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I’ve been going back and forth between Spotify and Apple Music for years. I’ve switched from one to the other more times than I can count. This time, my mind is made up.
A European service — that matters
Trump’s election and the unabashed arrogance of American tech giants got me thinking. Spotify is Swedish. Apple isn’t. When the features are comparable, I’d rather support a European company.
The only thing keeping me on Apple Music was its support for high-quality audio. Spotify finally added it. No reason to stay anymore.
Speed and recommendations
It’s remarkable how fast Spotify is. Launching a track, searching for a song, navigating the app — everything is smooth and instant ⚡️. I’ve already left Apple Music for Spotify for this very reason, and nothing has changed.
The recommendation algorithm is a real plus. The more you listen, the better it knows you. Some people leave Spotify because of the algorithm. The problem isn’t the algorithm itself — it’s not wanting a machine to choose for you. If that’s you, nothing stops you from browsing your own library.
For me, when I open Spotify, I need music suggested to me. The moments when I think “I want to listen to that specific album” are rare. I used to think Spotify killed the connection to albums because of its playlist-first approach. I’ve come to realize that what I actually do is rely on recommendations.
Everything in one place
Spotify on my Apple Watch works standalone, without an iPhone nearby. Music, podcasts, audiobooks — I have everything on my wrist when I go for a run. I talked about this in my article on essential Apple Watch apps .
I use Overcast for my podcasts on iOS, but for discovering new content Spotify is better. The mixing of music and podcasts that I found weird at first turns out to be smart. One place, no juggling between apps.
Spotify also includes 15 hours of audiobooks per month with a Premium subscription. No need to pay for Audible on top of it. For someone who listens to a book now and then without being a heavy consumer, that’s more than enough.
Spotify Connect is another advantage. I start music on my phone and switch it to the Sonos speaker in the living room, the TV, or my PC. No need for AirPlay — it works on everything, regardless of brand.
Sharing and Wrapped
Sharing playlists on Spotify is simple. You send a link, the other person opens it, done. On Apple Music, it’s always more complicated if the other person isn’t in the Apple ecosystem.
Year-end Wrapped has become a ritual. Apple Music tried to copy it with Replay, but the result is bland by comparison.
What I miss
Spotify makes me listen to the same tracks too often in my playlists. I’d love a “discovery” mode that pushes new content more frequently. My taste spans such a wide range of styles that the “Discover Weekly” playlist ends up being too eclectic a mix.
iOS integration remains the big weak point. No Shortcuts support, unlike Apple Music. I miss my “random album from my library” shortcut. With PlexAmp on Apple Watch I had that kind of flexibility. Spotify should take note.
If you want to make the switch, I wrote a guide on transferring your music from Apple Music to Spotify . Your library is no longer an excuse to stay.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to react to this article.
