Guide · $0 a month
Free music streaming: what you actually get
Three services have a real free tier, one comes with a membership you may already have, and three are paid only. Here’s the honest version.
Spotify Free
On-demand listening with ads. Streams at up to about 160 kbit/s in the app and 128 kbit/s AAC on the web player, per Spotify’s audio-quality page. Upgrade path: Premium $12.99/month.
YouTube Music (free)
With ads, at up to 128 kbit/s, according to YouTube Music Help. Background play and downloads need Premium ($11.99/month).
Deezer Free
Deezer says you can “listen to music online, collect your favorites, create playlists, and share with friends, all for free.” Downloads and HiFi need a paid plan.
Amazon Music Prime
Included with an Amazon Prime membership: shuffle play across the catalog, plus on-demand All-Access Playlists, per Amazon’s FAQ. Not a separate free tier.
Apple Music · TIDAL · Qobuz
No free tier. Apple Music and TIDAL offer trials to new subscribers; Qobuz is paid.
And free with no app at all
Purrple Cat’s music plays free on this site: 366 full tracks, no account, no ads, MP3 downloads. Free to use in your videos and streams with credit.
Using the music
Yes, with credit: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch and other social media, videos and livestreams. Credit: “Music by Purrple Cat” and a link to purrplecat.com. The music is licensed CC BY 4.0 and isn’t in Content ID.
Never: re-upload it to music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music or any service on this page. That includes remixes, samples and covers, because those uploads cause false Content ID claims for everyone else.
