9 Best Free Music Streaming Apps for Your Smartphone

The way we consume music has changed dramatically over the years. We don't have to buy CDs for every album anymore. Now, we have the luxury of streaming multiple albums and artists for a nominal fee per month. In this article, we have compiled a list of the top free offline music apps for both Android and iOS devices.

Spotify

Spotify is undoubtedly one of the most popular music streaming apps out there, boasting a library of over 30 million songs. What sets Spotify apart is its dark UI, which is consistent across all platforms. The app also offers unique features like a private listening mode, where you can keep your songs private and enjoy guilty pleasures without judgment. Another favorite feature is the Discover Weekly playlist, where Spotify curates a personalized playlist based on your music preferences. With its accurate algorithm, Spotify knows your taste better than you do.

Pros:

• Offline music playback
• Consistent UI across platforms
• Dark theme
• Great for music sharing

Cons:

• May not work well on slower internet connections

Platform: Spotify is available for the web, desktop, Android, and iOS. It also has an Apple Watch app for controlling music playback on your iPhone.

Price: Spotify offers both a free ad-supported version and a premium version for $9.99 per month ($4.99 for students in the US). The premium version includes offline playback and ad-free music.

Pandora

If Spotify is all about playlists, then Pandora is all about radio. With Pandora, you can create personalized radio stations based on your favorite artists, genres, or tracks. The app recommends music based on your preferences and gets better over time with your feedback. Pandora currently has around 40 million songs in its library.

Pros:

• Personalized radio stations
• Tailored music suggestions

Cons:

• Limited availability (only in the US, Australia, and New Zealand)
• Limited artists and bitrate

Platform: Pandora is available for both Android, iOS, and the web.

Price: Pandora offers a free ad-supported version or a plus version for $4.99 per month, which includes unlimited skips, replays, and higher quality audio. There is also a premium version available for offline listening.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud is a unique platform that focuses on independent artists, making it an excellent choice for discovering new music. While the library may be larger than Spotify and Pandora, it may take some time to find the perfect music for you. SoundCloud features around 125 million soundtracks, including user-submitted tracks.

Pros:

• Dedicated apps for integration with other websites
• Ideal for discovering new artists and music

Cons:

• No support for ID3 tags yet
• May contain a lot of junk you have to sort through

Platform: SoundCloud is available on Android, iOS, and the web.

Price: SoundCloud offers a free ad-supported version, but you can remove ads and access offline listening by subscribing to SoundCloud Go for $9.99 per month.

Radio Garden

Unlike other music streaming apps, Radio Garden allows you to stream current radio stations from around the world. The app features a globe with green dots representing cities. By zooming in and tapping on a dot, you can tune into radio stations broadcasting from that city.

Pros:

• Wide range of radio stations
• Ability to search stations based on map locations

Cons:

• No option to manually search stations

Platform: Radio Garden is available for both Android and iOS.

Price: Free

Apple Music

Apple Music may be a relatively new service, but it certainly lives up to its name. In addition to songs, Apple Music also offers music videos and personalized mixes tailored to your music taste. With the integration of Genius lyrics, you can even view lyrics directly in the app. Apple Music seamlessly works across the entire Apple ecosystem and has a library of 45 million soundtracks.

Pros:

• High audio quality (256kbps AAC bitrate)
• Early access to top-tier artists

Cons:

• UI uses a lot of white and pink, which may be uncomfortable for some users

Platform: Apple Music is available for both Android and iOS.

Price: Apple Music offers a subscription starting at $9.99 per month ($14.99 for a family plan).

Google Play Music

Google Play Music is perfect for those who want to listen to their own music collection. In addition to streaming music, the app allows you to upload up to 50,000 of your own songs to the Google server and stream them from anywhere, ad-free.

Pros:

• Ability to upload 50,000 songs and stream from anywhere

Cons:

• No option to add lyrics

Platform: Google Play Music is available for both Android and iOS.

Price: Google Play Music offers a free ad-supported version. For ad-free streaming, you can subscribe for $9.99 per month.

Amazon Music

If you are an Amazon Prime member, you have access to Prime Music for free. While the catalog is smaller compared to Spotify and Google Play Music, it still offers 2 million songs. Amazon Music is a great option if you prefer popular bands like Metallica and Pink Floyd. The app is available on various platforms, including web, Android, iOS, Fire devices, and Amazon Echo.

Pros:

• No ads
• Easy to find popular songs

Cons:

• Comes bundled with Amazon Prime, no standalone pricing

Platform: Amazon Music is available for web, Android, iOS, Fire devices, and Amazon Echo.

Price: Prime members can access a larger streaming library for a discounted price of $3.99 per month.

Musi

Musi is an excellent app for those who enjoy streaming music from YouTube. With Musi, you can create custom playlists using videos from YouTube and SoundCloud. What sets it apart is its ability to keep playing music even when you close the YouTube app. Musi also has a sleep timer feature, perfect for those who like to listen to music before bed.

Pros:

• Custom library creation
• Background playback
• Sleep timer

Cons:

• No offline track storage

Platform: Musi is available for iPad and iPhone.

Price: Free

In conclusion, there are plenty of options when it comes to free music streaming apps. Whether you prefer playlists, radio stations, or discovering new artists, there is an app for everyone. Let us know in the comments which music streaming app is your favorite!