Spotify is the international benchmark for music streaming, But not all users find it the perfect experience. There may be many reasons: restrictions on the free plan, the presence of ads, higher prices, unlimited music searches, or simply curiosity to discover new services, features, and catalogs. The truth is that the world of music streaming is constantly changing, and there are free alternatives to Spotify that adapt to different needs, musical tastes, and devices. In this article, you'll learn in detail about the best free platforms and apps you can use to listen to music online legally, with quality, and without paying, expanding your vision beyond the big names and adding lesser-known but equally valid options.
Pandora Music
Pandora Music is one of the veteran music streaming platforms, especially popular in some countries. Although it doesn't work exactly like Spotify, offers free access to an extensive catalog of streaming music with a personalized radio-like experienceInstead of directly selecting each song, the user chooses a genre, artist, or track, and Pandora creates stations where the music plays automatically and is curated by advanced algorithms.
This platform stands out for its ability to recommend music adapting to the user's tastes thanks to its famous Music Genome Project, a tagging and artificial intelligence system that evaluates each song based on hundreds of attributes. In addition, Pandora includes podcasts on very diverse topics and allows you to listen from the mobile app on Android or desktop. Although the free version has limits on the number of song skips and the presence of ads, the experience makes it easy to discover new music.
Amazon Music
For those who already have an Amazon Prime subscription, Amazon Music It becomes one of the most direct alternatives to Spotify, since its basic plan is included in the Prime package. Amazon Music offers access to more than 2 million songs at no additional cost, allowing streaming, playlist creation, and Alexa integration.
Its catalog covers all genres and eras, and the platform makes it easy to browse, manage favorites, explore trends, and listen on multiple devices, including Android/iOS phones, computers, and smart speakers. Additionally, Amazon Prime Video and shipping and purchase discounts are added as extra benefits. For those looking for a broader catalog, there's Amazon Music Unlimited (for a fee), but the free Prime version is more than enough for most casual users.
Mixcloud
Mixcloud is a perfect free alternative for lovers of electronic music, dance, techno, hip-hop, or chill out. Its great asset is offering sessions, mixes, podcasts and radio programs uploaded by DJs, broadcasters and independent creators. from all over the world. Here you won't find just individual songs, but rather authentic, ongoing and varied musical experiences.
The platform has more than half a million DJs and presenters, as well as online radio stations from all over the world. You can enjoy the content both on the Android and iOS app and on the web from any browser. Mixcloud lets you create playlists, follow your favorite DJs, discover sessions by genre or mood, and enjoy audio even in high quality. The free version includes ads and some skip restrictions, but offers content that's difficult to access on other platforms.
Soundcloud
Soundcloud is probably the The most popular and different free alternative to SpotifyHere you can not only listen to music, but you can also discover millions of songs not available on other platforms, especially from emerging artists, independent producers, and exclusive remixes.
Soundcloud's catalog reaches 200 million songs and more than 20 million artists from all over the world. You can listen to music for free, comment on tracks, follow your favorite artists, and share your own productions. Soundcloud is ideal for those looking to stay up-to-date, discover new styles, or break away from the usual commercial circles. It also includes podcasts, DJ sets, mixes, and a lot of "underground" content not available on Spotify.
The free version allows you to listen to music with ads and some limitations, but Soundcloud Go and Go+ (paid) are available for downloads and higher quality. It also allows you to log in using Facebook and sync your entire network of friends and musical tastes.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is Google's musical offering. The platform harnesses the full potential of YouTube, allowing free access (with ads) to Millions of songs, official music videos, live performances, remixes, and exclusive contentIt has a web version and a mobile app, and its strong point is its almost unlimited variety: from major bestsellers to international rarities and live recordings.
With Google integration, you can create playlists and receive smart recommendations based on your tastes, mood, location, and trends. If you have a YouTube Premium account, you'll enjoy YouTube Music without ads or restrictions. The free version has ads and limitations like background listening on mobile (the app stops when you lock the screen), but it's one of the most versatile options for those who want to explore all the music available online without paying.
Deezer
Deezer is one of the more complete alternatives to Spotify, with a free, paid, and HiFi version. While the free option includes ads and some randomness in mobile listening, it allows you to access a huge catalog of songs, create playlists, explore themed radio stations, and discover music recommended by an international community of users. Explore other alternatives to Spotify to further expand your musical options.
Deezer stands out for the possibility of follow other users and copy their lists, which enriches the experience and encourages the discovery of new music. Plus, its Flow mode uses artificial intelligence to offer you a personalized, endless mix. You can also use it on your computer, Android and iOS phone, smart speakers, car systems, and more.
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is much more than an online music store: it is a global community where independent artists publish and sell their musicIf your goal is to discover new bands, genres outside the mainstream, or experimental projects, here you'll have access to thousands of albums and songs that you can listen to for free (although some artists limit the number of listens). Discover the best free alternatives to Spotify on this platform to support independent artists and explore new musical styles.
Bandcamp lets you buy physical or digital albums, follow your favorite artists, receive alerts for new releases, and directly support creators. You can also browse by tags, genres, popularity, or recommendations. While it doesn't aim to compete with the catalogs of the giants, it's the perfect place for inquisitive listeners and modern musical treasure hunters. The user experience is simple, straightforward, and virtually ad-free.
Last.fm
Last.fm is primarily known for its social media system. statistics and scrobbling, which allows you to sync and analyze everything you listen to across different platforms for more precise recommendations and a personal history. However, it also lets you listen to free radio and music directly from the web, with a huge artist archive and the ability to discover new trends. Learn how to manage your subscriptions or change platforms if you're looking for free options.
The platform uses an algorithm that learns your tastes and automatically suggests playlists and suggestions, as well as information on nearby concerts and music events. The free version includes ads and some listening limitations, but you can access paid options if you're looking for a more customizable, ad-free experience.
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is much more than a historical archive of websites: includes a huge library of free and legal music, especially live recordings, royalty-free music, and classical works. In its Music Archive, you can find everything from historic rock, jazz, and folk concerts to non-commercial recordings and public domain material. It's not ideal for accessing current hits, but it's ideal if you're looking for rarities or music archives that are hard to find elsewhere. Discover resources to download music legally.
Jamendo
Jamendo bets on the free music with Creative Commons licensesAll artists who upload their music to this platform do so so that any user can listen to it for free, download it (with limits for personal use), and share it. The catalog includes hundreds of thousands of songs and albums from around the world, covering almost every genre. You can create your own playlists, vote, follow artists, and find everything from electronic music to alternative rock to experimental jazz. It's perfect for those who want to discover emerging talent and support independent art.
Radio Garden
Radio Garden is a different proposal: instead of offering a closed catalogue of songs, allow you to explore thousands of radio stations from around the world through an interactive map. You can "travel" from country to country and listen to local music in real time, tuning into radio stations by genre, region, or trend. It's an educational and fun tool, perfect for discovering international musical styles. The web version and its mobile apps are completely free and require no registration.
TuneIn Radio
TuneIn Radio is one of the most famous apps for listening to Internet radio stationsIt has an exclusive music section, where you can find 24-hour themed radio stations, radio stations focused on specific genres, live festivals, DJ sets, and more. While the free version has ads, the offering is vast, and you can listen to music without having to constantly navigate algorithms or preset playlists. It also includes sports programming, podcasts, and news, but music plays a prominent role in the user experience.
audio mack
Audiomack is a lesser-known platform but allows artists to upload their music for freeHip-hop, rap, electronic music, and other urban styles predominate here, although there's room for all kinds of genres. Users can listen for free, access playlists and trending tracks, save favorites, create their own lists, and discover new talent. The mobile app is very intuitive, and although there are ads in the free version, the original and emerging content is very prominent.
Idagio
Idagio is a streaming platform specializing in classical musicIt offers both paid subscriptions and an interesting free version that gives access to 2 million tracks, recordings from major orchestras, and recent releases. It includes comprehensive metadata, themed playlists, and a recommendation system highly tailored to the classical genre. If you're passionate about piano, opera, or orchestral music, it's a worthwhile option.
musify
Musify is a mobile app open source and free app that extracts music from YouTube to offer it with a Spotify-like interface and no ads. You can create playlists, enjoy high-quality audio, view song lyrics, and listen to music wherever you want. The experience is quite polished and doesn't require a subscription or payment.
Harmony Music
Harmony Music is another application of open source, available for Android, Windows, and Linux. It lets you listen to music from YouTube with a polished interface, create playlists, have radio mode, download songs for offline listening, and provide detailed sound quality control. It's also compatible with Android Auto and Chromecast, ideal for those who want maximum flexibility in free music streaming.
ViMusic
ViMusic is another free and open-source option for Android that lets you listen to YouTube music ad-free and with full control over your playlists, sound quality, and offline mode. Its modern and intuitive interface lets you import your songs, create playlists, and enjoy unlimited audio, even in the background. It's compatible with Android Auto and lets you download songs for offline enjoyment.
Spottube
Spotube is a free alternative, open source and cross-platform (Android, Windows, Linux, Mac) that leverages the Spotify database and extracts YouTube streaming, allowing you to listen to virtually any Spotify playlist no adsThe interface is modern and very reminiscent of the official apps of major platforms, including the ability to access "Top 50," trending playlists, genres, and favorites. You don't need to log in, although if you do, you can keep your playlists and downloads synchronized.
MusicAll
MusicAll is another application that uses YouTube catalogs to offer free music streaming with the classic Spotify experience: playlist creation and syncing, advanced search, and high-quality, ad-free playback. It allows for offline use and can be installed on both mobile and web apps. Although it may require installing an APK file outside of the official store, it's safe and used by thousands of users.
RiMusic
RiMusic is a New free alternative to Spotify for Android It uses the YouTube Music catalog, is ad-free, and has an interface tailored to premium apps. It lets you listen to millions of songs, create playlists, search for artists or albums, view lyrics and translations, play in the background, and download songs for offline use. Being open source, its security and transparency are guaranteed. Installation must be done from F-Droid or its GitHub repository, as it is not included in the official store for legal reasons related to the use of Google's catalog.
Other alternatives and resources
- Europe FM: Online radio stations with current, trendy, electronic, and reggaeton music. Ideal for those looking for variety and current events without a subscription.
- iHeartRadio: International app with access to thematic radio stations, especially British and American music.
- BBC Radio 1 and BBC Music: YouTube and web channels with live performances, acoustic sessions, and exclusive interviews with renowned artists.
- OndaChannels: A direct-access app to dozens of radio stations, with a simple interface, sleep timer, and a collaborative option to add stations suggested by users.
As you've seen, there's no single platform that suits every taste or need, but the range of free apps and services for listening to music online is ever-expanding. From digital radio stations to open-source apps and independent music repositories, the key is choosing the most balanced option for your profile. Switching between several of them will allow you to enjoy a nearly endless catalog and, likely, discover music you'd never hear on traditional playlists. Try different apps and platforms, explore new genres, support emerging artists, and take advantage of the versatility offered by today's digital music to enjoy your favorite songs without limits or costs.
