**Ranking 7 Major Music Streaming Services From Worst To Best**
Before streaming became prevalent, music fans depended on buying albums on CDs or via platforms like iTunes. This method involved acquiring one album at a time without any guarantee of its quality. The emergence of streaming services such as Spotify transformed this experience by providing limitless music for a small fee, drawing many users in due to its affordability compared to purchasing single albums. Furthermore, artists obtained the liberty to create music independently, avoiding conventional record labels.
By 2026, streaming accounts for roughly 80% of the music industry’s revenue, aided by the multitude of platforms accessible. While trailblazers like Spotify foster a social and engaging environment, others like Apple Music and Tidal focus on offering high-resolution and spatial audio experiences. With an array of choices and increasing subscription fees, selecting the ideal service can be overwhelming. To help in finding the right platform, we have assessed and ranked the major music streaming services from worst to best.
**Deezer**
Deezer, one of the earliest platforms, serves as a practical alternative to Spotify, offering features such as collaborative playlists and music quizzes. It has a free tier supported by ads and streams at 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, which is satisfactory for Bluetooth headphone users. Nonetheless, its absence of Dolby Atmos support and limited recognition outside of France are disadvantages. At a cost of $11.99 per month, users have experienced sporadic crashes and glitches.
**Qobuz**
Qobuz is tailored for audiophiles with its outstanding audio quality, providing 24-bit, 192 kHz streams. It permits music purchases without needing a subscription and offers discounts via its Sublime tier. Qobuz places emphasis on human-curated content and editorial features. However, despite its advantages, it lacks some significant albums and Dolby Atmos support, making its starting price of $12.99 a tough sell for non-audiophiles.
**Amazon Music Unlimited**
Included as part of Prime, Amazon Music features over 100 million tracks, yet offline and on-demand listening is restricted to 15 playlists. Music Unlimited, available at $11.99 ($10.99 for Prime subscribers), supports Hi-Fi audio and spatial content. It presents various subscription options for Amazon devices, although the app can sometimes act up, impacting the user experience.
**YouTube Music**
Though initially lacking, YouTube Music now provides great value with YouTube Premium and Music for $13.99. Google’s AI improves playlist suggestions, yet the absence of lossless or spatial audio is a drawback. The app does not offer human-curated playlists and can run into glitches.
**Spotify**
Spotify, a frontrunner in streaming, features a free tier and an excellent algorithm. With a monthly fee of $13, it unveiled lossless streaming in 2025, but it still falls short on surround sound. Spotify’s usability, Discover Weekly feature, and exclusive podcasts stand out, although audiobook listening remains limited.
**Tidal**
Tidal provides high-resolution audio at a competitive monthly fee of $10.99. Its attributes include personalized playlists and Universal Links for song sharing. Tidal’s sound quality is unparalleled, and it supports artists by allocating a portion of subscriptions directly to them. Nevertheless, its accessibility is confined to 61 countries.
**Apple Music**
Apple Music shines with its sound quality, providing Dolby Atmos and high-resolution options. Its discovery features and human-curated radio stations are exceptional. At $10.99 per month, Apple Music’s global compatibility and extensive feature set establish it as the best option for most users.
**Methodology**
Evaluating music streaming services is complex due to their varying qualities. We prioritized sound quality, catalog size, discovery systems, and user-friendliness. Additional features such as app availability and curated content were also taken into account to ascertain the best value for listeners.