Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming platforms worldwide. However, its free version comes with ads, limited skips, and no offline playback. If you’re looking for free platforms to discover and stream music, these Spotify alternatives offer generous free plans, vast libraries, or even music discovery options—without needing a credit card.
Page Contents
1. YouTube Music (Free Plan)
YouTube Music offers a massive catalog of music, official albums, remixes, and live performances. The free plan includes ads and doesn’t support background play on mobile, but it’s great for discovering niche and international content.
Best for: Exploring a wide range of music and video-based content.
2. Deezer (Free Tier)
Deezer’s free plan lets you listen to over 90 million songs with ads and shuffle-only mode on mobile. It offers personalized mixes, lyrics display, and Flow, a smart AI-based playlist generator.
Best for: Users who want smart curation and a clean, global music library.
3. SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a go-to for discovering independent artists, remixes, DJ sets, and underground music. The free version allows unlimited streaming of user-uploaded content, with some ads.
Best for: Fans of indie music, remixes, and discovering emerging talent.
4. Pandora (Free Plan – U.S. Only)
Pandora uses a radio-style streaming model with stations based on your favorite artists or genres. The free plan includes ads and limited skips, but it’s great for passive listening.
Best for: Radio-style music lovers and background music listeners.
5. Audius
Audius is a decentralized, blockchain-powered music streaming service where artists retain control and listeners enjoy ad-free music for free. It features mostly independent creators and EDM, hip-hop, and electronic genres.
Best for: Crypto-savvy users and fans of emerging artists.
6. Jamendo Music
Jamendo offers free streaming of royalty-free and independent music across various genres. It’s especially useful for content creators looking for music for videos or podcasts under Creative Commons licenses.
Best for: Creators and fans of royalty-free indie tracks.
7. Jango
Jango is a free, ad-supported internet radio service. You create custom radio stations based on artists or genres, and the platform plays similar tracks. It features minimal ads and good music variety.
Best for: Easy-listening fans and passive streamers.
8. LiveOne (formerly Slacker Radio)
LiveOne offers curated radio stations, live events, and podcasts. The free tier is ad-supported and includes stations across genres with limited skips.
Best for: People who enjoy radio-style curation and live music events.
9. TIDAL Free
TIDAL, known for its high-fidelity sound quality, now offers a free plan in select countries with access to 90 million songs and curated playlists. The free version includes ads and standard quality audio.
Best for: Audiophiles exploring higher-quality streaming options.
10. Musify
Musify is a lesser-known free music streaming app that offers offline playback and unlimited streaming, particularly popular for background music and lo-fi listening. It sources free music and lets you build your own playlists.
Best for: Offline listeners and lo-fi music fans.
Choosing the Best Free Spotify Alternative
-
Want indie music and underground tracks? → Go with SoundCloud, Audius, or Jamendo
-
Prefer radio-style discovery? → Use Pandora, Jango, or LiveOne
-
Need standard streaming with playlists? → Try YouTube Music, Deezer, or TIDAL Free
-
Looking for offline playback options? → Consider Musify or Jamendo
These free platforms give you access to massive libraries and discovery tools—without paying for a subscription like Spotify Premium
