Music streaming platforms have now become the norm for listening to songs, and the offers are multiplying. Deezer and Spotify are the two most well-known music streaming platforms. Although similar, especially in terms of their price and the fact that they both offer a free plan, they differ in several ways. Deezer vs Spotify - which one to choose? How to select the best music streaming app or music streaming service according to your needs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Let's take a look!
- What is Spotify
- What is Deezer
- Plans and Costs
- Devices and Access
- Sound Quality
- User Interface
- Music Library
- Music Recommendations
- Podcasts
- Summary
What is Spotify?
The most famous streaming music service is undoubtedly Spotify. The Swedish company has made itself known by offering a vast song catalog (over 100 million tracks!) and a well-known mobile application. The visual identity of the brand is also quite vivid. The Spotify app has attracted lots of users since the competition was a little behind in this area.
Spotify makes it easy to search for titles or artists, and it provides access to thousands of playlists created by its users, algorithms, and Spotify editors. The offline playback system allows you to store a selection of titles on the mobile and then listen to them on public transport, for example. The strongest point of Spotify is its ease of use and music discoverability.
What is Deezer?
Deezer offers an impressive catalog of 90 million songs. The mobile application has greatly evolved from its beginnings (Deezer launched in 2007) and is built on the same model as Spotify. It's easy to use and the paid version allows you to enjoy better audio quality without ads.
What is more, unlike Spotify, Deezer has offered a Deezer HiFi option since September 2017, giving users the possibility of streaming in "real CD quality sound." Over 90 million titles are available in FLAC for $10.99/month (with the first three months for $3.66).
Deezer's strong point is its extensive catalog and well-designed mobile application. The Deezer Premium subscription features more personalization options. For example, you can create your playlists and use the Flow function, which offers you a playlist based on the songs you listen to. You can also identify songs with the SongCatcher feature, which works similarly to Shazam.
Plans and Costs
Let's dig into pricing and subscription plans of Spotify and Deezer!
How much is Spotify?
The premium offer starts at $10.99 per month. It's also possible to access the app for free, but then you'll have to listen to audio advertisements. What is more, it's possible to subscribe to a family plan at $16.99 per month with six different accounts. Right now, Spotify offers a 3-month free trial for new customers, but the standard trial is only 1 month long. Still, it's enough time to test the service and decide whether you like it or not.
Individual: $10.99
Family: $16.99
Student: $5.99
How much is Deezer?
The Deezer Premium subscription costs $10.99 per month. Deezer's cost is currently the same as Spotify's. However, the Deezer Premium service has the advantage of being available as an annual subscription at $99.90, which allows you to save $19.98 per year. If you purchase the annual Deezer subscription, the cost of Deezer would be $8.33 per month.
Deezer Premium also offers a Deezer Family subscription with six accounts for $17.99, which is $1 more than Spotify. A Student subscription is also half the price, both on the Deezer app ($5.99) as well as on Spotify ($5.99). It's possible to benefit from a 1-month free trial period to test the service.
Like Spotify, Deezer offers a free plan where you can listen to music without monthly payments. Deezer the Free version offers a maximum audio quality of 128 kbps, while Deezer Premium gets you up to 1411 kbps. The difference is huge!
The Deezer app offers access to 90 million songs against 100 million pieces available on Spotify.
Individual: $10.99
Family: $17.99
Student: $5.99
Annual: $99.90
Spotify Free
- Access to 100 million songs
- Commercial breaks
- Shuffle play with limited song skips
- Save as many songs as you want
- Suggestions for songs similar to the ones you are listening to
- Spotify Free doesn't offer the offline mode so you can't download songs
- Audio quality up to 96Kbps on smartphone and 160Kbps on computer
Deezer Free
- Access to 90 million songs
- Commercial breaks
- Only shuffle play is available
- Deezer Free doesn't offer the offline mode
Free versions are good, but Premium versions are better! This is how we might sum it up, but it's still a little more complicated than that.
It all depends on your expectations of streaming quality, your daily usage, and your patience. If hearing ads gets on your nerves, then investing in Premium is a good idea for both Deezer and Spotify. However, accepting advertising in exchange for an unlimited streaming service isn't a bad option either. Switching from the free tier to the Premium has similar advantages in both services.
Spotify Premium
- Access to 100 million songs
- No ad interruptions
- Unlimited skips
- Available offline listening
- Audio quality up to 320Kbps
Deezer Premium
- Access to 90 million songs
- No advertisements
- Unlimited skips
- High Fidelity sound
- Offline listening
Sound Quality
Both music services are available via their website or mobile application. They offer the same audio quality of maximum 320Kbps and an even offline listening mode to continue listening to your playlists, even when you don't have access to WiFi.
DEEZER HIFI: High-Quality Audio
Deezer HiFi sets itself apart by offering users access to lossless, CD-quality audio streaming. Unlike traditional music streaming services that use compressed audio formats, Deezer HiFi delivers music in the lossless FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format. This means that the audio files maintain their original quality without any loss of data or detail, resulting in a sound experience that closely mirrors what the artists intended during recording.
User Interface
When it comes to the interface, Spotify has dark & green colors, while Deezer presents dark/light contrast. Spotify offers a slightly different interface depending on whether you are a premium user or not.
Both services are available on the web and as an app for Windows and Mac, Android, and iOS. Thanks to a minimalist design, the Deezer platform is probably more pleasant to use than Spotify. Its menu, which appears on the left, comprises 4 options, Music, Shows, Browse, and Favorites. If you wish, you can apply Dark Mode to the Deezer app (Account icon → Dark Mode).
The two applications are similar and allow quick access to the most important software functions, including searching for songs/artists and accessing playlists. Playback is intuitive and song playing is straightforward; however, Deezer free and Spotify free require the user to play the tracks randomly.
On the computer, Deezer is a site, and Spotify is a software. Whatever device you want to use it on, you must have an account - everything you do with the audio files will be saved to your account only. On smartphones, the applications work similarly: you choose your song, listen to it, go to the next one. Of course, you can create your own playlists, rename them, and listen to them whenever you want.
It's worth noting that user interfaces are highly subjective, and your preference might vary based on your personal taste and the specific features you prioritize.
Music Library
One thing is undeniable; these two platforms have no shortage of choices! Deezer's library has no less than 90 million titles and Spotify has 100 million. Both platforms continuously work on expanding their music libraries, striking deals with record labels and independent artists to offer a diverse and extensive selection of songs. However, it's important to keep in mind that due to licensing agreements, certain tracks or albums may be available exclusively on one platform and not the other. Every catalog is slightly different, so don't be surprised if moving your playlists with Free Your Music, some tracks might not transfer.
Transfer Deezer to Spotify
Transfer Spotify to Deezer
Music Recommendations
Deezer and Spotify each have options that allow their users to create playlists and receive personalized music recommendations. This feature is called Flow - "an infinite mix with your favorites and great discoveries" on Deezer. When you click on its banner, you are redirected to a playlist specially created for you. The selection of recommended tracks is made based on your heart usage, whether you like a song or not, and on your genre and artist preferences when you created your account.
Spotify's personalized playlists, like "Discover Weekly" and "Release Radar," leverage advanced algorithms and user behavior analysis to provide users with a mix of familiar favorites and new discoveries. These playlists are updated regularly, making them a great way to stay updated with the latest releases and explore new genres.
Both platforms also offer genre-based and mood-based playlists, as well as curated playlists by music editors, artists, and influencers. These playlists can help users explore new music and expand their horizons.
On Spotify, the recommendations are divided into different playlists, and each one represents (more or less) a style of music that you listen to. The playlists are called Daily Mix (1,
2…), and the more you use the platform, the more recommendations you have. The advantage of Daily Mixes is that you can view the playlist's content before playing it, which isn't the case with Deezer. If you want to discover even more music, you can also go to the Browse All section, then to Discover or New. So, as far as musical discoveries are concerned, we are more inclined toward Spotify. Browsing the corners of the site to find new artists to listen to is very satisfying.
Podcasts
Deezer and Spotify both have a section specifically dedicated to podcasts.
At Deezer, you will find the Shows category that contains a multitude of programs and all the broadcasts of the major conventional radio stations. Note that podcasts are only available on the Deezer website.
Spotify's podcast offerings have significantly expanded in recent years, positioning it as a major player in the podcasting space. The platform hosts a wide range of podcasts, from true crime and investigative journalism to comedy, self-improvement, and educational content. Spotify has also secured exclusive podcast deals with high-profile celebrities and creators.
Devices and Access
Whether it's Deezer or Spotify, it's possible to stream music and access it via multiple devices. Here is the list of all the devices on which you can listen to music on Spotify or Deezer:
- smartphone or tablet,
- computer (PC or Mac),
- smartwatch,
- an audio system such as Sono, Bose Music, Google Home, etc.,
- voice assistant like Amazon Alexa, Siri, etc.,
- on a smart TV (Android TV, Samsung TV, etc.),
- via game console (Xbox One or Playstation 3 and 4),
- from a car.
Both platforms have made efforts to ensure their apps are available on a wide range of devices, catering to users' diverse listening habits and preferences.
Cross-platform transfer
Do you want to learn which music streaming service is better for you? If so, compare Deezer vs Spotify and choose a better option. But how to do that? Well, you can easily and quickly transfer playlists between these apps via the Free Your Music app. Services like Free Your Music offer a convenient way to transfer your playlists and songs from one platform to another, ensuring you don't lose your carefully curated collections when you make the switch. Move all your songs from Spotify to Deezer or from Deezer to Spotify and enjoy music without limits!
Deezer vs Spotify: sum up
In the Deezer vs Spotify debate, the ultimate choice boils down to your personal preferences, listening habits, and priorities. Both platforms offer extensive music libraries, personalized recommendations, user-friendly interfaces, and a variety of subscription plans to cater to different needs.
Thus, the choice largely depends on your taste. Do you like platforms with a simple and straightforward design? Are you into HiFi music listening? If so, head to Deezer Premium. For music lovers looking for new song recommendations, Spotify would be great. The good news is that both these platforms have a free tier and a 30-day trial offer, so you can try out their services before you subscribe!
Which music player and service do you prefer and why? Let us know in the comments!
