Spotify streams music and podcasts across platforms, with playlist creation and offline listening through Premium subscriptions. Users praise its discovery features, though some seek alternatives with better artist compensation or higher audio quality.
Deezer ranks as the top alternative, offering Spotify-like streaming with Flow recommendations and SongCatcher song identification. Users choose Deezer for stronger artist payouts and synchronized lyrics with karaoke support. SoundCloud takes second place with community-first discovery and tools for emerging creators, though finding quality content requires more effort.
TIDAL targets audiophiles with lossless and Hi-Res FLAC playback plus editorial curation. Bandcamp centers on ownership, letting users buy DRM-free music and support artists directly through merchandise purchases. Apple Music supports syncing locally stored music and delivers better song quality with superior related-music recommendations, though it lacks a free tier. The landscape splits between mainstream subscription services and indie self-hosted ecosystems, with over 100 alternatives spanning music streaming, internet radio, and podcast-focused applications.
Open source alternatives like Funkwhale and Spotube offer transparency and control - Funkwhale enables self-hosting your own music library while Spotube provides an ad-free client experience. Ampache joins this group with server-based streaming of personal collections.
Linux users can choose from Funkwhale through web interfaces and Spotube with desktop support. For self-hosting, Funkwhale, Ampache, and Koel let you stream your own music collection from a personal server instead of relying on licensed catalogs. Users prioritizing artist support have options in services that emphasize better payouts and direct purchases. Audiophile-focused alternatives like TIDAL emphasize lossless and Hi-Fi playback for listeners who demand higher fidelity audio. Mobile-first alternatives cover Android and iPhone platforms with offline listening capabilities and comprehensive playlist management tools.
TuneIn Radio is a privacy invader. The app demands permission to read and upload your contacts. Ask why a radio app would need that. (Answer: because like for so many "free" apps, you pay with your privacy - they use your private data to make money.) They're very explicit about this in their "privacy" policy. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.