Cheaper Alternatives to Spotify in 2026 (Prices Compared)
Spotify Premium is about $11.99 a month; Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music Unlimited all start around a dollar lower. The bigger savings are structural: Apple Music comes inside Apple One, YouTube Music comes inside YouTube Premium, Amazon Music is discounted for Prime members, and every service's Family plan costs less per person than two individual plans. Your playlists move in minutes with a transfer app, so switching costs nothing but an afternoon.
Spotify and its alternatives, side by side
| Service | Starting price | Billed | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | $11.99 | monthly | $144 |
| Apple Music | $10.99 | monthly | $132 |
| YouTube Music | $10.99 | monthly | $132 |
| Tidal | $10.99 | monthly | $132 |
| Deezer | $10.99 | monthly | $132 |
| Amazon Music Unlimited | $10.99 | monthly | $132 |
Default plan prices in US dollars, checked on September 9, 2026. Local prices and plans vary; the links go to each service's current pricing.
Which alternative fits which listener
Apple Music: if you are already in Apple's world
Lossless and spatial audio at no extra cost, tight integration with iPhone, Watch and HomePod, and inclusion in the Apple One bundle alongside iCloud+ and TV+. If your household pays for iCloud storage anyway, Apple One can make Apple Music nearly free compared with paying for both separately. What you give up: there is no free tier, and the algorithmic playlists are a step behind Spotify's.
YouTube Music: free with YouTube Premium
Anyone paying for YouTube Premium already has YouTube Music Premium and should cancel Spotify today. On its own YouTube Music costs about the same as the others and has one unique advantage: the entire YouTube catalogue of live versions, covers and unreleased tracks is inside it. Its free tier plays on demand with ads, which Spotify Free on mobile does not.
Amazon Music Unlimited: the Prime discount
Prime members get a reduced price on Unlimited and, with plain Prime, a limited shuffle-only library for free. The catalogue and quality are comparable to the others; the apps are a little clumsier. Best fit: Prime households that want the cheapest full service.
Tidal and Deezer: sound quality and the underdog
Tidal built its name on hi-fi audio and pays artists more per stream; it now costs the same as everyone else. Deezer is big in France and Brazil, has a strong free tier and a "Flow" recommendation feed people either love or ignore. Both are legitimate full replacements; neither is cheaper than the rest on the standard plan.
The plans that actually cut the price
- Family: up to six accounts at one address for well under double the individual price. Two people on individual plans are overpaying by a wide margin.
- Duo (Spotify) and similar two-person plans: cheaper than Family for exactly two.
- Student: roughly half price with annual verification, on every service.
- Bundles: Apple One, YouTube Premium and Amazon Prime each include a music service. If you pay for any of them, you may already own a Spotify replacement.
- Annual prepay: some services and some countries offer 12 months for the price of 10. Check the plans page before renewing monthly.
The free tiers, honestly
Spotify Free on a phone means ads, shuffle-only for most playlists and no downloads; on a computer it plays on demand with ads. YouTube Music free plays anything on demand with ads but stops when the screen locks. Deezer free is similar to Spotify. Amazon Music with Prime plays a large but capped catalogue in shuffle. None of them is Premium, and all of them are enough for background listening. If you mostly play the same playlists in the kitchen, try a month on Free before paying anyone.
Moving your playlists
This is the part that keeps people on Spotify, and it takes about ten minutes. Transfer services such as SongShift (iPhone), Soundiiz and TuneMyMusic connect to both accounts and copy playlists, liked songs and albums across. The free versions handle a few playlists at a time; the paid versions do everything at once for a few dollars. A handful of tracks will not match because of catalogue differences; the tool lists them so you can fix them by hand.
Then cancel Spotify the day before your renewal date: How to cancel Spotify Premium. Your Spotify playlists stay on the Free account, so nothing is lost if the new service disappoints.
Before you switch: three checks
- Who else is on your plan? Family plan members lose Premium when the manager cancels. Move everyone on the same day.
- Podcasts. Spotify's exclusive shows stay exclusive; most others are on every app. Check the three you listen to most.
- Devices. Spotify Connect on speakers, car systems and consoles is the widest; Apple Music and YouTube Music cover most of the same ground on their own platforms. Test your car before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Spotify Premium?
On standard plans, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music Unlimited are all about a dollar cheaper than Spotify. The genuinely cheap options are structural: YouTube Music inside YouTube Premium, Apple Music inside Apple One, Amazon Music's Prime discount, and Family or Student plans on any service.
Is Apple Music cheaper than Spotify?
Slightly, on the individual plan, and much cheaper if you already pay for iCloud or Apple TV+, because Apple One bundles them. Apple Music also includes lossless audio at no extra cost.
Can I move my Spotify playlists to another service?
Yes. Transfer tools like SongShift, Soundiiz and TuneMyMusic copy playlists, liked songs and albums between services in minutes. A few tracks may not match; the tools show you which.
Is YouTube Music included with YouTube Premium?
Yes. YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music Premium at no extra cost. If you pay for YouTube Premium and Spotify, you are paying for two music services.
Is Spotify Free good enough?
For background listening on a computer, yes: it plays on demand with ads. On a phone it is shuffle-only for most playlists with no downloads, which is the limit most people cannot live with.
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Steps checked on September 9, 2026. Menus change from time to time; if something looks different, the official page linked above is always current.
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