Music streaming has never been better—or more overwhelming! With every major service rolling out new features, high-resolution audio, and AI-driven recommendations, choosing the right platform in 2025 isn’t just about catalog size anymore. It’s about finding the perfect balance of sound quality, ease of use, and the way you love to discover and share music.

At Audio Advice, music isn’t just background noise—it’s an experience. Whether we're testing high-res tracks on the latest audio gear or diving into new artist discoveries, we know that a great streaming service should do more than just play songs. It should bring music to life.

So, we put the top music streaming platforms to the test, focusing on three key factors:

Audio Quality – If you care about the best possible Hi-Res Audio or excellent spatial audio, we will break it all down for you.

Music Discovery & Curation – The best services help you find your next favorite song without digging for hours. Some even offer AI-powered music discovery features. We’ll compare how well these platforms introduce you to new music.

User Experience & Compatibility – No one wants a clunky app or a service that won’t play nice with your gear. We’ll highlight which services make listening seamless across devices.

Finally, we’ll help you decide which platform best suits your listening habits—whether you’re a hi-fi purist, a playlist power user, or someone who just wants unlimited access to all the music you love.

What Does Bit-Rate, Sample Rate, and Bit Depth Mean?

Before we begin, it’s important to understand what these three terms mean. We have an in-depth article breaking them all down that you can check out here. But because digital audio is data, most platforms are concerned with bit-rate — or the rate of data transmitted each second.

In general, it’s safe to assume higher bit rates will equate to higher audio quality — although your listening device itself – headphones, earbuds & speaker – definitely should not be overlooked. For example, cheap earbuds may not reproduce the complete frequency range that a CD-quality file can offer. But, if you want to reveal all the details hiding in the music, then a good pair of high-performance speakers or high-end headphones are warranted.

Now, let's take a look at some of the more popular streaming services.

Qobuz

If you’re comfortable committing, you can go with an annual subscription for $10.83/month and save 17% off the normal price. Additional users to the Studio plan are structured similarly, starting at $17.99/month for a Duo subscription, or you can save 17% when you choose the $14.99/month annual plan. The next option is the Family Studio plan, which allows up to 6 individual accounts and is $21.90/month, or you can save 18% with the annual plan and pay $17.99/month.

In addition, their Student plan is only $4.99!

If you also like purchasing and owning your hi-res music library, then there’s even a plan for that. For $179.99/billed annually, the “Studio Sublime” plan will give you exclusive access to purchase any Hi-Res or CD quality album in the Qobuz catalog at a special discount price of up to 60% off. This goes up to $269.89/year for the Duo plan and $349.99/year for the Family plan.

Features & Technology

Audio quality

Keep in mind you may have to change the settings in each service to access the highest resolution.

• Bit Rate = Hi-Res Audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz
• No Dolby Atmos Tracks

Music Discoverability

• Catalog — Free-range access to 100 million CD-Quality songs and one of the largest lossless CD-quality and hi-res catalogs in the world for big new releases plus more specialized niche genres (Jazz, Classical, Fusion, and more) — you also get limitless access to Qobuz’s hi-res catalog of over 240,000 albums.
• Shareability — In the app, Qobuz allows you to share a song or album using a link that you can copy and paste into an email, text message, social media post, or just about anywhere else that supports link sharing. You can also create collaborative playlists that other Qobuz users can add music to.
• Curated Playlists — Most Qobuz playlists are curated by their experts, and they include categories such as Hi-Res, New Releases, Focus, Listening With… (artist-selected playlists), Label Stories, Moods, Artists, Events & Media, and Hi-Fi Media Partners. (Audio Advice has a few of our own playlists!)
• AI-powered Music Discovery – Qobuz’s My Weekly Q is an AI-powered playlist that delivers personalized music discoveries every Friday, blending AI analysis with human curation. This isn’t as powerful as some of the tools other services feature, but it is a nice way to discover some new tracks. In addition, when you play a song that you’ve searched for, and it’s over, Qobuz will find similar tracks and automatically play them and continue playing music unless you hit pause. This is another feature that can be useful to discover music in a really easy way.
• Search Functionality – One more important aspect of an app is how easily you can search for an artist or track and quickly find what you’re looking for. Qobuz does a good job of this by sorting into top results, artists, albums, tracks, etc. As we mentioned before, we like how when you select a track after searching for it, it will automatically keep playing similar tracks instead of coming to a stop.

User Experience & Accessibility

• Accessibility — Streaming music with Qobuz is pretty universal. There’s a Web Player, native apps for mobile iOS, Android smartphones & tablets, plus Mac and PC as well.
• Experience — The Qobuz app has greatly improved over the years and is pretty stable on all platforms. While it may not have quite as many features as some of the competitors, it makes up for it with incredible sound quality without needing anything extra.
• Editorial Content — All Qobuz subscription plans and native apps give you unlimited access to original editorial content, 500,000 album reviews & artist bios.
• We like how Qobuz lets you see precisely what resolution is streaming.
• Compatibility — Qobuz is compatible with GoogleCast, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Roon, Qobuz Connect, & more.

Overall Recommendation

Qobuz is the service we rely on the most to test high-end audio products and write our reviews. We love the editorials and playlists they offer. However, with more of our team listening to Dolby Atmos music, we do wish that would be a feature added in the future. We also would like to see more AI-powered features to discover music based on your tastes and “Jam” features like Spotify to have more people add to the queue at parties. If you don’t care about the “extras” and just want a great interface to listen to HiRes music, then Qobuz is a phenomenal choice.

Tidal

Each plan offers over 110 million tracks in lossless, HiRes FLAC, and Dolby Atmos, ad-free/offline listening, personalized mixes, editorial playlists, and live sessions. The Family plan also offers clean playlists and curated content for kids.

There is also a DJ Extension, which is a $9/month add-on designed for DJs seeking seamless integration with their preferred DJ hardware and software.

For those wondering about TIDAL’s MQA support, the platform has officially transitioned to hi-res FLAC. After MQA Limited faced financial troubles in 2023, TIDAL began shifting toward high-resolution FLAC streaming (up to 192kHz) as a more open and widely supported format.

Features & Technology

Audio quality

• Bit Rate = Hi-Res Audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz
• Dolby Atmos Music tracks

Music Discoverability

• Catalog — Over 110 million songs plus Exclusive Content — Much of Tidal's exclusive content is delivered in the form of video. This includes music videos, movies, documentaries, live concert streams, TV shows, artist interviews, and video podcasts.
• Shareability — You can utilize user profiles and direct playlist sharing within the platform. Plus, you can easily share your favorite playlists with friends, family, and the TIDAL community. Even if the recipient doesn't have TIDAL, it will show them options of other popular streaming services and let them open the song within their preferred service to listen to it.
• Curated Playlists — Human-curated playlists that help you track the careers of musicians and producers for a deeper understanding of the music-making ecosystem. Contributor Mix will help spotlight behind-the-scenes musicians and producers, while History Mix will let users delve into their own listening history with the streaming platform.
• AI-Powered Music Discovery – “My Mix” is a generated playlist based on your current listening habits. “My Daily Discovery” is a personalized mix that gets updated every morning based on your listening patterns. “Recommended New Tracks” is a personalized playlist that is updated every Friday with 30 tracks based on new releases that match your taste. You can also select a song and click on the recommend button and it will show you similar tracks within that genre.
• Search Functionality – Tidal does a good job sorting their searches into categories to make it easy to find songs and artists. It will also keep playing similar tracks instead of stopping after you play the track you just selected, giving you some more ways to discover new music.

Tidal did offer an AI Playlist Generator that was in Beta mode. However, after opting into this feature, we were unable to access it to test it. We’ve heard mixed reviews online, so for now, we would recommend you give it a try, but we would definitely not rely on that feature to discover new music.

User Experience & Accessibility

• Accessibility — Web Player, mobile iOS, Android, plus Mac & PC desktop apps as well.
• Experience — All the native apps are highly polished and easy to use. We love that it shows you the level of quality you’re streaming.
• Compatibility — Tidal is compatible with Tidal Connect, GoogleCast, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Roon & more.

Overall Recommendation

If audio quality is your priority, TIDAL is a great option, offering hi-res FLAC (up to 24-bit/192kHz), Dolby Atmos, and a vast 110M+ track catalog. It’s perfect for fans of Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Dance, with exclusive music videos, documentaries, and live performances.

Spotify

Individual plans start at $11.99/month, $16.99/month for Duo, $19.99/month for families, and students can get a plan for $5.99/month with access to Hulu (with ads). There is also a free plan that allows you to stream with ads and limited features. The free tier is also one of the better options for users who don’t mind ads and want to listen to songs on demand.

With the Individual and Duo plans, you get 15 hours/month of listening time for their audiobook catalog, and with the Family plan, you get that plus access to Spotify Kids.

Spotify has also become a major player in the podcast space, offering an extensive library of exclusive and original shows alongside popular mainstream podcasts. With features like video podcasts, personalized recommendations, and curated podcast playlists, it’s a great platform for discovering new content. Plus, seamless integration with music playlists makes it easy to switch between songs and podcasts in one app.

Features & Technology

Audio quality

• For now, Spotify is limited to 256-320 kbps — no hi-res streaming options yet (hopefully coming soon, although they have been promising it for over 3 years.)
• No Dolby Atmos Music tracks

Music Discoverability

• Catalog — Over 100 million tracks plus Exclusive Content — Much of Spotify’s exclusive content is in the form of original podcast programming. This includes a variety of video podcasts, exclusive radio stations, music videos, and live concert streams.
• Shareability — Collaborative playlists you co-create with friends, plus social media features baked right into the software, making it easier to share music, playlists & artists. You can also host group listening sessions or “Jams,” — which allows friends who have Spotify to easily join your group and pick & choose songs to listen to together. This is a fantastic feature for parties or car rides.
• Curated Playlists — mood-based, genre-based & “best of” playlists curated for specific activities and genres to help you find music for any situation easily. Weekly playlists are discovery-based playlists that come out every week with new artists & curated based on your specific music tastes. Plus, New Music Friday/Release Radar will keep you in the loop whenever the artists you follow release new material. We find Spotify one of the best when it comes to curating music that it thinks you will like based on your previous listening sessions.
• AI-Powered Music Discovery – One of Spotify’s standout features is AI DJ Mode, a virtual DJ that curates and narrates your music experience using AI-powered selections and transitions. It creates a radio-style mix, introducing songs based on your taste and making it feel like you have a personalized DJ guiding your music journey.
• Search Functionality – The search engine on Spotify is one of the best there is. Not only can you search for artists and songs and sort them easily, but it also makes it easy to find playlists with their music, video clips, podcasts, merch on their page, and even upcoming tour dates. It also will play songs that are similar after selecting just one.

User Experience & Accessibility

• Accessibility — Web Player, mobile iOS, Android, plus Mac & PC desktop apps as well.
• Experience — All the apps are very well-polished and easy to use.
• Compatibility — Spotify Connect is the service’s protocol for connecting to third-party devices, which makes Spotify more accessible, allowing it to integrate seamlessly with various products, from wireless speakers to gaming consoles and more. This is super cool because it lets you control connected devices like the PlayStation 5 right from the Spotify app on your smartphone, cutting down on the different remotes & controllers usually needed. It also works with Bluetooth, AirPlay, and GoogleCast.

Overall Recommendation

If music discovery, social sharing, and convenience matter more to you than audiophile-level sound quality, Spotify is one of the best choices available. With over 100 million tracks, an AI-powered DJ mode, collaborative playlists, and seamless device compatibility, it’s built for those who love curated music experiences and effortless sharing with friends. Spotify is also a top choice for podcast fans, offering exclusive shows, video podcasts, and easy integration with music playlists. While it doesn’t yet offer hi-res audio, its personalized recommendations, playlist variety, and flexible listening options make it the go-to streaming service for those who value ease of use and music discovery over pure sound quality.

Amazon Music Unlimited

The price is $11.99/month for non-Prime members, Family plans run $19.99/month, and Student plans are $5.99/month.

Features & Technology

Audio quality

• Bit Rate = Hi-Res Audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz
• Dolby Atmos Music tracks

Music Discoverability

• Catalog — Over 100 million tracks plus ad-free podcasts and the largest catalog of audiobooks from Audible.
• Shareability — Easy sharing features that allow you to send songs to friends, directly to social media platforms, and even take fan polls and see trivia about artists as they play.
• Curated Playlists — There is no shortage of curated playlists sorted by genres, music charts, moods/activities, and more.
• AI-Powered Music Discovery – Perhaps the best AI feature within a music streaming service is Amazon Music. You can create a custom playlist by giving the “Maestro Beta” a prompt such as “Dinner under the Tuscan sun” or “shower dance party,” and it instantly creates a playlist with that prompt. We found this feature really cool, and it works super well!
• Search Functionality – Great search functionality with categories to make it easy to find what you’re looking for. Like Spotify, it has a section for merch, podcasts, and a cool “connections” section that shows you artists that are similar to connected to the one you are looking for. In addition, you can use Alexa to search, start and stop songs. This is extremely useful to control the entire app with your voice and is the only one on this list that has that feature. It will also start playing the artist’s station after you select a song and continue to play until you stop it.

User Experience & Accessibility

• Accessibility — Web Player, mobile iOS, Android, plus Mac & PC desktop apps as well.
• Experience — Well-organized app that is easy to operate and use.
• Compatibility — Tight integration with products supporting Amazon Alexa voice assistant, including Alexa-enabled Echo devices. It also supports Bluetooth, Google Cast, and AirPlay.

Overall Recommendation

Amazon Music Unlimited is perfect for audiophiles and Prime members looking for a cost-effective, high-quality streaming service. If you want lossless FLAC audio, Ultra HD (24-bit/192kHz), and immersive 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio, this is one of the best-value options available. It’s also ideal for Alexa users since it integrates seamlessly with Echo devices and is great for users who want to use voice control to search, start, and stop the music. Additionally, if you enjoy AI-powered music discovery, the Maestro playlist generator allows you to create custom playlists using text prompts, making it great for personalized listening experiences.

Apple Music

How it works:

Apple offers a 1-month free trial, and then it’s $10.99/month for individuals, $16.99/month for Family plans, and $5.99/month for students. When you purchase an eligible Apple device, you can also get 3 months free as well.

Features & Technology

Audio quality

• Bit Rate = Hi-Res Audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz
• Spatial Audio tracks with support for Dolby Atmos

Music Discoverability

• Catalog — Access to a deep library of 100 million songs plus Exclusive Content — much of Apple Music’s exclusive content is delivered in the form of early releases of new music, curated playlists from the most popular artists, live performances, including Apple’s live 24-hour radio station — Apple Music 1 — which hosts live artist interviews, and even radio shows hosted by artists, themselves. Plus, thousands of Spacial Audio tracks and albums available in Dolby Atmos will have a badge for easier discovery.
• Shareability — Since Apple Music comes pre-installed on all Apple devices and is free to download on Android and PC, chances are many of your friends & family members already have an Apple device and an Apple ID that will let you share new artists, music, or playlists with them. With Apple Music, you can also see what your friends are listening to, which helps us discover new music from our co-workers, friends, and family.
• Curated Playlists — Exclusive access to human-curated playlists based on music tastes, genres, moods, and artist recommendations.
• Search Functionality — The Apple Music search functionality is great. You can search across the entire library or just in your own library of saved music. You can also search the way you talk by typing in prompts like “nostalgic songs from the 90s " and having it curate songs and playlists from that.

User Experience & Accessibility

• Accessibility — Apple Music provides access to your entire music library across multiple devices, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows PCs, and CarPlay. Notably, Apple has released a beta version of the Apple Music app for Windows 11, replacing the older iTunes application.
• Experience — The desktop app for Windows has historically been considered less intuitive compared to its macOS counterpart. However, the introduction of the Apple Music app for Windows 11 aims to improve this experience. The iOS app is known for its clean design, though some users find it less intuitive than competitors like Spotify.
• Compatibility — Devices equipped with Apple's H2 or W3 chips, such as the latest AirPods models, support Dolby Atmos playback. Additionally, the built-in speakers on the latest versions of iPhone, iPad, and Mac are capable of rendering this immersive audio format. This is the only service that we could not get to continue to play music after you select one song from the “Top Results” on the search page.

Overall Recommendation

Apple Music is the best choice for Apple users and audiophiles who want lossless streaming, Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, and seamless integration across Apple devices. With over 100 million songs, curated playlists, and exclusive content, it’s a premium experience for those who value high-quality sound and a well-organized library. If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, the tight integration with iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod, and CarPlay makes Apple Music a no-brainer. It’s also great for those transitioning from iTunes, as it keeps purchased music accessible alongside streaming content. While Spotify offers better social features, Apple Music is the clear winner for sound quality, exclusive releases, and immersive listening experiences.