Jul 16,2019 • Filed to: Streaming Music Services & Sites Tips • Proven solutions
Want a Spotify alternative to stream music on your computer or mobile devices? As we know, Spotify is the most popular music streaming service. However, not everyone think Spotify is the best and some might consider that the monthly fee for Spotify music is expensive. So is there any other streaming music program similar to Spotify available? Of course. Read on and find the top 7 best Spotify alternatives below.
If there was ever a platform to threaten Apple’s perch on the podcast throne, it’s Spotify.Interestingly enough, as Apple looks to separate podcasts from its music offerings, Spotify is looking to take over the podcasting world by bringing podcasts to its popular music streaming app. While all this sounds amazing, Spotify’s free tier is limiting and you need to shell out a whopping $9.99/ month for the premium subscription. However, the $9.99 gets you ad-free streaming, offline downloads, and most importantly, the ability to skip and play all tracks instead of being stuck with random shuffles. Thankfully, there are lots of great music apps available out there, to ensure you get the best possible experience. Read on for 10 best apps like Spotify that are helping millions of people each day to have access to their favorite the music. The popular website Pandora transitioned to an app for both Android and iOS.
Part 1. Download Music from Spotify and Other Streaming Music Programs
- The only disadvantage is that to gain benefit from music, and you will have to the premium account on Spotify, which also removes all advertisements, and will permit you to listen to the music at any time and anywhere. Spotify for Android and iOS is, without any doubt, a must-have app.
- We like how Rdio and Spotify allow free users to browse and listen to top tracks lists, albums and new releases. Differences: Rdio Free comes ad-free and on-demand, whereas Spotify plays ads in.
If you want to enjoy your favorite music from Spotify or other streaming music sites anytime without Internet connection, you can download or record the music with the help of iMusic. You can use this Spotify alternative to download music from Spotify, Dailymotion, Vimeo, YouTube and other over 3000 music sites by copying and pasting the URL of the songs. As for some music you can't download, for example, music played in radio stations, you can use the Record feature to save the songs on your computer. Besides, iMusic offers you a music library, letting you search and download music for free.
iMusic - Alternatives to Spotify to Download Music from Over 3000 Music Sites
- Download music from more than 300 music sites by copying and pasting the URL.
- Record unlimited music from any website for playback in your computer with just one click.
- Built-in music library let you browse and preview the lattest and hottest music.
- Automatically save downloaded/recorded music to library for management and easy transfer.
- Identify and tag music with artist, title, album, genre, and more with the latest technology.
- Transfer music/playlist between iPhone/iPad/iPod/Android to iTunes/Windows/Mac easily.
- 1 click to transfer downloaded music and playlist to USB drive to enjoy in car.
How to Use iMusic-Best Alternative to Spotify to Get Music from Spotify
To use iMusic Spotify alternative to get music from Spotify, here are two methods by iMusic, one is to record music from Spotify, another is directly download the music from Spotify by Pasting music's URL. Here we will show this two methods one by one.
Method 1. Use iMusic-Best Spotify Alternative to Download Music from Spotify
Step 1. Download and install iMusic at: https://www.aimersoft.com/imusic.html
Download and install iMusic on your computer. You can immediately install it after it has been downloaded. Click the 'download' under the 'Get Music' option.
Note: Note that the program is running two versions, so make sure you select the appropriate choice for your computer(Windows & Mac). Both are similar, so we will demonstrate a sample using the version that is specifically for Windows.
Step 2. Download Spotify music Directly
Open the Spotify software or Spotify website, copy the playlist link or song link which you want to download.
Step 3. Paste the URL
Apps Like Spotify For Pc
Paste the link to the iMusic downloaded window: Get Music > Download , and then press the 'Download' button.
Step 4. Download Music from Spotify
Press the Download button after you select the format.
Method 2. Use iMusic-Best Spotify Alternative to Record Music from Spotify
Step 1. Open iMusic
As a first step, open the iMusic software present on your PC by double clicking its icon.
Step 2. Select Record
Select the option of 'Record' which on the top of the interface as below screenshot.
Step 3. Play music on Spotify
Now you need to play or stream the music on Spotify which you wish to record. In order to record from Spotify, open your Spotify account and then play the desired track.
Step 4. Click the record icon
As the music is played on Spotify, click on the button on the bottom of the interface as the below screenshot and the track will automatically get recorded.
Step 5. Find the recorded songs in the 'iTunes Library'
As you complete the recording of the songs, you can find the songs in the 'iTunes Library'.
Why Choose iMusic Spotify Downloader
Download Unlimited Free Music
Download music from Spotify, BBC Radio, Pandora, Grooveshark, Deezer, Napster, and 3000+ more.
Filter Ads and Split Tracks
Detect Ads and audtomatically filter Ads when recording. Split tracks to separate music files.
Identify Music and Get Info
Identify recorded music and automatically get music information like Title, Artist, Album and Genre.
Easy to Share Music
The downloaded music can be transferred to iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android devices, and burn to CDs.
Deezer
Deezer is a music streaming website that gives you access to millions of songs and is available on a variety of platforms and devices. Like many music streaming programs, Deezer has paid and free membership levels. Deezer actually has two paid membership levels, $4.99 and $6.99 a month, respectively. The $4.99 version is ad-free and comes with a limited mobile app, while the $6.99 version has full mobile abilities. The paid version of Deezer advertise an increased sound quality of up to 320 kbps. Deezer is one of the few music streaming programs available in Canada and in fact, it is in available in more than 100 countries worldwide and it is very similar to spotify.
Pros: Three levels of membership option. Available in 100+ countries. Good sound quality. Available on a variety of platforms.
Cons: Interface can be hard to navigate. Music library can feel limited. Have to pay extra to be able to use on mobile devices.
Google Play All Access
Google Play All Access is Google's entry into the streaming market. This is available through your mobile device or through the browser on your computer. Google Play has a music of almost 20 million library and boasts high sound quality. Unlike many of the other streaming options, Google Play does not have a free option. To access Google Play you have to pay $9.99 a month. Google Play allows you to search for songs and build customized playlists and there is also a feature to build playlists based on your listening history. Some listeners find the interface can be a bit confusing at times.
Pros: Large music catalogue. Good sound quality. Easy customization. One of the good Spotify alternative free.
Cons: No desktop version. No free version.
Grooveshark
Grooveshark is a music streaming site that uses user-uploaded content, instead of making deals with record companies to access their content. You can find millions of songs on Grooveshark, all uploaded by users. There are two options, a free option with ads and a $5 month subscription fee that gives you ad-free music, the ability to take your account anywhere in the world, and other features. Grooveshark is facing lawsuits from several record companies because of rights infringement, so if legal access of music is important to you, then Grooveshark is not the service for you. Apple and Android have removed the Grooveshark App from their store, though it is still available on devices like Blackberry. Grooveshark's sound quality also varies wildly, due to the nature of the content.
Pros: Good Spotify alternative.Extremely extensive catalogue of songs. Very user-friendly. Blackberry supported.
Cons: Violates music copyright. Inferior sound quality. No app support for iPhone or Android.
Last.fm
Last.fm is a streaming radio station. It allows you to play music online and provide services like spotify, but you can't create custom playlists. Instead you can enter likes and dislikes, choosing artists you want to listen to and ones you want to avoid and it builds you a set list based on your preferences. For straight music listening, Last.fm has good sound quality and a good selection of music, though many may find the lack of customization frustrating. Like many radio stations, Last.fm features commercials, you can pay $3 a month to get an ad-free version.
Pros: Good sound quality. Good music catalogue.
Cons: Limited features. Limited customization.
Pandora Radio
Pandora is an online streaming radio site. It consists of themed stations, but does give you the option to create your own playlists. You can skip certain songs, but you are limited to a certain amount of skips per hour. Pandora's created playlists do become more personalized in time, as your listening history becomes more apparent. Pandora has a music library of around 1 million songs. You can access Pandora with ads for free or you can pay $4 a month for ad-free service. With Pandora you can listen via mobile app and it is available on a large selection of devices or through the web browser on your computer, there is no desktop version.
Pros: It is an almost free spotify alterntive with low cost. Available on most mobile systems.
Cons: No customization. Small music catalogue.
Rdio
Rdio allows both personalized streaming, but also has themed radio stations for your listening pleasure. It has an incredibly easy to use interface and a large catalogue of songs, however the sound quality suffers at times. Rdio does not release their sound rate, unlike services like Spotify. Unlike a lot of streaming services, Rdio offers a free service, but limits the amount you can stream. There are two price levels for Rdio, $4.99 a month gets you unlimited, ad-free content from your web browser. While $9.99 a month gives you mobile access as well an offline access mode.
Pros: Interface is easy to use with service like Spotify. Good variety of songs. Mix of playlists and radio mode.
Cons: Sound quality. Streaming limit with the free option.
Stereomood
Stereomood works a little differently than other streaming music sites. Stereomood suggests music for you based on your mood. So you say 'I feel sad', then you'll get a playlist of designated sad songs. Stereomood isn't as good for customization as some of the other streaming sites, as it is all pre-set playlists, but you can tag songs that you think fits certain moods. The program keeps track of the moods that you enter and every week, you can look at your mood tally. Stereomood's iOS app is also linked to iTunes and gives you an option to buy the songs that you like on iTunes. Stereomood is free to listen to and has no ads.
Pros: Spotify alternative free. Fun mood options.
Cons: No customization. Limited song catalogue.
Choose the Spotify Alternative that is Best for You
Choose the Right Streaming Music Site to Enjoy Music | Deezer | Google Play All Access | Grooveshark | Last.fm | Pandora Radio | Rdio | Stereomood |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | Free, $4.99 per month or $6.99 per month | $9.99 per month | Free or $5 per month | Free or $3 per month for ad-free and mobile | Free or $4 per month for ad-free | Free, $4.99 per month, or $9.99 per month | Free |
Sound Quality | Up to 320 kbps | Up to 320 kbps | Depends on the song | Up to 128 kbps | Up to 192 kbps | Unknown | Up to 320 kbps |
Customization | Yes, but the interface can be tricky. | Yes. | Yes. Music is all uploaded by users. | No | No | Yes | No, pre-set playlists. |
Music Library | 30 million songs | 18 million songs | Over 30 million songs | 12 million songs | 1 million songs | 1 million songs | Less than 500,000 |
Platform Availability | Web; Desktop: Mac, Windows; Mobile (premium only): iOS, Android, Blackberry | Web; Mobile: Android, iOS | Web; Mobile: Blackberry | Web; Mobile (paid): iOS, Android, Windows Mobile | Web; Mobile: iOS, Android; Kindle and Nook; Roku; | Web; Desktop: Mac, Windows; Mobile (premium only): Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Mobile | Web; Mobile: iOS, Android |
For more comparison info about Spotify and other popular Spotify alernatives, click the corresponding link below >>>
As technologies have evolved, physical recordings have become a thing of the past. Today, 86 percent of consumers are listening to music using on-demand streaming services.
In this article, we talk about how to create a music streaming app using the example of Spotify. We provide key features, a list of competitors, and a Business Model Canvas for an app like Spotify.
Free Apps Like Spotify Ios
About Spotify
Spotify is a music streaming platform that lets users stream songs of their choice and generates playlists based on a user’s musical preferences.
But Spotify offers more than just access to millions of songs. Its strong point is the community features: On Spotify, users can follow friends and favorite artists and see their listening activity.
Since Spotify isn’t the only on-demand streaming service, we can’t help mentioning some of its competitors. Here is a list of other popular music streaming services and short descriptions of them.
- Apple Music. Apple Music gives users access to 50 million songs and offers a three‑month free trial.
- YouTube Music. YouTube’s music service offers two versions: a free ad-supported version and a premium version. Premium includes background play, ad-free music, and audio-only mode.
- Google Play Music. This service gives users access to 40 million songs. As part of a Google Play Music subscription, users also get YouTube Music Premium.
- Tidal. Tidal is a subscription-based music service that has more than 60 million songs and includes exclusive audio and video content. Tidal provides a 60-day free trial.
- Deezer. Created in France, Deezer has over 50 million tracks. It offers free and premium plans. Deezer Premium has no ads and supports offline mode.
- SoundCloud. SoundCloud users can listen to 175 million songs and upload their own audio content.
Spotify can become a great add-on to any navigation app. Find out the time and cost estimates for an app like Waze.
Key features for a Spotify-like app
Let’s take a look at the features that an app like Spotify needs.
User accounts. To get started, a user needs to create an account.
Cloud storage. A cloud service enables data storage so that users can access their music files online.
Search. This is a must to let users find songs by artist and title.
Library. This is where users can collect their favorite albums and songs for quick access.
Playlists. Users should be able to create and edit playlists.
Recommendations help to provide a personalized experience. They should be based on a user’s musical preferences.
Offline availability lets users download songs and albums so they can listen to them without an internet connection.
Social sharing. With a sharing feature, users can share playlists with friends through social media.
Notifications. With notifications, users can get news about activity of their friends and favorite artists.
Upload. This is an additional feature that your app needs if you want to let users upload their own content.
How to make money with a Spotify-like app
Spotify gets most of its revenue from ads and Premium subscriptions. In Q4 2018, the company generated almost all of its revenue from subscriptions:
- Revenue from subscriptions accounted for €1,320 million (88 percent of total turnover)
- Revenue from ads accounted for €175 million
Paid subscriptions
Freemium music apps provide some basic features for free, but to get additional features, users need to pay. That’s how Spotify works.
Spotify Premium features include:
- Offline listening
- No ads
- Unlimited skips
- High-quality audio
Paid subscriptions are the main source of revenue for music streaming apps, especially if they don’t provide a free ad-supported option. For instance, Tidal has only paid plans. When the Tidal trial period expires, users have to pay for a subscription.
Learn how we built a subscription-based marketplace for distributing music and other creative content.
Ads
To make money with a free music app or plan, you can let brands play ads in your app.
Spotify supports several ad formats:
- Audio. These ads are played between tracks.
- Video. There are several types of video ads on Spotify. For example, with Sponsored Session ads, users are shown video ads that allow them to get 30 minutes of ad-free listening.
- Display. These ads are overlay images that appear when a user returns to the app.
Challenges of creating an app like Spotify
If you’re thinking of creating an app like Spotify, you need to remember that music streaming services face a number of challenges.
Licensing
The first and biggest challenge is licensing. Streaming apps like Spotify are a legal way to listen to music. For every stream, digital music services pay royalties to rights holders. That means that licensing is a must. Otherwise, you’ll violate copyright laws.
A song actually has two copyrights:
- One on the composition itself (the melody and lyrics) that’s owned by the songwriter or publishing company
- One on the sound recording, which is owned by the record label
To stream a song, you need a public performance license. This license is issued by performing rights organizations that collect and distribute royalties for songwriters and publishers. In the USA, these organizations are ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.
To get a sound recording license, music streaming services sign deals with record labels. To stream indie music, you need to have a deal with Merlin Network, a digital rights agency for independent labels.
Accurate recommendations
Providing recommendations that actually match a user’s musical preferences is vital for a music streaming app. For example, lots of Apple Music users are not satisfied with the app’s recommendations. Considering the competition, users can just switch to other music services.
To provide accurate recommendations, your service needs a strong technology core. Spotify, for example, relies heavily on machine learning algorithms to make the best musical matches.
To provide personalized music recommendations, you first need to collect and analyze data about a user’s musical preferences. You can ask users to choose genres and artists they like right after registration. Lots of music apps do that.
One of the algorithms Spotify uses to make accurate recommendations is called collaborative filtering. This model focuses on finding users with similar musical preferences. Let’s say there are two users, John and Nancy, who mostly listen to similar songs. They both listen to songs A, B, and C. If Nancy likes song D, Spotify will recommend this song to John.
Value proposition
You should clearly communicate the value your app provides to stand out from competitors. That’s why you need a compelling value proposition.
Let’s take Spotify, SoundCloud, and Tidal as examples and look at their value propositions.
One of Spotify’s value propositions lies in the huge number of personalized playlists that it automatically generates, including Release Radar and Discover Weekly. Updated every Friday, Release Radar provides new releases recommended for a particular user. Discover Weekly updates every Monday and is also generated for a particular user based on their musical tastes.
SoundCloud positions itself as not just a music streaming service but also a social media network. SoundCloud lets users upload their own tracks and gives young artists the opportunity to find a community and connect with fans.
To distinguish itself from competitors, Tidal offers high fidelity (Hi-Fi) audio using the FLAC format, which is of higher quality than MP3. As for the value proposition for artists, Tidal claims that it pays a higher ratio of royalties to music creators than any other streaming service.
Entering the market
It’s important to consider the challenge of getting your first users and engaging them with the platform. To address this issue, you need a strong marketing strategy.
Spotify’s marketing strategy includes social media marketing as well as more traditional promotional methods such as TV commercials and billboards. But let’s find out how Spotify started and attracted its first users.
When Spotify launched in some European countries, it was invite-only. Thus, the company could control Spotify’s growth to provide a good user experience. But the invite-only system also helped to create buzz around the launch. Influencers and tech reporters who tested the service shared their experiences, increasing anticipation even more.
In 2001, Spotify partnered with Facebook and launched in the US. The integration let Facebook users show their friends what they listened to on Spotify. This partnership helped Spotify increase the number of Premium subscribers.
Facebook is not the only company Spotify has a partnership with. To attract new customers, Spotify also partnered with Uber, Coca-Cola, and Reebok.
Another music streaming service, Deezer, decided to reach markets where Spotify was not already dominant. Deezer targets listeners in Latin America, Asia, and Africa and focuses on local music genres. As Deezer chief executive Hans-Holger Albrecht notes, while Spotify focuses on playlists, Deezer focuses on local differentiation.
Build an app for web or mobile?
Most digital music services provide web players along with mobile apps. Having a web version can still help you reach a broader audience. It’s always better to let your users choose the device they prefer at the moment.
But if you’re choosing between developing a web or mobile version of your music service, we would recommend a mobile app. And here’s why: According to the Music Consumer Insight Report, 75 percent of consumers primarily use smartphones to listen to music.
In 2015, Spotify provided statistics showing that most of their users preferred mobile devices like smartphones and tablets for listening.
As mobile apps are built for iOS and Android, you can either build a native app for both platforms or choose one platform. Here’s an article where we compare the pros and cons of development for Android and iOS. Check it out if you’re wondering which platform you should choose for your app.
Business Model Canvas for a Spotify-like app
A Business Model Canvas is a template that’s filled with information on a startup’s value proposition, key business partners, resources, revenue streams, etc. It allows you to design and visualize a startup’s business model and quickly evaluate a startup idea.
Startup idea evaluation, in turn, helps business owners make sure their product meets a market need and makes sure the development team can clearly understand the project to formulate requirements.
Here’s a Business Model Canvas for a Spotify-like app:
How to save time and money creating a streaming app like Spotify
The cost of streaming app development depends on many factors, including feature list, an hourly rate of a software development company you choose, and whether the product is going to be developed from scratch. The price can reach $100,000 ‒ $150,000 or even more in some regions for the development from scratch.
If that sounds pricey, don't quit your dream of building a successful startup. Check out a white-label solution for fast and cost-efficient streaming app development developed by our team.
This solution allows us to reduce the cost of such a project to $40,000 for a minimum viable product. What is more, to make your product unique and branded, we can also develop additional features and create custom design of your web app to help your product stand out.
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