Thinking about switching from Spotify to Apple Music, or the other way around, but not sure if it's worth the transfer? You are right here to make a wise decison. With new updates like Spotify lossless audio, personalized mixes, AI playlists, and advanced features, it's harder than ever to know which service truly delivers the better experience. This guide compares Spotify and Apple Music in every way that matters, helping you decide whether a switch is the right move.
Spotify is best known for its powerful recommendation algorithm, intuitive interface, and its generous free tier. It remains the top choice for listeners who prioritize discovering new music, using different systems, or enjoying a lightweight, fast app experience.
Apple Music is impressive with Dolby Atmos Lossless audio and Hi-Res Lossless audio, high-resolution album artwork, and rich metadata. It's designed for users who value audio fidelity, own Apple products, or need integration across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TVs and HomePod.
| Features | Spotify | Apple Music |
| COMMON |
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| Active Users | 200M+ | 94M+ |
| Price | Free, $5.99 to $19.99 | $5.99 to $16.99 |
| Free Trial | 4 Months for $0 (Ends on December 31, 2025.) | 1 Months for $0 |
| Categories | Music, Podcasts, and Audibooks | Music, Podcasts, and Radio Station |
| Quality | 128kbps AAC, 160kbps AAC, 320kbps Ogg Vorbis, Lossless 24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC | 256kbps AAC, High Quality 16-bit/44.1 kHz ALAC (CD Quality), Lossless 24-bit/48kHz ALAC, Hi-Res 24-bit/192kHz ALAC, Dolby Atmos |
| Advances | Spotify Recs in ChatGPT, Hide/Unhide Songs, Spotify Wrapped, AI DJ, Equalizer, Group Session | Dolby Atmos, High-res Artwork, Apple CarPlay, iCloud Sync |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri | Siri |
| Music Purchase | ❌ | Buy music from iTunes Store |
| Ecosystem | Phones, tablets, computers, smart TVs, game consoles, smart speakers, and cars. | Best under iOS or macOS environment |
| User Interface | Fast, lightweight | Heavier UI, more detailed |
| Cloud Storage | ❌ | iCloud |
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Spotify focuses on speed and simplicity. The app opens fast, menus load quickly, and most actions (searching, playing, adding to playlists) take fewer taps. The interface is designed around music discovery: personalized mixes, recommendations, and “Recently Played” are always on the front page, so it's very easy to find new songs or jump back to what you were listening to.
| Interface | In-App Functions | |
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Apple Music focuses on detail and richness. The interface shows more album art, more artist information, and more audio options. It looks more polished, but navigation can feel heavier because some features are buried deeper in menus. Apple also displays more metadata, credits, composers, high-resolution artwork. And the UI is strongly tied to the Apple ecosystem, which works smoothly on iPhone, iPad, and Mac but can feel slower on Android.
| Interface | In-App Features | |
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| Apple Music |
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Spotify and Apple Music offer different approaches to subscription pricing and user access. Spotify provides a Free tier with ads, allowing users to listen without paying, as well as Premium subscriptions for Individual, Duo, Family, and Student plans. Spotify also occasionally provides free trial periods for new users to experience Premium features before committing.
Apple Music does not have a permanent free tier. Instead, new users can take advantage of free trial periods, typically lasting one month, and sometimes extended through device purchases or promotional bundles. Apple Music's subscription options include Individual, Family, and Student plans. Moreover, Apple Music sometimes provides promotional offers through partnerships or bundled services.
Apple Music is still ahead for its full Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless streaming, going all the way up to 24-bit/192 kHz. If you're using good headphones, proper speakers, or an external DAC, you can actually hear the improvement, clearer details, better dynamics, and more accurate sound overall. Apple also lets you download music in ALAC, so you get real lossless files for offline listening. For most people using Bluetooth earbuds, though, Spotify's 320 kbps and Apple's 256 kbps AAC will sound almost the same.
Spotify's recent move to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC is a big step forward, but it's still rolling out and doesn't offer Authentic lossless downloads. Its audio engine is solid and works great on mobile networks, but it still can't match Apple Music's higher-resolution options. Spotify is getting closer, but Apple continues to lead in high-fidelity sound. If top-tier audio quality is your priority, Apple Music is the better choice, yet Spotify remains the more reliable option for everyday use.
| Plans | Streaming Quality | Streaming Format | Download Format | Spatial Audio | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify Free | Web: 128kbps App: 160kbps |
AAC | No | No | / |
| Spotify Premium | Web: 256 kbps App: 320 kbps, Lossless 24bit/44kHz |
AAC/OGG/FLAC | Encrypted cache files (not accessible MP3/FLAC) | No | Not all tracks currently available in lossless |
| Apple Music | Standard 256 kbps Lossless (up to 24bit/48kHz) Hi-Res Lossless (24bit/192kHz) |
AAC/ALAC | AAC, ALAC (FLAC equivalent, Hi-Res compatible) | Dolby Atmos / Spatial Audio | 1. Entire catalog available in Lossless / Hi-Res (except a tiny number of legacy songs). 2. Apple's Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos) is a major differentiator. |
Spotify's standout features change how you interact with music, not just how you play it. The whole platform is built around movement, social sharing, and constant personalization. What really makes Spotify special isn't one single feature, it's the overall vibe. Music feels social, flexible, and responsive, almost like the app knows what you need next. If you enjoy discovering music based on your habits, or you like the idea of music being part of your social life, Spotify has the stronger ecosystem. It's less about just listening, and more about being part of a living, active music space.
Apple Music leans in a different direction. Its exclusively features sound quality, design, and deep integration with Apple lineup rather than social interaction. Apple Music doesn't try to feel alive, it aims to feel refined. It puts more emphasis on high-quality audio, clean organization, and giving artists a place to present their work the way they intended. For listeners who treat music as a focused, high-quality experience, and prefer a tidy, well-designed ecosystem, Apple Music feels more premium and purpose-built.
| Spotify Exclusive | Apple Music Exclusive |
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AI DJ / Personalized Radio Host: Generates personalized playlists and adds AI voice commentary about tracks and artists, like a personal AI radio DJ. Spotify Wrapped: Annual personalized summary of your listening habits, top songs, artists, and genres. Blend + Group Sessions: Merge playlists with friends in real-time, supporting collaborative and synchronized listening. Behind the Lyrics (Genius Integration): Displays lyrics with background stories, production notes, and artist insights. Canvas: Short, looping dynamic visuals play during songs, enhancing the visual experience. Enhanced Social Sharing: Share playlists directly to Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp with album art and progress shown. Spotify Clips: Artists can post song snippets as short videos to interact with listeners. Audiobooks Access: Access and listen to a variety of audiobooks directly within Spotify. Social Media Integration: Deep integration for sharing playlists and music activity across multiple platforms. Music Import (Tune My Music): Import playlists from other services to Spotify. Spotify Connect: Stream and control Spotify music on multiple gadgets. |
Lossless & Hi-Res ALAC Downloads: Supports high-resolution downloads in addition to streaming, ideal for audiophiles. Apple Music Replay: Yearly summary of your most-played songs and artists, generating playlists and charts for personal review. Apple Digital Booklets / Album Extras: Digital booklets, lyrics, and artist notes available with album purchases. Integration with Apple Fitness & HomePod Handoff: Music playback works seamlessly with fitness apps, HomePod, and AirPlay. Automated Crossfade & Gapless Playback: Songs play continuously with crossfade, providing smoother listening experience. Apple Music Sing: Karaoke mode adjusts vocals for interactive singing. Exclusive Artist Releases & Apple Originals: Some new tracks, special editions, or Apple Music Originals available only on the platform. Music Discovery (Shazam Integration): Identify songs and discover new music quickly through Apple's Shazam integration. |
Transferring music between Spotify and Apple Music can be useful if you're switching platforms or want to combine your playlists. Several tools allow you to move your songs, albums, and playlists safely and efficiently, either via cloud syncing or by downloading the actual files.
| TuneMyMusic | Soundiiz | Sidify All-In-One Music Downloader | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Sync and Transfer | Cloud sync | Download & export real files |
| Playlist / Track Support | Playlists and tracks | Playlists, albums, favorites | Full playlists, albums, and tracks |
| File Destination | Only streaming links, no downloadable files | Cloud-based access, no physical files | Yes, fully downloadable files |
| Completeness | Skip tracks that aren't available | Exclude tracks that can't be found | Complete transfer, no missing files |
| Safety | Online transfer | Online transfer | Offline download, safe |
| Offline Use | No | No | Yes |
| Ease of Use | Simple, web-based | More features, requires account | Desktop installation, slightly more steps |
| Cost | Free & paid options | Free & premium options | Paid software |
TuneMyMusic is a web‑based platform that helps you move your music (playlists, tracks, albums, favorite songs) from one streaming service to another. It supports many major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music, and more. But, like all such tools, it's not perfect: you might lose some tracks, and using advanced features or very large transfers may require paying or dealing with limitations.
Step 1 Go to the TuneMyMusic website and select Spotify as the source platform.
Step 2 Log in to your Spotify account and choose the playlists, albums, or tracks you want to transfer.
Step 3 Select Apple Music as the destination platform and log in.
Step 4 Start the transfer. The playlists will sync to Apple Music via cloud.
Soundiiz allows users to transfer playlists, albums, and tracks between major music platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, and more. Beyond transfers, it also supports syncing playlists across multiple services, managing your library in one place, and even importing playlists from CSV files.
Step 1 Go to Soundiiz and sign up or log in.
Step 2 Connect your Spotify and Apple Music accounts.
Step 3 Select playlists, albums, or favorites to transfer.
Step 4 Choose Apple Music as the destination and start the transfer.
Sidify All-In-One is the sort of tool you wish existed yesterday, want to copy music from Spotify to Apple Music without losing your mind, this does it, it grabs songs, converts music into real audio files like MP3, AAC, FLAC, and saves Spotify or Apple Music playlist songs locally, nothing gets lost, the tags stay intact, and the sound quality is untouched, you can then shove them straight onto the other platform, it works with nearly every music service you've ever heard of—Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, Audible, you get the idea, compared to cloud-only tricks like TuneMyMusic or Soundiiz, this one actually works, properly, every time!
Download songs from different streaming platforms and any music sites. Convert music to MP3/AAC/WAV/FLAC/AIFF/ALACExport music, playlists, albums, audiobooks, and podcasts to the computer.Preserve the original audio quality and keep the ID3 tags.Rip music from the music site and burn music to CD.Built-in free podcast and radio to mp3 downloader and vocal remover. 
Step 1 Open Sidify All-In-One and go to the homepage.
If you want to download Spotify music and move it to Apple Music, choose the Spotify section. This will let you convert your Spotify songs into real audio files ready to import into Apple Music. We'll show you how to export songs from Spotify and import to Apple Music.
If your playlists are from Apple Music and you want to transfer them to Spotify, select the Apple Music section from the homepage.
Step 2 Open the Spotify converter interface and go to Settings. Here, you can choose the Spotify download format, including MP3, AAC, ALAC, AIFF, WAV, or FLAC. All of these formats can be used as local files to import into Apple Music. You can also customize the download location, quality, file naming, and other options.
As a reminder, if you have Spotify Premium, select Recommended as the output format to get Spotify Lossless FLAC 24-bit files.
Step 3 From the Spotify desktop app, drag and drop your playlists into Sidify All-In-One, then add the specific songs to the conversion queue. You can convert multiple playlists at once by repeating this process.
Step 4 After adding all Spotify playlists and songs, click the Convert button to start downloading Spotify music.
Step 5 When the conversion is complete, go to the History section to view all downloaded Spotify songs. Click the folder icon to locate the files on your computer. From there, you can move or transfer the Spotify music anywhere you like, such as Apple Music or iTunes library.
In the end, it's not about one being "better" than the other. It's about which fits your needs: Spotify if you want to find new music, personalize playlists, and share music with friends. Or Apple Music if you look forward to high-quality sound, immersive Spatial Audio, detailed artist info, and integration with Apple products. And if you want to play it safe with both platforms, get Sidify All-In-One. It allows you to download and save playlists, keeping streaming music on personal local ends. This way, no matter which platform you use, you will always have your music safely stored and accessible.
Harper North | Staff Writer
700,000+ Downloads
