What’s Wrong with Spotify?

Despite having over 675 million users, Spotify’s payment model strongly favors mainstream artists, leaving smaller musicians with minimal earnings. The payout per stream is only between $0.003 and $0.005, meaning even hundreds of thousands of plays barely generate a livable income.

Spotify has also been criticized for investing in political events—reportedly donating over $150,000 to Donald Trump’s inauguration. Another issue is the long-promised HiFi lossless audio, which was announced in 2021 but still hasn’t been introduced.

If you’re looking for a more ethical and high-quality music streaming experience, here are some platforms that might be a better fit.

Which Streaming Services Are Worth Trying?

Apple Music

  • Price: $10.99/month (individual), $16.99 (family plan), $5.99 (student plan)
  • Pros: Lossless audio, better artist payouts, no ad-supported free version
  • Cons: Music recommendations aren’t as advanced as Spotify’s
  • Artist payout: $0.01 per stream

Apple Music supports musicians by not offering a free ad-supported tier—every listener is a paying subscriber, leading to more stable income for artists. The platform also features Dolby Atmos spatial audio and is well-integrated into the Apple ecosystem, making it an excellent choice for iPhone and Mac users.

Bandcamp

  • Price: No subscription, users buy music directly
  • Pros: Direct artist support, option to buy physical albums
  • Cons: No traditional streaming service
  • Artist payout: 85–90% of revenue goes directly to artists

Bandcamp operates differently from most streaming platforms. Instead of a monthly fee, users purchase albums or individual songs, ensuring most of the money goes straight to the musicians. The platform also hosts Bandcamp Fridays, where it takes no commission, allowing artists to earn even more.

‍

‍

SoundCloud

  • Price: $9.99/month
  • Pros: Great for independent and emerging artists, direct fan payments
  • Cons: Lower audio quality than competitors
  • Artist payout: $0.002–$0.005 per stream + direct payment options

SoundCloud is designed for independent artists, offering a user-centric payment model, meaning your subscription fee directly supports the musicians you listen to most. The platform also allows real-time track commenting, encouraging interaction between fans and artists.

YouTube Music

  • Price: $10.99/month
  • Pros: Access to a vast music video library, strong integration with YouTube
  • Cons: Lower audio quality than competitors
  • Artist payout: $0.008 per stream

YouTube Music is ideal for those who want to combine music streaming with video content, offering live concert recordings and offline downloads. Although its artist payouts are higher than Spotify’s, they still lag behind Apple Music and Tidal.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

If supporting artists is your priority, Bandcamp is the best option—most of the money goes directly to musicians. Apple Music offers the highest sound quality and more stable artist payouts due to its subscription-only model. SoundCloud is perfect for independent artists, and YouTube Music is great for those who want a mix of music and video content.

It’s not just about the price—if you care about how and whom you support, switching to a different platform might be the right move.