Music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music dominate the market, while YouTube Music is striving for a larger share despite facing challenges. Apple Music generally offers a superior user experience with a dedicated desktop app and better audio quality options, including lossless formats. YouTube Music stands out with its free tier and seamless music video playback, but lacks robust podcast offerings and collaborative features found in Apple Music. Overall, Apple Music leads in personalization and curated playlists.
When considering music streaming options, popular names like Spotify and Apple Music often take center stage. This is understandable given their established reputation and quality offerings.
Yet, YouTube Music has been working diligently to carve out a larger slice of the market. Unfortunately, as evidenced by our in-depth comparison of Apple Music and YouTube Music, the platform may be hampered by certain shortcomings.
User Experience and Application Interfaces
For novices and those less tech-savvy, the initial experience with a music streaming service is crucial. Key factors such as layout, design, and device compatibility significantly influence user satisfaction, and in this regard, Apple Music tends to take the lead.
Both platforms are accessible via mobile applications and web players, with Apple Music additionally offering a dedicated desktop app. In contrast, YouTube Music currently lacks an official desktop application, relying instead on unofficial options created by third-party developers.
Both services allow streaming on an array of devices, including Bluetooth speakers, smart TVs, and car infotainment systems.
Visually, YouTube Music and Apple Music present sleek and user-friendly interfaces, ensuring that even new users can navigate their offerings with ease. While opinions may vary, we find Apple Music’s design a notch above the competition.
Pricing Plans and Subscription Options
Unlike Apple Music, YouTube Music provides a free tier, in addition to various subscription models that cater to different user needs.
YouTube Music Subscription Packages
All YouTube Music plans come with a complimentary one-month trial for new users. After this period, the subscription will automatically activate unless canceled during the trial. Moreover, an annual subscription option is available at a discounted rate of 109.99 euros, down from 131.88 euros.
Apple Music Subscription Packages
Apple Music mirrors YouTube Music in terms of subscription options, with the exception of a slightly higher price for its student plan, which is set at 5.99 euros per month. New users can benefit from a free one-month trial, and those subscribing through an Apple device can enjoy an extended free trial of three months.
Common Features Across Both Platforms
When it comes to essential functionalities, both streaming services offer similar features, especially for premium subscribers, including ad-free listening. However, there are notable distinctions in their unique offerings:
Exclusive Features of Premium Subscriptions
Our analysis revealed that neither platform stands out for particularly innovative features. YouTube Music capitalizes on its connection to the broader YouTube platform, while Apple Music emphasizes artists and music, even curating a dedicated genre for its app.
YouTube Music’s standout feature is the ability to watch and listen to music videos seamlessly; even if you close the app or lock your device, the audio continues to play. This functionality is not available to regular YouTube users. Additionally, users can toggle between audio and video modes.
Conversely, Apple Music provides exclusive live performances and artist interviews, which, while also found on YouTube, require a premium subscription on Apple Music.
Apple Music enhances user engagement by allowing friends to collaborate on shared playlists, a feature that YouTube Music lacks.
Notably, Apple Music has introduced a dedicated app for classical music, called Apple Music Classical, featuring an extensive catalog ranging from Bach to contemporary artists like Mao Fujita.
Comparing Music Libraries, Recommendations, and Playlists
Both platforms boast impressive music libraries, each claiming to offer over 100 million songs. Thus, users can expect to find their desired tracks in most scenarios.
However, the same cannot be said for podcasts. Apple Music users can access a comprehensive podcast library through the separate Apple Podcasts app. In contrast, YouTube Music’s podcast selection is somewhat limited, though it does include content from the main YouTube platform.
Apple Music excels in providing personalized song recommendations and curated playlists, offering around 30,000 regularly updated playlists. These playlists are meticulously curated by staff members to ensure fresh content. Although YouTube Music performs adequately, it cannot quite match Apple Music’s level of service.
Audio Quality: A Key Differentiator
Audio quality has become increasingly significant for music streaming services in recent years, and it represents a fundamental difference between YouTube Music and Apple Music. Currently, YouTube Music does not provide lossless audio options, which is becoming increasingly unacceptable in 2024.
While you might wonder how Spotify maintains lower audio quality, it’s important to note that Spotify holds a dominant position in the market, allowing it some leeway. In contrast, YouTube Music, being less established, cannot afford to compromise on audio quality.
Both platforms offer different audio quality levels. YouTube Music primarily uses the OPUS codec for lossy audio, while Apple Music employs the proprietary ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) for its lossless offerings.
Audio Quality with YouTube Music
Audio Quality with Apple Music
In both theory and practice, Apple Music clearly outshines YouTube Music in terms of sound quality, especially when utilizing the appropriate hardware and benefiting from its lossless audio formats.