the most important Apple debate of all is Apple Music vs Spotify. These two are the top of their industry in a long-lasting debate. Although Spotify has over six times the amount of users as Apple Music, there is still an argument supporting both.
In my personal experience, I have known many people who use Spotify and many who use Apple Music. Everyone in my family, however, uses Spotify. One clear advantage that Spotify has over Apple Music is price. Although Spotify premium plans have very similar pricing to Apple Music plans, a normal Spotify account is free to everyone. Anyone can listen to Spotify for free, while listening to Apple Music requires at least $4.99 a month.
Both platforms have the ability to download music to listen offline, which is very good for plane rides or other low-data moments. Along with that, both allow users to create playlists and look at lyrics while the song is playing.
Another pro to Spotify is that it has an in-between plan called “duo,” where two people can share a premium account at a discounted price. Apple Music does not share this plan. Along with that, Spotify has recently implemented a new DJ mode, where an AI DJ plays songs that the user has enjoyed or might enjoy. This is great for music discovery and variety. Spotify can be used on video game consoles, which makes it easy to listen to music while playing games.
A big benefit of Apple music is that it is an Apple product, so it can be bundled with other Apple products, such as Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Cloud+. This is beneficial for Apple users, as Apple music can easily come bundled with a bunch of other trendy Apple products.
Luke Lentini ‘24, a Spotify user, says that he uses Spotify over Apple Music because “I just like the layout. You can listen to podcasts, music, and follow your favorite artists. I found it to be a very easy software to use.”
In contrast, Bennett Vavrichek ’24, an Apple Music user, uses Apple Music over Spotify because with the default Apple Music “There’s no ads.”
Overall, Spotify is the way to go. Out of all of the people I asked, a heavy majority of them use Spotify rather than Apple Music. Spotify has a free option for people who don’t want to pay, as well as better plans, such as the duo plan. Along with that, it has a better layout and it’s easier to use.
