Apple Music vs. YouTube Music: Which Is Better?
In the battle of Apple Music vs. YouTube Music, the days of offline song transfers and phone-based listening are long gone. In today’s world, users prefer dedicated music streaming services that grant them access to a vast library of tracks at their fingertips. The competition for dominance in the streaming industry is heating up between Spotify, Amazon, Apple, and Google. Apple and Google, in particular, are fiercely promoting their respective offerings of Apple Music and YouTube Music through various plans and service bundles. But the question remains: which one reigns supreme?
Choosing a good music streaming service requires careful consideration. It’s not as simple as merely transferring playlists from one platform to another. Compatibility with your preferred smart speaker is also a crucial aspect to keep in mind. This comparison will evaluate YouTube Music and Apple Music based on the user interface, cross-platform availability, features, listening experience, pricing, and more.
The Interface Design of Apple Music vs. YouTube Music
YouTube Music has a visually appealing dark gradient theme across its user interface. Recently, Google revamped the Library tab and playlist view in its mobile apps. However, YouTube Music lacks support for a light theme. The placement of the profile and search menu at the top can be inconvenient on taller Android phones. One impressive aspect is how the YouTube Music player UI dynamically adjusts based on the song’s album, showcasing Google’s attention to detail.
In contrast, Apple Music keeps things simple with its design on Android. It offers support for both light and dark themes. Apple Music incorporates a sleek gradient theme that complements the album cover. Moreover, the gradient theme dynamically adapts during song playback. When comparing player UIs, we lean towards Apple Music, considering its user-friendly design.
Availability Across Multiple Platforms
When selecting a music streaming service, it’s essential to consider cross-platform availability.
YouTube Music offers native apps for iOS, iPadOS, Android, and Wear OS, along with web access for desktop users. It also supports Progressive Web App (PWA) for a seamless experience. YouTube Music is compatible with Google’s innovative speaker lineup and Amazon Echo, allowing you to enjoy playlists on the go. Note that for Amazon Echo, you may need to change the default music player in the Alexa app.
Apple Music is designed primarily for Apple devices, including iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, and Amazon Echo. It also offers an Android app and a dedicated Windows app is scheduled for release in the Microsoft Store.
The Variety of Content and Available Features
When introduced in 2015, Apple Music provided access to a library of 30 million songs. By October 2022, the songs available on Apple Music had expanded significantly, reaching over 100 million tracks. In comparison, YouTube Music boasts a library of more than 80 million songs. Both platforms offer effective means of discovering curated playlists, receiving recommendations, and accessing new music while moving.
Both YouTube Music and Apple Music offer the option to download songs for offline listening, and they also allow users to upload up to 100,000 of their songs to the platform.
Regarding video songs, both YouTube Music and Apple Music support them, but Google’s integration with YouTube is considered superior, providing a seamless experience. Additionally, Apple Music lacks the social aspect found in YouTube Music. The latter enables users to create public playlists, making their music collections searchable and viewable by anyone. Moreover, collaborative playlists can be created with friends and loved ones.
Users can conveniently access their playlists directly from the home screen by utilizing the YouTube Music or Apple Music widgets.
The Experience of Listening to Music
The listening experience is vital in music streaming services, and Apple Music excels over YouTube Music in this aspect. Apple Music offers free lossless audio, making it ideal for audiophiles. It also provides spatial audio with head tracking, creating a 3D virtual listening experience using compatible devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac with AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
YouTube Music offers an everyday listening experience with an equalizer for adjusting bass boost and surround sound. It suggests songs and playlists based on your current selection in the Related tab.
In terms of lyrics, Apple Music has more comprehensive support and features Apple Music Sing for singing along to millions of songs. This karaoke mode is exclusive to Apple hardware.
Comparing Subscription Plans of Apple Music vs. YouTube Music
Apple Music has a Voice plan starting at $4.99/month but lacks features like spatial audio, lossless audio, and Apple Music Sing. Apple Music also has Individual ($10.99/month) and Family ($16.99/month) plans. They offer the Apple One bundle starting at $16.95/month.
YouTube Music has an Individual plan ($9.99/month), a Family plan ($14.99/month), and a recommended YouTube Premium plan ($11.99/month for individuals, $22.99/month for Families) with ad-free YouTube and offline downloads. Student plans are priced at $5.99/month (Apple Music) and $6.99/month (YouTube Music).
Conclusion
By this point, we trust that you have determined which music streaming service, Apple Music or YouTube Music, is better suited to your preferences. Ideally, you have identified their strengths and how well they align with your music service requirements. However, if you are still uncertain, both platforms offer a free monthly trial. You can use these trials to test them out at no cost and decide which one comes out on top.
Have you decided on the service you are most excited to try? We are eager to hear from you, so please share your thoughts in the comments!
