Listeners who move on from Spotify usually want one of three things: a catalogue tuned to a single taste, ownership of what they pay for, or a service run closer to home. The ten options below cover classical, hi-res, live recordings, DJ mixes, direct purchase and the other large subscription catalogues.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderShort answer: IDAGIO, Qobuz and Mixcloud head the list of Spotify alternatives drawn from our music streaming services ranking. The first three places are kept for challengers when the category has enough of them; the best-known brands come after that, in ranked order. IDAGIO is the one to try if most of what you play is classical. Each of the 10 alternatives sits in Best Music Streaming Services in 2026 and is described against Spotify.
Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Spotify's US Premium page lists Individual at $12.99, Duo at $18.99 for two accounts and Family at $21.99 for up to six, with Student at $6.99. The one-month free trial is shown for Individual and Student and is only open to people who have not tried Premium before. A lapsed subscriber therefore returns at full price.
The end user agreement says Spotify may change, suspend or stop features, subscriptions and offers, and may withdraw tracks, podcasts or audiobooks without notice. It also says price changes come with at least 30 days' notice and that cancellation takes effect at the end of the billing period, with no refund for a part period. Playlists you built depend on that catalogue staying put.
Premium pages list 15 hours of audiobooks a month, and on Duo and Family only the plan manager receives them. A household that expected books for every member finds that a separate Audiobooks Access plan exists for listeners who want books without a full music plan. Anyone who wants lossless should note the page names it only in the Individual feature list.
| Alternative | Headquarters | Free option | Pricing model | Switch if | Our rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDAGIO | Germany | No free tier | Published | most of what you play is classical | #1 |
| Qobuz | France | No free tier | Published | sound quality and keeping purchased files matter most | #2 |
| Mixcloud | United Kingdom | No free tier | Published | you prefer DJ sets and radio shows over single-track playlists | #4 |
| Bandcamp | United States | No free tier | See profile | you would rather pay artists per purchase and own the files | #3 |
| nugs | Not stated by the vendor | No free tier | Published | live recordings and full shows are your main listening | #5 |
| Deezer | France | No free tier | Published | you want a general catalogue from a French listed company | #6 |
| Audiomack | Not stated by the vendor | Yes | Published | you follow emerging artists who post their own tracks | #7 |
| TuneIn | Not stated by the vendor | No free tier | Published | live radio and podcasts matter more than choosing tracks | #8 |
| Apple Music | United States | No free tier | Published | you want a catalogue of similar size with lossless built in | #9 |
| iHeartRadio | United States | Yes | Published | you live in the US and mainly listen to broadcast stations | #11 |
Germany · Published
Berlin-based IDAGIO has served classical music since 2015 and organises its library by work, composer and performer instead of by song title. A radio-style mode with ads is free, while Premium Audio adds on-demand albums, offline listening and 16-bit FLAC after a 14-day trial. Pop listeners would need a second service.
Switch from Spotify if most of what you play is classical.
See the full IDAGIO entry, ranked 1 of 11 among music streaming services products →
France · Published
Qobuz is run by Xandrie SA from Pantin near Paris and states that 24-bit Hi-Res streaming comes with the studio plan. Albums can also be bought as downloads without any subscription, so a library survives cancellation. The annual plan is one non-refundable payment, and the trial lasts a single month.
Switch from Spotify if sound quality and keeping purchased files matter most.
Our music streaming services guide puts Qobuz at 2 of 11; read why →
United Kingdom · Published
Mixcloud, a company registered in England, hosts long shows from DJs, radio stations and producers, and says artists are paid when their music is played. Joining and uploading cost nothing; the listener Premium tier removes ads and adds offline listening and replays. Looking up one famous track is not what the catalogue is arranged for.
Switch from Spotify if you prefer DJ sets and radio shows over single-track playlists.
Read our review of Mixcloud (position 4 of 11 on the music streaming services list) →
United States · See profile
Bandcamp sells digital albums, vinyl, CDs and cassettes instead of renting access. Its about page puts the average artist or label share of each sale at 82%, usually paid within 24 to 48 hours. What you buy stays yours, which makes leaving easy, though heavy listening turns into a purchase budget.
Switch from Spotify if you would rather pay artists per purchase and own the files.
Bandcamp comes 3 of 11 when music streaming services products are ranked here →
Not stated by the vendor · Published
nugs focuses on concerts: exclusive livestreams, full-show video and official live audio. Two plans exist, and the cheaper delivers MP3 or AAC, with lossless or immersive audio held for the Hi-Res plan. The trial lasts seven days, and pay-per-view events cost extra. Studio releases by mainstream artists are thin.
Switch from Spotify if live recordings and full shows are your main listening.
Full verdict on nugs, which sits at number 5 of 11 for music streaming services →
France · Published
Deezer started in Paris in 2007 and has traded on Euronext Paris since 2022. Premium, Student, Duo and Family are priced openly, with annual billing lowering each, and a one-month trial for people who never held a Deezer subscription. Whether its free tier exists for you depends on your country, as the pricing page marks it unavailable in some.
Switch from Spotify if you want a general catalogue from a French listed company.
Not stated by the vendor · Published
Audiomack lets artists upload without limit or a paid account, and listening is free. Audiomack+ takes out ads, permits unlimited downloads and adds equaliser controls, though the web page names no price and the terms refund nothing for a started 30-day period. New and independent artists are well represented; its terms fall under New York law.
Switch from Spotify if you follow emerging artists who post their own tracks.
Audiomack comes 7 of 11 when music streaming services products are ranked here →
Not stated by the vendor · Published
TuneIn bundles roughly 100,000 radio stations and podcasts from around the world. Premium adds commercial-free news streams, audiobooks, live sports and over thirty ad-free music channels. It plays stations, not albums chosen on demand, and the pricing page showed the free and Premium feature lists as identical, so confirm what a payment would unlock.
Switch from Spotify if live radio and podcasts matter more than choosing tracks.
Check TuneIn in the ranked list (8 out of 11, music streaming services) →
United States · Published
Apple Music lists more than 100 million songs with Lossless, Hi-Res Lossless and Dolby Atmos tiers. Apps exist for Android, Windows, game consoles and the web in addition to Apple devices, though Hi-Res Lossless needs outboard gear such as a USB converter. After a one-month trial a paid plan is required, apart from a few radio stations.
Switch from Spotify if you want a catalogue of similar size with lossless built in.
Why Apple Music is #9 among 11 music streaming services products →
United States · Published
iHeartRadio belongs to iHeartMedia, Inc. of San Antonio and its terms say the sites are meant for individuals and businesses in the United States. Live stations and podcasts cost nothing, and a separate Premium Service carries fees with automatic renewal. Listeners elsewhere and anyone wanting any album on request will find it narrow.
Switch from Spotify if you live in the US and mainly listen to broadcast stations.
Open the iHeartRadio profile, 11st of 11 in the music streaming services guide →
IDAGIO: It describes itself as built for classical since 2015, with a free radio mode and 16-bit FLAC on Premium Audio after a 14-day trial.
Bandcamp: Each sale of a digital item, vinyl, CD or cassette is yours to keep, and the about page puts the average artist share at 82%.
Qobuz: The studio plan is stated to include Hi-Res 24-bit streaming, and albums can be bought as downloads without a subscription.
Mixcloud: Joining and uploading are free, and Premium adds offline listening and replays.
Deezer: Premium, Student, Duo and Family are listed with annual discounts and a one-month trial for new subscribers.
Spotify remains a sound choice when you want the widest single catalogue, a free ad-supported way in and family or duo plans under one bill. It reports 306 million subscribers and over 100 million tracks, and its Premium page lists lossless up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz and offline listening. If the complaint is price, compare Duo or Family before leaving.
Your playlists, saved albums and followed artists live in Spotify's catalogue and format. Export or transfer them with a third-party tool before cancelling, then check how many tracks the new service cannot match, as classical and live material are most likely to be missing.
Spotify says cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period and that part periods are not refunded, after which the account falls back to the free version. Keep it for a month while the new library settles in, and download any offline content you still need first.
On its US page Spotify lists Individual at $12.99 a month, Duo at $18.99, Family at $21.99 and Student at $6.99. Prices differ by country and change with notice, so read the page for your own market.
Spotify has its own ad-supported free option. Among the alternatives, Mixcloud and Audiomack offer free listening, IDAGIO has a free radio mode, TuneIn and iHeartRadio give free access to stations, and Deezer Free depends on your country.
Qobuz states Hi-Res 24-bit streaming on its studio plan, and Apple Music offers Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless tiers. Spotify also lists lossless up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz on Premium, so the gain is in the Hi-Res sample rates rather than lossless itself.
Only with services that sell files. Qobuz sells albums as downloads without a subscription and Bandcamp sells digital and physical items, so those purchases stay with you. Subscription catalogues end with the subscription.
IDAGIO is in Berlin, Qobuz in Pantin near Paris and Deezer in Paris, while Mixcloud is registered in England. Spotify itself is Swedish and its terms apply Swedish law in most countries.
Founder of The Knowledge Engineers and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page on this site; research and drafting are AI-assisted.
Written, edited and fact-checked by Sebastiaan Smits. Last reviewed 6 November 2026. How we review.
