There are numerous apps for Android phones that cater to all musical and audio tastes. However, given there are so many options, it can be difficult to know which apps are worth downloading.
In this article, Canstar Blue explores the best music apps for Android phones and runs through their key features and costs.
On this page we look at the top music apps available to download on Android:
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is owned by Amazon, and the streaming service offers access to millions of songs, radio stations and podcasts. There are three plan levels that provide different access to content.
It’s worth noting that unless you subscribe to Amazon’s Unlimited service, skip limits can apply. This means you can’t just freely skip past songs you don’t want to listen to.
How much does Amazon Music cost?
Amazon Music has three subscription options:
- Amazon Music Free: access only to songs on curated playlists, plus radio stations and podcasts. Access is free, however, it’s ad-inclusive, and you can only skip songs six times each hour of listening. No offline playback.
- Amazon Music Prime: access to all of the service’s music. However, you are still limited to six skips per hour, unless you’re listening to Amazon Music-created All-Access Playlists, or music that you have bought. Offline listening is limited to All-Access Playlists. Included with a $9.99 per month Amazon Prime membership.
- Amazon Music Unlimited: listen offline and with unlimited skips. Supports HD, ultra HD and spatial audio. $12.99 per month. A one-month free trial is available.
Apple Music
Apple’s music app offers access to over 100 million songs, plus your own purchased music library. The app also has exclusive content, such as music documentaries, TV shows and behind-the-scenes footage. Apple Music doesn’t offer a free, ad-supported option.
How much does Apple Music cost?
Apple Music is available on three plans, each of which has a one-month free trial:
- Individual: $12.99 per month – access to Apple Music’s ad-free full music and content catalogue, streaming and offline.
- Student: $6.99 per month – includes an Apple TV+ subscription, Ts&Cs apply.
- Family: $19.99 per month – add up to six individual accounts. Each user has their own music library and song recommendations.
Deezer
Deezer is similar to Spotify and Apple Music. It lets users stream music and podcasts from a vast library, download tracks for offline use, create playlists and listen to radio stations.
Deezer offers high-quality audio, on-screen lyrics and a feature called Flow, which provides a never-ending personalised radio of tracks based on your tastes. It also allows you to share your playlists with friends on Spotify and Apple Music.
Deezer doesn’t offer a free, ad-supported option in Australia.
How much does Deezer cost?
Deezer offers a 25% discount if you pay annually, rather than monthly, across its plans:
- Deezer Student: $6.99 per month, Ts&Cs apply.
- Deezer Premium: $13.99 per month.
- Deezer Duo: $17.99 per month. Two separate premium Deezer accounts at a discounted rate.
- Deezer Family: $21.99 per month. Six separate premium Deezer accounts at a discounted rate, featuring adult supervision of kids’ content.
iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio is an internet radio app offering thousands of radio stations from Australia, America and New Zealand, covering genres such as music, sport, talkback, as well as popular podcasts.
iHeartRadio also offers curated playlists and allows users to create personalised stations based on their favourite music genres.
How much does iHeartRadio cost?
iHeartRadio is available for free via the iHeartRadio app and website.
Phone plans for video streaming
If you love streaming on the go, you’ll need a phone plan with lots of data. There are tonnes of phone plans that offer large amounts of data, and if you look around for the right plan, you might find the perfect plan for your needs. Check out the table below to find the perfect phone plan for you.
Here is a selection of postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database with a minimum of 10GB of data, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use Canstar Blue’s phone plan comparison tool to see a wide range of plans on offer from mobile providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
Here is a selection of prepaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database with a minimum of 10GB of data, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see a wide range of plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is arguably the largest artist-centric music streaming platform. Featuring over 320 million tracks, it is popular with budding artists and famous musicians.
Through SoundCloud’s app and website, you can upload your own music and podcasts, and listen to other users’ content, plus a huge range of themed playlists.
How much does SoundCloud cost?
SoundCloud offers a free listening service with ads, plus different subscription plans across listener and artist profiles:
For listeners:
- SoundCloud Go: $5.99 per month for ad-free listening to a limited catalogue, plus offline listening capabilities.
- SoundCloud Go+: $11.99 per month for ad-free listening and access to SoundCloud’s full catalogue and high-quality audio.
For artists:
- Basic: Free. Allows users to upload two hours of music.
- Artist – $3.99 per month (33% discount available if you pay annually). Three hours of music uploads plus limited mastering, monetisation and branding tools.
- Artist Pro – $9.99 per month (38% discount available if you pay annually). Unlimited music uploads and mastering, plus expanded access to monetisation and branding tools.
Spotify
Spotify is one of the biggest and most popular music streaming services. It offers access to over 100 million songs, millions of podcasts and a huge range of audio books. Spotify subscribers can easily listen with friends in real time or share their playlists, which can be embedded easily into websites and social media posts.
How much does Spotify cost?
Spotify offers a range of plans:
- Spotify Free: free to use, but you’ll be exposed to ads and be unable download, skip or shuffle songs.
- Spotify Premium Individual: $13.99 per month, with ad-free and offline listening available, plus 15 hours per month of audiobook access.
- Spotify Premium Student: $6.99 per month, Ts&Cs apply.
- Spotify Premium Duo: $19.99 per month. Two separate Spotify Premium Individual accounts at a discounted rate.
- Spotify Premium Family: $23.99 per month. Up to six separate Spotify Premium Individual accounts at a discounted rate. Also provides access to Spotify Kids and parental controls to restrict explicit content.
Tidal
Tidal is a music streaming service that was originally promoted by Jay-Z. Tidal’s point of differentiation is that it offers high-quality lossless sound and claims to pay higher royalty payments to artists than some of its streaming competitors. Tidal has a library of over 110 million songs and thousands of curated playlists.
How much does Tidal cost?
Tidal doesn’t offer a free service. All three of its plans deliver offline listening and lossless sound quality:
- Individual: $12.99 per month.
- Family: $19.99 per month. Up to six individual accounts, plus kid-friendly playlists and content.
- Student: $6.49, Ts&Cs apply.
Tidal also offers a DJ Extension add-on for $11 per month, which integrates a user’s Tidal account with a range of world-class DJ services and technology.
YouTube Music Premium
YouTube Music allows users to listen to over 100 million tracks, plus thousands of mixes, playlists, podcasts and videos.
How much does YouTube Music Premium cost?
YouTube Music has a free ad-based service, plus Premium subscription options:
- Premium: $12.99 per month.
- Family: $20.99 per month, add up to five family members.
- Student: $6.49 per month, Ts&Cs apply.
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