Alternatives to Spotify - the top 5 in comparison

Spotify is the undisputed leader when it comes to music streaming. Nevertheless, there are a number of alternative providers that offer music flat rates at a low price. The number of titles offered is similar for all services and ranges from over 30 million. But there are differences in the usability and the automatic music suggestions.

Napster - from an exchange to a paid streaming service

Napster was originally an exchange for illegal music titles. Today over 30 million songs are legally distributed through the completely renewed portal. You can also find numerous audio books on the platform. Detailed results from our comparison test can also be found in the picture gallery at the end of the article.

• You can test the service free of charge for 30 days. After that there are two subscription options: the Napster Music Flat "(€ 7.95 / month) for the PC or the" Napster Music Flat + Mobile "(€ 9.95 / month), where you can also use the service on your smartphone.
• The Napster user interface is sometimes a bit confusing. Automatic music recommendations have also not yet been offered. For this you can use a radio mode for artists or genres.

Google Play Music - Solid offer from the internet giant

In addition to the normal sale of MP3 downloads, Google also offers a streaming service at a fixed monthly price of 9.99 euros.

• You can try Google Play Music for free for one month. However, there is no ad-financed version like other providers.
• On the desktop PC, you can only use the service in a web app. Google does not offer its own software. The surface is still very tidy and offers a decent performance.
• In addition to ordinary music, there are also numerous audio books on offer. There is also an adaptable radio function for individual artists or genres.

Apple Music - a beacon of hope with a great family offer

Apple has long hesitated about streaming music. The expectation of the in-house streaming service Apple Music was all the greater.

• Apple scores with a particularly long trial period for its service: You can listen to the first three months free of charge, then costs of EUR 9.99 per month are due.
• The family option is particularly affordable: up to six people in the same household can use Apple Music for just € 14.99 a month. You can find more information about the offer here.
• A unique selling point of the offer is above all exclusive contracts with individual artists. For example, Apple Music is the only streaming platform on which you can hear the artist Peter Gabriel.
• The somewhat confusing user interface is noticeable - Apple still has some catching up to do here.

Rdio - music flat rate at an affordable entry-level price

The somewhat less well-known provider Rdio is available as an app or software for all common platforms. Both the range of offers and the networking with social networks can convince.

• After a free trial period of one month, you have the choice between two subscription options: For an affordable 4.99 euros per month, you can use the service online on your PC. For 9.99 euros there is also the offline mode and the use in the smartphone app.
• Like Apple Music, Rdio offers discounts for families: the first user pays the full price of 9.99 euros, all other family members only 4.99 euros for their own account.
• The user interface is very modern and clear. Unfortunately, there is no option to include your own MP3 collection in the program.

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Deezer - on par with market leader Spotify

The currently toughest Spotify competitor is called Deezer. The offer is very good and in connection with a Sonos system you can even listen to music without loss.

• Deezer also offers a one-month test phase. Then there is a subscription for 9.99 euros a month. You can also use a free radio function that is financed by advertising.
• The user interface is completely convincing and offers flawless performance. You can even expand the range of functions with your own apps.
• You can also integrate and play your own MP3 collection in Deezer. So you save a second music player on the computer.

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A comparison of the best video streaming services can be found in the next practical tip.

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