Listening to music has never been better than it is nowadays. Thanks to technological advancement, you now have access to streaming sites where you can view various music libraries and stream any of your favorite songs.
Both Spotify and YouTube Music are big names in the music streaming industry. However, because of some identical features, it may be difficult for you to choose between the two.
The big question now is: which features set these two streaming platforms apart, and which is the best for you?
Both are heavyweights in their own right but in this post, we compare Spotify versus YouTube Music so you can decide which suits your music habits best. Keep reading!
What is Spotify?
Spotify is a digital music, podcast, and video service that gives you access to millions of songs and other content from creators all over the world. It debuted in 2008 as the brainchild of Swedish entrepreneurs, Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. In 2011, Spotify reached its first 1 million users but today, it is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world.
What is YouTube Music?
YouTube Music is a music streaming service developed by YouTube, a subsidiary of Google. Launched in 2015, YouTube Music allows you to browse through songs and music videos on YouTube based on genres, playlists, and recommendations.
Spotify Versus YouTube Music
As we said earlier, both streaming services are heavyweights in their own right. However, to know which streaming platform is best for you, we’ll compare these two services based on certain important criteria. The following part of this post explores these criteria.
Free Plan Limitations
Both Spotify and YouTube Music have a free plan available, but each platform provides different limits set in place.
For instance, Spotify allows you to choose the songs you want to play on specific playlists. Also, you can skip the songs you don’t like but only 6 times in one hour. Audio quality on Spotify is limited to 160 kbps and you can’t download songs for offline listening.
YouTube music on the other hand allows you to pick and play any track that you like (an edge over Spotify. Plus, you can skip tracks as many times as you want. One major downside to using YouTube Music is that it does not allow background play. This means that your music will stop once you turn off your phone screen.
There’s no clear winner in this category because the free plans that both streaming services offer are more different than alike. Nevertheless, YouTube music offers greater advantages to free users. So, if you need a music platform that lets you stream songs without many restrictions, YouTube Music may be a better option for you.
Library Content
Both Spotify and YouTube music offer access to millions of songs worldwide. The most significant difference between the two services in terms of content is that in addition to music, Spotify gives you access to a wide selection of podcasts. You’ll find over 5 million podcast titles on Spotify and this means that if you’re a podcast lover, you probably won’t need a separate app for podcasts anymore.
There are no podcasts on YouTube Music but as one would expect, there are lots of music videos. A list of recommended and new videos usually shows up on the front page and you can also check out trending charts. You should keep in mind that Spotify also has several videos but unlike YouTube Music, the videos are not centered and there’s no dedicated section where you can find videos.
If you’re a podcast lover, you shouldn’t think twice about Spotify but if videos are your thing, then YouTube music is your best bet. Again, there’s no distinct winner in this category. It all depends on what your preferences are.
Music Discovery
Gradually, we’re getting to the part where the gap gets bigger between the two streaming platforms. Hands down, Spotify is so much better in terms of music discovery. The popular Discover Weekly contains songs from artists and genres you frequently listen to. Every week, a new one is released and usually contains about 30 tracks. In addition, the platform creates up to six daily mixes for you based on your listening habits.
YouTube Music also offers a few types of personalized playlists. There’s the Discover Mix that gives about 50 lesser-known tracks every week, and the New Release Mix that contains the most recent releases by your favorite artists. Finally, there’s My Supermix which combines songs from different genres that you like.
Pricing and Plans
This is perhaps the single most important factor that will determine which streaming platform you eventually choose. At the end of the day, money will always play a big role in most of our life choices, including the streaming services that we use.
Spotify’s individual monthly subscription costs about #900 per month, while a duo plan (for two users) costs roughly about #1,200 per month. There’s a cheaper plan for students which costs #450 and a family plan that supports up to six accounts for #1,400.
On YouTube, the individual monthly subscription costs #900 and there’s a family plan for up to six accounts that costs #1,400. However, Google also offers a YouTube Premium subscription that especially appeals to those who enjoy watching videos. The subscription costs more but caters to both YouTube Music and YouTube Premium. In a way, you can say that this plan helps you kill two birds with one stone. YouTube Premium removes ads and supports the download of videos for offline use. It costs #1,500 monthly to subscribe to YouTube Premium.
Takeaway
Gone are the days of searching and spending a lot on CDs just to listen to your favorite tracks and albums. Today, listening to music over the internet is a popular thing. Once you have a streaming platform on your mobile device and mobile data, you can always listen to music on the go without any hassle.
Spotify and YouTube Music are very popular music streaming platforms and though they generally provide the same services, certain features set them apart. These differences have been highlighted in this post and will guide you toward choosing the better platform.
Have you decided which platform best complements your music habits? You can make payments for subscriptions with the Changera EasyDollar virtual card.
How to Pay for Spotify and YouTube Music Using Changera Virtual Card (video included)
To start paying for your Spotify or YouTube Music subscription using Changera, all you need to do is follow these easy steps.
- Download the Changera app from Google Play Store or App Store
- Create an account.
- Verify your account and fund it.
- Enter all your information on the app.
- Verify your proof of residency.
- Click on the cards button to request a card.
- Click on “Get cards” on the card page, then select your wallet to make payment.
- Once payment is successful, click “Continue” to see your new virtual card.
Your new virtual card will be ready for use on any international platform like Spotify and YouTube Music.
Upgrade how you listen to and enjoy music by subscribing to any of these platforms. Remember that Changera will make the ride smooth for you by solving all your payment problems.
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