What a music subscription service does

A music subscription service lets you stream millions of songs on demand through an app or website, usually for a monthly or annual fee. You pay the service, not individual artists or songs. The service pays rights holders — record labels, publishers, and sometimes artists directly — from the pool of subscription revenue.

Most services let you listen on multiple devices, create playlists, and download songs to listen offline. The music stops working if you cancel or your payment fails. You do not own the songs; you rent access to them for as long as your subscription is active.

The major services are Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal. Smaller services like Bandcamp and Deezer exist in some regions. Many services offer a free tier with ads and limited skips, and a paid tier without ads.

Key Takeaways

  • You pay a monthly or annual fee to stream songs, but you do not own them — access ends when you cancel or stop paying.
  • Most services cost between $6 and $15 per month for individual plans, with family plans and student discounts available at most major services.
  • Free tiers with ads exist on most platforms, but they come with limits on skips, song repeats, and audio quality.
  • Payment methods, offline download limits, and sound quality vary by service, so check what matters to you before committing.
  • Cancellation is usually instant online, but some services charge for partial months or require you to contact support.

Pricing and plan types

Individual plans typically cost $6 to $12 per month depending on the service and whether you choose a free ad-supported tier or a paid ad-free one. Spotify Premium is $11.99 per month; Apple Music is $11.99 per month; Amazon Music Unlimited is $11.99 per month; YouTube Music Premium is $13.99 per month; Tidal Premium is $12.99 per month. These prices vary by country and change periodically.

Family plans cost more but let multiple people use the same account. Spotify Family is $19.99 per month for up to six people; Apple Music Family is $19.99 per month for up to six people; Amazon Music Unlimited Family is $19.99 per month for up to six people. Each person gets their own account, playlists, and recommendations.

Student discounts are available on most services and typically cost $5 to $7 per month. You usually need to verify your student status through a third-party service like SheerID. Annual plans exist on some services and cost less per month than paying monthly, but you pay the full year upfront.

What you can and cannot do with each service

Offline downloads let you save songs to your device and listen without an internet connection. Spotify Premium, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal all offer this, but the number of songs you can download varies. Spotify lets you download up to 10,000 songs per device on up to five devices. Apple Music lets you download as many as you want. YouTube Music Premium lets you download songs and videos. Amazon Music Unlimited lets you download to your phone and tablet.

Sound quality differs by service. Spotify streams at 320 kbps on Premium (a compressed format). Apple Music streams at up to 256 kbps. YouTube Music streams at up to 256 kbps. Tidal HiFi streams at lossless quality (up to 1,411 kbps) but costs $20.99 per month. Amazon Music Unlimited streams at up to 850 kbps on some devices. If sound quality matters to you, Tidal is the only mainstream service offering lossless audio at a standard tier.

Sharing and simultaneous listening rules vary. Most family plans let each person listen at the same time on different devices. Individual plans on Spotify and Apple Music let you listen on one device at a time, though you can switch devices. YouTube Music Premium and Amazon Music Unlimited let you listen on multiple devices at once on individual plans.

How to choose between services

Start with what devices you use most. If you use an iPhone and other Apple devices, Apple Music integrates with Siri and your device library. If you use Android, YouTube Music and Spotify work well. If you use a smart speaker, check which services your speaker supports — Amazon Music works best with Alexa devices, while Google Play Music (now YouTube Music) works with Google Home.

Consider the music you listen to. Some services have better catalogs in certain genres or regions. Tidal emphasizes hip-hop and R&B and pays artists more per stream. Spotify has the largest playlist ecosystem and best recommendation algorithm. Apple Music has exclusive releases from some artists. If you listen to a specific genre or follow particular artists, check whether they are available on your preferred service.

Look at what you already pay for. If you have Amazon Prime, Amazon Music Unlimited is included in Prime Video (though the free tier is limited). If you have Apple One, Apple Music is bundled with iCloud storage and Apple TV+. If you use Verizon, some plans include Apple Music or YouTube Music. Bundling can save money if you use multiple services.

How to cancel and what happens to your music

Cancellation is usually instant through the app or website. Log into your account, go to settings or billing, and select "Cancel Subscription." Most services stop charging immediately, though you keep access until the end of your billing period. Some services charge a prorated amount if you cancel mid-month; others do not.

When your subscription ends, you lose access to all streaming music. Downloaded songs also stop working — the app removes the license and you cannot play them. Playlists and saved songs disappear from the service. If you rejoin later, your playlists may still exist (depending on the service), but you start fresh with no saved data.

If you want to keep a record of music you liked, export your playlists before you cancel. Most services let you download a playlist as a file or share it publicly. Third-party tools like Soundiiz can transfer playlists between services, though this requires setting up the tool before you cancel.

Payment methods and billing issues

All major services accept credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal. Some accept gift cards, which you can buy at retailers and redeem for credit toward your account. Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music also accept payment through your phone carrier's bill in some countries. Amazon Music can be paid through your Amazon account balance.

If your payment method fails, the service usually sends you a notice and gives you a grace period (often 7 to 14 days) to update your payment information. After that, your subscription pauses and you lose access. Reactivating usually requires updating your payment method and may involve a small reactivation fee depending on the service.

Some services offer a free trial period — usually 30 days for paid tiers. The trial converts to a paid subscription automatically unless you cancel before it ends. Set a reminder to cancel if you do not want to be charged, or update your payment method to one you do not use regularly.

Privacy and data you share

Music services collect data about what you listen to, when you listen, and what devices you use. They use this to build your recommendations and personalized playlists. This data is also used for marketing and may be shared with advertisers or analytics partners.

Check the privacy policy of the service you choose to understand what data is collected and how it is used. Most services let you control some settings — like whether your listening history is public or private, and whether you allow personalized ads. These settings are usually in the privacy or account section of the app.

If you share a family plan, each person's listening history is separate and private from other family members (though the account holder can see billing). If you use a free tier with ads, expect more data collection than a paid tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a music subscription on multiple devices at the same time?

It depends on your plan and service. Family plans let each person listen simultaneously on different devices. Individual paid plans on Spotify and Apple Music limit you to one device at a time, though you can switch devices. YouTube Music Premium and Amazon Music Unlimited let you listen on multiple devices at once with an individual plan.

What happens to my playlists if I cancel?

Your playlists disappear from the service when your subscription ends. If you rejoin later, some services restore your playlists, but this is not may provide. Export your playlists to a file or use a third-party tool like Soundiiz to transfer them to another service before you cancel.

Do I need to give a credit card to use the free tier?

Most services let you use the free ad-supported tier without a payment method. Spotify, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music all offer free tiers without requiring a card. Apple Music does not have a free tier. If you want to try a paid tier, most services require a card for the free trial period.

Can I download songs and keep them after I cancel?

No. Downloaded songs are licensed to your account and stop working when your subscription ends. The app removes the license and you cannot play them. If you want to keep music permanently, you need to buy it through a service like iTunes or Bandcamp instead of streaming it.

Which service pays artists the most?

Tidal pays the highest per-stream rate, typically $0.01 to $0.02 per stream. Spotify pays around $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. Apple Music and YouTube Music pay similar rates to Spotify. However, total payment depends on how many streams a song gets, not just the per-stream rate. Independent artists often earn more by selling directly or using platforms like Bandcamp.