- Anthony
There are many video streaming services available today, but two of the most popular are YouTube Music vs Spotify quality. Both platforms offer a variety of music content, but there are some key differences between them.
YouTube Music is a subsidiary of the popular video-sharing site YouTube, while Spotify is its own stand-alone service. YouTube Music offers both ad-supported and ad-free listening options, while Spotify is ad-free for all users.
Contents
What is Spotify?
Spotify was created by Martin Lorentzon and Daniel Ek, two Swedish entrepreneurs. After reaching its first million users in 2011, the app quickly gained popularity in Europe. It’s today one of the most well-known music streaming services.
At the time of writing (March 2002), the app was available in 178 countries. It also tracks 345 million active users each month.
Pros:
- Many personalized daily mixes
- Expansive podcast library
- Excellent student bundle
- Audio option with higher quality
Cons:
- YouTube Premium offers fewer benefits
- No video music integration
- Daily mixes don’t auto-download
What is Youtube Music?
Youtube Music is a music streaming platform that Google developed. Youtube Music Key was launched in 2014 as Youtube Music Key. It was designed to complement the now-defunct Google Play Music. Youtube vs Spotify was finally created in 2018 after the app went through several rebrandings.
Pros:
- There is more to music than what is officially released
- Option for integrated music video
- Mixtape auto-updated downloaded offline
- Daily mixes are now available
- YouTube Premium subscribers get multiple services
Cons:
- To get a free tier, you must have the screen on to work
- YouTube’s primary YouTube channel is used to mix usage
- Sporadic bugs in casting audio
Youtube Music Vs Spotify: Comparison
Free Plan Comparison
When it comes to music streaming, two of the biggest names in the game are YouTube Music and Spotify. Both platforms offer a free plan that allows users to access millions of songs without paying a dime.
However, there are some differences between the two when it comes to what’s included in their free plans.
Firstly, with YouTube Music’s free plan, you can listen to a lot of different music and make playlists just for you. You can also listen to music without any ads interrupting your songs.
However, the downside is that you can only listen to music in shuffle mode, meaning you can’t choose specific songs to play. Additionally, you cannot download songs for offline listening with the free plan.
On the other hand, Spotify’s free plan allows you to choose specific songs to play, rather than just listening to them in shuffle mode.
However, the free version of Spotify does include ads, and you cannot download songs for offline listening. Additionally, the number of skips is limited, and you are restricted to six skips per hour.
One significant advantage of YouTube Music’s free plan is that it includes access to music videos and live performances. This is not available in the free version of Spotify.
Another cool thing about YouTube Music is that it can download up to 500 songs for you automatically. It looks at the songs you listen to the most and picks them for you, so you can listen to them even if you don’t have an internet connection.
Both platforms offer personalized playlists, but the way they create them is different. YouTube Music makes “Mix” playlists just for you, based on the songs you’ve listened to before.
On the other hand, Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” playlists are special because they look at a lot of things to make sure you get songs you really like. It looks at the music you listen to and how you’re feeling, and then picks songs that you will love.
Pricing & Plans
YouTube Music
- YouTube Music Free: Ad-supported, access to a limited music library.
- YouTube Music Premium: $9.99/month, ad-free, access to the full music library, offline playback, and background playback.
- YouTube Premium: $11.99/month, includes YouTube Music Premium benefits, ad-free YouTube videos, offline playback, and background playback.
Spotify
- Spotify Free: Ad-supported, access to a limited music library.
- Spotify Premium: $9.99/month, ad-free, access to the full music library, offline playback, and high-quality audio.
- Spotify Student: $4.99/month, for eligible students with a valid student ID.
- Spotify Family: $14.99/month, for up to six accounts in a household.
Content
There are a few things to think about when comparing the amount of material on YouTube Music and Spotify.
Firstly, both services have a huge selection of songs, albums, and playlists, with millions of tracks available to listen. However, there are some differences in terms of the specific types of content available on each platform.
One of the most significant differences between the two is the way they approach user-generated content. YouTube Music is known for its focus on user-generated content, allowing users to upload and share their own music and playlists.
As a result, YouTube Music offers a wider range of content than Spotify in terms of diversity and genre. Also, you can’t find live performances, music videos, or covers of famous songs on Spotify, but you can find them on YouTube Music.
On the other hand, Spotify focuses more on curated playlists and recommendations based on user preferences. Nowadays, music apps use special computer programs to help you find music you like. This makes the app work better and feel more smooth.
Instead of having lots of playlists made by other people, the app uses special tools to pick songs for you based on what you like.
The way music apps work has changed a bit. Now, instead of having lots of playlists made by users, the app chooses songs for you using something called an algorithm. This makes the app work really smoothly and helps you find new songs you might like.
Regarding exclusive content, both platforms offer unique content that isn’t available on the other. YouTube Music really likes to show videos of live concerts and performances.
Spotify, on the other hand, has special podcasts you can only listen to on their app. They also have music that you can only find on Spotify.
Both platforms also have deals with big record labels, which means that some content may only be available on one platform or the other.
Audio Quality
Both YouTube Music and Spotify let you watch high-quality music, but they do it in different ways.
YouTube Music offers a maximum audio quality of 256kbps AAC, which is lower than Spotify’s maximum quality of 320kbps Ogg Vorbis.
It’s important to remember that most people can’t hear a difference in sound quality between the two apps. YouTube Music’s sound quality is still really good, even if it’s not quite as good as the other app. The sound is called “256kbps AAC” and it’s still considered to be really good quality.
Additionally, YouTube Music has something cool called “Audio Quality on Mobile Network.” It lets you pick how good you want the music to sound depending on how good your internet connection is. So, if you have a strong connection, you can make the music sound really good!
Users can choose from low, normal, high, and always high-quality options. This feature can help users optimize their audio quality based on their data plan and network connection.
Just like YouTube Music, Spotify has a feature called “Streaming Quality.” This lets you pick how good you want the sound to be based on your internet connection.
You can choose between different options so you can get the best sound no matter where you are. Users can choose from automatic, low, normal, high, and very high-quality options.
Music Discovery
In terms of music discovery, both Spotify and YouTube Music offer users access to a vast library of music. Spotify has over 82 million tracks, and as many as 60,000 are added every day.
This music app really likes popular music that lots of people listen to. They work with a group called Billboard to let you listen to the most popular songs and albums on the charts, like the Hot 100 and Billboard 200. You can listen to all these songs right from the app!
Spotify is also really good for finding music from artists who aren’t super famous yet. They have a whole section for “Indie” music that you can explore. In this section, Spotify has made playlists just for you, like Indie Pop and Ultimate Indie. They even have up to 100 different Indie playlists you can listen to!
On the other hand, YouTube Music has a lot of music you can listen to, more than 70 million songs! They got all these songs by working with big music groups like Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group.
If you use YouTube Music, you can listen to popular songs and even watch the music videos right from the app. This means you can discover new music and artists in a fun way. Since YouTube Music is connected to YouTube, you can find new songs and videos from all kinds of different genres!
Ease of Use
YouTube Music and Spotify are two of the most popular ways to watch music online right now, and they each have their own features and benefits. When it comes to ease of use, there are a few key differences between the two platforms.
- One of the main differences between YouTube Music and Spotify is their user interface. YouTube Music has a more modern and visually appealing interface that is easy to navigate.
- The app is well-designed, and it is easy to search for music, create playlists, and browse different genres and categories.
- However, the app can be a bit overwhelming at times, with a lot of features and options available that may not be immediately apparent to new users.
- On the other hand, Spotify has a more streamlined and user-friendly interface. The app is easy to navigate, with a simple layout that makes it easy to find and play music quickly. The app also has a range of features and options, but they are all well-organized and easy to access.
- Also, Spotify gives its users a more personalized experience, with playlists and suggestions that are based on how and what they listen to.
- Another big difference between YouTube Music and Spotify is that they can be used on different devices. YouTube Music is available on a range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and web browsers. However, the app can be a bit clunky on some devices, particularly on older smartphones.
- Spotify, on the other hand, can be used on a wide range of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smart speakers, and gaming systems. The app is well-optimized for all devices, making it easy to use no matter where you are.
Additional Features
In terms of song lyrics, both YouTube Music and Spotify offer this feature. However, the way they display lyrics is slightly different. YouTube Music displays lyrics as an overlay on top of the music video, which can be useful for users who want to sing along.
Spotify, on the other hand, displays lyrics as a separate screen that can be accessed by tapping a button. While both approaches are effective, users may prefer one over the other depending on their preferences.
Design and automated scrolling are also important considerations when it comes to ease of use. YouTube Music has a more modern and visually appealing design, with bright colors and bold typography.
The app also has a feature that automatically moves through the lyrics as the song plays, which makes it easy to follow along.
Spotify’s design is more minimalist, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. While the app does not have an automated scrolling feature, users can scroll through lyrics manually.
When it comes to casting music on other smart devices, both YouTube Music and Spotify offer this feature. Users can cast music to devices like smart speakers, TVs, and gaming consoles using built-in casting features.
But depending on the device and network connection, users may find that the casting function works better on one platform than the other.
Finally, the Wrapped series is a unique feature that is exclusive to Spotify. This feature gives users a personalized look back at their year in music, including the songs, artists, and genres they streamed the most.
Lots of people who use Spotify really like a thing called “Wrapped.” They wait for it to come out every year! YouTube Music doesn’t have this, but it does give you custom playlists and suggestions based on what you’ve listened to before. This way, you can discover new songs that you’ll love!
How Much Do Spotify and Youtube Music Pay Artists?
Spotify says that it gives about 70% of its earnings to rights holders, such as artists and record labels. This means that if a song generates $1 in revenue on Spotify, around $0.70 would go to rights holders.
But the amount each artist gets relies on a number of things, such as their contract with their record label and the details of their deal with Spotify.
YouTube Music works in a similar way, with rights holders getting a share of the money made from ads and payments. Some estimates say that YouTube Music gives rights holders between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream, but the real amount can vary based on a number of factors.
It’s worth noting that these payouts are often subject to a variety of fees and deductions that can lower the amount an artist gets.
For example, when a song makes money, the people who helped make it might get some of that money too. This could include the people who made the song, the people who helped sell it, and others. Sometimes, there are extra costs and fees that come up when music is sold or shared.
Read more:
- Amazon Music Vs Spotify: Which Is Better And Why 2023?
- TOP 8 Best JBL In 2023: Soundbars, Earbuds, Headphones, Subwoofers
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Should YouTube Music Subscribers Make The Switch To?
YouTube Music is a free music streaming service that is backed by ads. It has a powerful search engine that makes it easy to find all of your favorite songs. If you switch to YouTube Music, you won’t have to think about what to play next because they have everything from Mozart to Maroon 5.
This isn’t a free sample, and there are no ads or subscription fees. However, you won’t be interrupted by ads as you listen to your favorite songs.
Those who are committed to YouTube Music should try out the ad-free service for an indefinite period.
Why YouTube Will Overtake Spotify as Music’s Bankroller?
There was a news story that said YouTube’s Play Music service was going to make people pay for it soon, but that was wrong. Actually, YouTube is planning to make a new music streaming service for your phone. This will let them compete with other music apps like Spotify and Pandora.
The new service will probably cost money, but it will be free to use at first. YouTube has already made some other apps for phones and tablets, like YouTube Music, YouTube Red, and YouTube Kids. Now they’re going to make this new music app too, and it will come out later this year.
Sharing from YT Music sends regular YouTube links?
Music sharing from YouTube’s Music app seems to be sending regular YouTube links instead of shared videos.
Transfer Amazon Prime Music Library to YouTube Music?
If you are a heavy Amazon Prime Music user or perhaps even a light one that uses it occasionally, then this new music import feature might come in handy.
This news comes at the right time, as Google has announced shutting down their Google Play Music service. As you might expect, Google is making this change to better focus on YouTube, expanding into even more areas.
While YouTube Music will continue to offer ad-supported streaming for free, it will be up to the company’s partners, such as Spotify and Apple Music.
Video:
Conclusion
There is no clear winner when it comes to Youtube Music premium or Spotify. Both streaming services have their pros and cons, so it really depends on what you’re looking for in a music streaming service. YouTube Music has a larger catalog of songs and videos, while Spotify has a more user-friendly interface and better support for offline listening.
