- And if you are concerned about sound quality. Spotify also offers our favorite free tier. Thanks to its free version; Pandora's Music Genome Project analyzes each track according to 450.
- Improving the sound quality of Qobuz, Spotify and Pandora by John Darko June 9, 2014, 17:14 For the average Joe, the notion of owning music is slowly on the way out.
- Deezer vs Spotify Quality. The Deezer vs Spotify sound quality is one of the most important factors to consider when you want to subscribe to a given service. The standard Spotify steam songs are at 160kbps. While the lowest tier for Deezer stream is at 128kbps. The Deezer vs Spotify bitrate for the premium subscribers is the same, 320kbps.
- Spotify vs Pandora: Pandora is designed more for internet radio than it is album streaming. It’s also deeply beholden to what you like, making discovering new music harder than more broadly.
- Spotify offers more personalization than Pandora does and it offers more plans but it comes at a higher price. There is a free Spotify plan that is similar to Pandora on mobile in that it plays a.
- Pandora Free Sound Quality Vs Spotify Music Converter
- Pandora Music Sound Quality
- Spotify Vs Pandora Premium
- Pandora Vs Spotify Vs Apple Music
Now you've enabled the highest quality audio that Pandora can provide. There is a warning, that when you activate this, your songs may skip if your connection is bad. Press the back button and now your music will start playing with higher quality audio. Spotify 101: How to Improve Sound Quality for Streaming & Downloaded Music How To: Bass. Per Pandora’s own policy (and outlined in this Pandora help document, Audio Quality) different devices and different subscribers (free vs. Premium Pandora One subscribers) receive different kbps rates per stream: Pandora via web browser is streamed at 64 kbps for free users and 192 kbps for Pandora One subscribers.
Pandora is a radio-based streaming service, and Spotify is playlist oriented, so they work very differently in some ways. Any how, both Spotify and Pandora intend to help users find their favorite jams and to discover tons of new music with ease. Which one is the best music streaming service? Which one is your preference?
Here we make the side by side comparisons between Spotify and Pandora. After considering variety of factors, you will make the right choice!
The Comparison Table of Pandora and Spotify
Free plan | Ad-supported, limited to radio functionality, no offline mode | Ad-supported, suffle-only mode, no offline mode |
Monthly fee | Pandora Premium $9.99, Pandora Plus $4.99 | Spotify Premium $9.99 |
Family plan | $14.99 for 6 family members | $14.99 for 6 family members |
Students plan | $4.99 per month | $4.99 per month (includs Hulu) |
Free trial | 60 days | 30 days |
Music library | Over 40 million licensed tracks | Over 50 million licensed tracks |
Sound quality | 64kbps for free users, 192kbps for Pandora Plus and Premium users | 192 Kbps in Ogg for Free, 320 Kbps in Ogg for Premium |
Offline listening | Yes, with paid subscription | Yes, with paid subscription |
Supported devices | Android and iOS devices, computers (not available for Free users), Kindle devices, Google Home, Chromecast, Sonos, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, Fitbit | Android and iOS devices, computers, TV, Amazon Echo, PS4, Xbox One, Sonos, Chromecast, Apple Watch and more |
Availability | US, Australia, New Zealand | Nearly 80 countries |
Side by Side Comparisons between Pandora and Spotify
Pandora provides simple yet perfect interface. 'Now Playing' tab displays what you’re currently playing, including thumbs up and thumbs down buttons, and the album art in the center of the main interface, with additional backstage which give users an access to the artist’s lyrics, tour dates, bios, and more. It claimed that the improved 'Navigation' feature makes things easier when users create and organize stations, look at their favorite tracks, and use playback controls. However, users do not think so and some even think that the UI on the desktop version 'make things more difficult and take more actions to do the same thing for the sake of aesthetics'.
Spotify has updated the user interface since January 2019. The positions of a few useful buttons have changed, making it more difficult for users to navigate the features they want, for example, the Artist/Albums pages are set up in 'Your Library' section, and the 'Repeat' and 'Go to queue' buttons on mobile app are moved into the sub. It seems that this is the first time that people strongly complain about the changes.
Verdict: By all accounts, both Pandora and Spotify have made unnecessary compromises for the sake of aesthetic changes. Users just wanna go back to the past version. In conclusion, though Pandora has beautiful and appealing UI, most of users prefer to Spotify which displays all features more conspicuously.
2. Pandora vs Spotify: Costs
Pandora offers 4 different tiers of service: free ad-supported Pandora, Pandora Plus, Pandora Premium and Pandora Family Plan.
Pandora Free is ad-supported radio service which allows users to create stations based off of their favorite artists, songs, and genres.
Pandora Plus ($4.99/month or $54.89/year) gives users the ability to replay tracks, listen to 4 radio stations offline, and the benefit to enjoy higher quality audio and a longer timeout period.
Pandora Premium ($9.99/month or $109.89/year with a 60-day free trial) covers all the benefits of Pandora Plus, and pluses the ability to search and play songs on-demand. With Pandora Premium users can create fully customizable playlists, access as much of their music collection offline, and enjoy higher quality audio and longer timeouts than Pandora Plus subscribers.
Pandora Premium Family ($14.99 USD monthly or $164.89 annually) offers all of the features of Pandora Premium to up to six unique Pandora accounts.
Spotify Premium for individual is $9.99 per month. Spotify Family allows up to create five additional individual accounts for a total of $14.99 per month. If you’re a student, you can sign up with a .edu email address which allows you a student discount with $4.99 (includes Hulu) per month.
Spotify is testing a new Premium deal which offers a cheaper subscription to couples. Dubbed Premium Duo, it sits between the existing solo and Family subscriptions, and is ideal for those without kids.
You Might Interested in: How to Get a Discount on Spotify Premium
1. Things You Need to Know about Spotify and Hulu Bundle
Spotify and Hulu have partnered to offer a combined streaming media service that could save your money to access your favorite streaming music and videos. So here we will mainly talk about things you need to know about Spotify and Hulu bundle.
Learn More >2. If you have new Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e and you could get your first 6 months of Premium absolutely free.
3. Spotify is teaming up with AT&T, so if you’re an eligible AT&T customer, you can sign up for a free six-month trial of Spotify Premium.
3. Pandora vs Spotify: Music Catalog and Music Discovery
The size of a music catalog is crucial when comparing two services. Spotify claims over 30 million songs, while touting the addition of another 20,000 songs to its library daily, so it seems that users can literally find anything and everything. Pandora also offers on-demand access to more than 40 million songs, and millions of curated and auto-generated radio stations that offer variations on a theme.
In summary, both Spotify and Pandora accomplish two different tasks: Pandora is for radio, and Spotify is for playlists, but the key points to keep subscribers sticking to their services depend on the ability to discovery new music. Spotify build the personalized playlists like Discovery Weekly and Release radar which provide new music from artists they never stumbled across on their own. While Pandora's 'Music Genome Project' is a powerful engine offering the incredible ability to provide listeners with songs they like based on a vast amount of variables. In addition to creating radio stations, the 'Music Genome Project' helps to curate playlists automatically adding music once you have selected a few songs.
Verdict: Pandora does a better job in discovering music. The 'radio mode' introduces listeners millions of interesting music, then you do not have to worry about what to listen to.
Best Add-ons or Third-Party Apps for Discovering New Music on Spotify
In addition to the built-in features that Spotify holds, there are plenty of third-party add-ons, or web-based tools which are using Spotify official API or not. Here we list the best 8 add-ons or web-based tools for Spotify, which are working with Spotify and bring your streaming music to a new level.
Learn More >By default, Spotify music player runs at 160kbps on desktop, but Premium allows you to up this to 320kbps, which is the best compression rate you’ll actually notice. For Spotify mobile app, Low quality is 24kbps, Normal quality is 96kbps, High quality is 160kbps, and Extreme quality is 320kbps. Free users can select Normal or High, but only Premium lets you select Extreme on mobile.
For Pandora, its audio quality might be the lowest available among the major streaming music service, even the Premium subscribers stream music at only 192Kbps in AAC format.
Verdict: It is apparent that Spotify offers the better audio quality. If you are particular about the audio quality, Spotify is your choice.
How to Improve the Streaming and Download Audio Quality on Spotify?
If you want all your music from Spotify sound amazing, you can take multiple methods to improve sound quality. And here we list the best ways you can refer to change or improve the streaming or download audio quality on Spotify.
Learn More >Sometimes the smart speakers you own also decides which music streaming service you should choice, because you need to consider whether your speaker is natively compatible with the service. Spotify is available everywhere, and available on most of devices including desktop, mobile phone or tablets, TV and game console, smart speaker and watch. Pandora Premium was on a select few platforms, but now it's also available on iOS, Android, desktop, web browser, Sonos, Kindle devices, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Home, Fitbit and more.
Verdict: Relatively speaking, Spotify is compatible with most of mainstream smart speaks, TV and game consoles, wearable devices, so it has mass appeal and happily reaches very broad users.
6. Pandora vs Spotify: Podcast
Podcast that a service provides are a critical element when you consider which platforms you will choose. It may not be ready to switch over from a dedicated app just yet, but it's a nice feature for anyone looking to trim down the number of apps they use daily. Spotify seizes the initiative and heavily invests to provide listeners high-quality podcasts with different topics. It seems that Pandora has not lagged behind at all. In 2018, Pandora announced that it has hundreds of podcasts with over 100,000 episodes across genres like true crime, technology, music, and more. Users can discover podcasts throughout the app of Spotify and Pandora, in this round, the draw is a good result.
How to Download Spotify Podcast to PC without Premium?
How to download podcasts from Spotify on your computer to listen to it offline? Now here is the solution: Sidify Music Converter is an impressive application which downloads Spotify podcast to audio tracks like MP3, AAC, WAV or FLAC.
Learn More >7. Conclusion: Pandora or Spotify, Which One Should You Choose?
Spotify deserves to the pioneer and king in the music-streaming space, although it is not to everybody's taste. Spotify is for playlist, so if you are the ones who want a solid all-around service, and love to make, browse and share playlists to others, Spotify is your choice. Pandora's 'Music Genome Project' is a trump card to give better recommendations. If you are tired of discovering new music and do not know what to listen to, Pandora will give you more suggestions.
If Spotify is a popular choice to avoid 'landmines', Pandora is special-interest to meet a specific need.
Recommend: Spotify Music Downloader
Sidify Music Converter is a wonderful Spotify audio converter on Windows & Mac, which can download Spotify songs to other playable formats, thus users can play the downloaded songs on other devices, such as the iPod, iPhone, Zune, PSP, etc.
Sidify Music Converter
- Download Spotify song or playlist to MP3/AAC/WAV/FLAC.
- Keep 100% original audio quality of Spotify after conversion.
- Keep ID3 tags and metadata to well organize music library.
- Burn Spotify music to CD and share Spotify music via Email.
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If you’re facing trouble to decide whether to pick Spotify or Apple Music as your best music streaming service, then go through this post. Here, we will compare almost all the largest music streaming services.
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At present, there are several music streaming services available out there, but there are four major ones that stand out from the huge crowd – Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play Music. There is no doubt that these four widely popular streaming services are also competing with each other, quite much on the same level. However, the problem is that you want only one, even though there are numerously available.
These days, users face trouble when it comes to choosing whether Apple Music or Spotify/Pandora/Google Play Music. That’s why we come up with the complete guide on Apple Music vs. Spotify vs. Pandora vs. Google Play Music to help you pick the right one.
Part 1: Apple Music or Spotify
Spotify is a Swedish-based music streaming service that has more than 10 millions of subscribers. On the other hand, Apple Music is quite popular for its high-level and exclusive releases and full support for the Apple iOS ecosystem. Both these music streaming services are great, and that’s why it has become a hot topic that which service is better to choose.
Apple Music or Spotify
Let’s give a closure look at the comparison between Apple Music and Spotify on the basis of various factors, which include:
Price and Subscription
Both Apple Music and Spotify provides a free three-month trial session for their premium services, which generally cost $10, even though Spotify service isn’t actually free as you need to pay $0.99 for the trial period. And Spotify is music streaming service with free and ad-supported tier and thus, it means that if you don’t want to prefer its premium version, then you still can listen.
On the other hand, Apple Music service allows free users to stream Beats1 Radio only or they can listen to songs from their iTunes library.
Pandora Free Sound Quality Vs Spotify Music Converter
Music Library
The music library of Spotify has 30 million-plus songs. Along with this huge collection, it adds 20,000+ new songs on a regular basis. The service also come up with the latest record releases, live sessions, and numerous new songs.
On the other side, Apple Music has around 45 million songs and thus, it is superior to the music streaming service called Spotify. There is also another area where Apple Music service is a better option than Spotify and it is iTunes Library integration.
In other words, any music you’ve purchased through iTunes store, uploaded to iTunes Match o ripped from a physical CD will show up in your Apple Music library and provide you with the option to browse your own music along with Apple’s standard library. Spotify also provides a similar feature, transferring your local songs to a separate tab, but you are not able to access the local songs via broad searches, unlike Apple Music.
Compatibility
Both music streaming services provide support for Android and iOS. Also, both come with standalone desktop applications for Mac and Windows. You can listen to music in the browser in case of Spotify i.e. open.spotify.com. However, Apple Music isn’t a full web player, but mere a web widget at tools.applemusic.com.
Apple Music along with Siri Voice control on HomePod of Apple and also provides support for Amazon’s full line of Echo smart speakers through the Alexa App. Plus, the service is available on other Amazon and Apple devices, such as FireTV, and Apple TV.
On the other hand, if a device is listed as Spotify connect compatible, then you can use the Spotify music streaming service app as a remote for controlling playback. That’s all on Apple Music vs. Spotify. If you would like to use a free service, then Spotify is the best option. But, if you want to pay for a service, then Apple Music may be the right pick.
Part 2: Apple Music vs. Pandora
Pandora’s been providing music streaming for a long time now and it is also known as internet radio. Even though Apple Music is a newcomer to the music streaming world, Apple’s and iTunes dominating presence in the market has made it worth to consider. However, if you are still confused which one to pick whether Apple Music or Pandora, then give a closure look at the following points:
Price
Apple Music service will cost $9.99/month for a user or it also offers a family plan that cost $14.99/month. The family plan provides support for six users. On the other hand, Pandora is quite cheaper for a single user that cost $4.99/month or $55/year. As you can see that it is the half the price of Apple Music service, but Pandora doesn’t offer a family plan.
24/7 Radio
One thing that Apple Music and Pandora have in common is 24/7 radio. However, Apple Music streaming service plans to get his job done quite differently. Rather playing music all the time, Apple Music can stream true radio along with DJs as well as everything. It is known as Beats 1 that will broadcast live from New York, London, and Los Angeles.
Support for music video streaming
Another remarkable feature of Apple Music is that it provides support to watch music videos within its service. Plus, there will be no-ads while streaming. On the other hand, Pandora doesn’t provide such type of music video streaming feature.
Siri Support
Apple Music streaming service provides support for Siri and it means that you can ask Siri to look for or play a song using your voice. And Pandora doesn’t provide support for Siri.
Music Recommendations
Apple Music service provides music recommendations for you. When you open Apple Music, you will get the “You” tab that includes music recommendations for you. The app will allow you tom select some genres you like and artists that you love to listen. On the other hand, Pandora creates music stations based on user likes.
Pandora Music Sound Quality
Part 3: Apple Music vs. Google Play Music
Another music streaming service that has gained huge popularity among music lovers is Google Play music. If you need help to decide whether to pick the Apple Music or Google Play Music, then following Apple Music vs. Google Play will decide which one is the right match for you.
Apple Music vs. Google Play Music
Plans and subscriptions
A standard subscription for Google Play Music is the same as of an individual Apple Music subscription and it cost $9.99/month. With Apple Music subscription, you can download music for offline listening, stream catalog of Apple music and get access to new releases and shows broadcast on the Beats 1 radio station. On the other hand, with Google play music subscription, you can access Google’s music catalog, radio stations, music recommendations, offline listening, and Youtube Music premium access.
Both music streaming services has a family plan that cost $14.99/month. Here’s the catch, if you don’t even get Google Play Music subscription, you can still upload up to 50,000 songs from your music library for free.
Free Trails
Apple Music provides a free three-month trial of its premium services. On the other hand, Google Play Music provides existing holders of Google account with a shorter 30-day free trial. It becomes the paid membership if you don’t cancel it before the trial period expires.
Music Library and offline listening
All paid Google Play Music and Apple Music plans provide you with access to a big catalog of songs when you register. Apple Music has 50 million songs, while Google Play Music users get 40 million songs. Users of Apple music can download up to 100,000 songs to their own music library, whereas Google Play Music let you download as many songs, playlists, and albums as you want.
Streaming quality
Apple Music is capable of streaming 256kpps AAC files, whereas Google Play Music subscribers can choose the streaming bit rate from low to medium to high (198 to 192 to 320kpbs).
Compatibility
Apple Music is available to download for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and almost all the Android devices. On the other hand, Google Play Music is also available for both Android and iOS devices.
Google Play Music allows you to upload up to 50,000 songs from the computer through a web player or upload client app. Apple Music in iTunes that is available for Mac and Windows PC is based on a similar format as the mobile version.
However, Apple doesn’t provide a native player for web browsers, unlike Google Play Music, although third-party services like Music allows users to listen to Apple Music via the web.
Part 4: Comparison Chart
Apple Music | Spotify | Pandora | Google Play Music | |
Price | $9.99/month | $9.99/month | $4.99/month | $9.99/month |
Free Trial | 3 months | 30 days | 60 days | 30 days |
Family Plan | $14.99 for 6 users | $14.99 for 5 users | $14.99 for 6 users | $14.99 for 6 users |
Max Streaming Quality | 256 kbps | 320 kbps | 192 kbps | 320 kbps |
Supported Platforms | iOS, Android, Apple TV, OS X, Windows | iOS, Android, WP, Web, Windows, OS X | iOS, Android, WP, Windows, Web, OS X | iOS, Android, Web |
Bonuses | Beats 1 Live DJ radio | Algorithm radio, provide access to catalog from third-party apps | Radio services | Access to YouTube Music Premium |
Library Size | 45 million tracks | 35 million tracks | 30 million tracks | 40 million tracks |
Offline Playback | YES (Mobile only) | YES (Mobile and desktop) | YES (Mobile only) | YES (Mobile only) |
Siri Support | YES | NO | NO | NO |
Free Option | Yes with ads | Yes with ads | Yes with ads | Yes |
Podcasts | NO | YES | YES | YES |
Music Videos | YES | YES | NO | NO |
Spotify Vs Pandora Premium
The Bottom Line
Pandora Vs Spotify Vs Apple Music
We hope that you now got an idea of which music streaming service is the right pick for you with the above complete guide on Apple Music vs. Pandora vs. Google Play Music vs. Spotify. All these music streaming services are good in its unique features it offers and which one is the right one for you depends on what you would like to have in your music streaming service.
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