Spotify vs YouTube Music: which is better in 2026?
Short answer: choose Spotify if you want music, podcasts and audiobooks in one app, weekly personal playlists and listening on almost any device through Spotify Connect. Choose YouTube Music if you want the music that lives on YouTube, such as live performances, covers and remixes, with lyrics, your own uploaded songs and a switch between audio and music video. Both are free to start, with a paid tier.
How we compare: what each developer says the app does in its own App Store description, what you can listen to, how it finds new music for you, what the free and paid tiers cover and where it plays. Then the current standing of both on the Censuus ranking.
| Spotify | YouTube Music | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | music, podcasts and audiobooks in one app | music from YouTube, live sets, covers and remixes |
| Catalogue | 100M+ songs and 6M podcast titles | songs plus music content you can’t find elsewhere |
| Discovery | Discover Weekly, Release Radar, yearly Wrapped | personal Mixes, mood and activity mixes, global charts |
| Extras | audiobooks with Premium, nearby gigs | lyrics, upload your own songs, audio and video switch |
| Paid tier adds | downloads, ad-free listening | ad-free, background play |
| Devices | Spotify Connect: speakers, TV, consoles, car, watch | speakers, TV, car, watch, Google Maps and Waze |
What can you listen to?
Spotify says it has over 100 million songs and 6 million podcast titles, and Premium unlocks its audiobook catalogue, so it covers all three kinds of listening. YouTube Music focuses on music, including live performances, covers and remixes that only exist on YouTube, and lets you upload songs from your own devices so your library sits in one place.
Which one finds new music better?
Both build playlists for you. Spotify has Discover Weekly every week, Release Radar and New Music Friday, plus Wrapped at the end of the year. YouTube Music makes personal Mixes, mixes by mood and activity such as focus, workout or commute, and shows top charts from around the world.
Free versus paid
Spotify Free streams music and podcasts with ads; Premium adds downloads for offline listening, ad-free music and audiobooks. YouTube Music Premium, available in select countries, removes ads, plays music in the background and switches between song audio and music video.
Devices and the car
Spotify Connect hands playback to smart speakers, TVs, Chromecast, PlayStation, Xbox, watches and the car. YouTube Music plays on phones, desktop, smart speakers, TVs, cars and watches and works inside Google Maps and Waze, which helps if you navigate with Google’s apps.
The verdict
Pick Spotify if podcasts and audiobooks matter as much as music. Pick YouTube Music if you listen to live sets, covers and music videos. For more options, see our music apps guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spotify or YouTube Music better?
Neither outright. Spotify is better for podcasts, audiobooks and weekly discovery playlists; YouTube Music is better for live performances, covers, lyrics and music videos.
Does YouTube Music play in the background for free?
No. Background play is part of Music Premium, together with ad-free listening.
Does Spotify have podcasts and audiobooks?
Yes. Spotify streams podcasts for free, and Premium unlocks its audiobook catalogue.