Top Free Music Apps: Spotify, Jango, Pandora, More

Music is sweet medicine for the soul. The only thing that can make you hear music better is if you can do it for free. We’ve scoured the internet and found several ways to listen to free music online without downloading music files or paying for them. Get yourself a disco suit. It’s boogie time.

What to expect from free music services

Before you go ahead and listen to music, it’s essential to understand what to expect from a free music streaming service.

Most free services have limitations or are supported by intermittent audio ads. This means your listening can be interrupted when the company is trying to pitch your product.

Additionally, you may only have a limited selection of music to choose from, and like most services you’ll find, you may not be able to listen offline with a free account.

Many of the streaming services discussed here offer paid and free tiers, so you can choose to upgrade and remove restrictions in the process. Paid subscriptions with access — the choice is yours.

Spotify

The environmental giant known as Spotify needs no introduction to the music-loving community. The Swedish company has been streaming music worldwide for over a decade and a half. If you’re looking for a free music streaming service and don’t want to comb through multiple options, you can stop by Spotify.

Listeners can hop on Spotify’s free plan without spending a dime. Listen to music via downloadable apps or her favorite web browser. Spotify’s free tier shows occasional ads and limits on-demand playback, so you may need to listen to playlists in shuffle mode. There is also no offline listening in the free tier.

dither

French online music streaming service Deezer has been around for almost as long as Spotify, but Americans may not be familiar with the service. The first thing you should know about Deezer is that they offer a free subscription so you can enjoy dancing and groove without opening your wallet.

Interested music listeners can visit Deezer’s website or download one of its apps. Her Deezer level for free gives you access to music, podcasts, radio and personal recommendations. Like Spotify, Deezer Premium is required to get rid of ads, listen offline, and play your favorite tracks on demand.

amazon music

Our next favorite free streaming music service isn’t technically free. Amazon Prime subscription required. But with so many households with active Prime subscriptions, we feel it’s worth mentioning. Music services can be streamed via a web browser or the dedicated Amazon Music app.

The Amazon Music free tier included with your Prime subscription has some limitations, such as the inability to select ads or tracks directly. As with Spotify’s free tier, you’ll have to resort to shuffle mode. Those enjoying the service can upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited for a fee to unlock the limits.

YouTube music

Everyone’s favorite community video streaming website, YouTube, offers even more with the release of YouTube Music. By visiting the YouTube Music website or downloading the app, you can add your favorite tracks and albums to your saved library, create playlists and enjoy a music-first experience.

Music lovers have been using YouTube’s leading website for years to watch the latest music videos and listen to their favorite tracks. The launch of YouTube Music just got more exciting. YouTube Music’s free tier has some limitations, including the inclusion of ads and the inability to listen to the app on mobile devices with the screen off.

tune in

For a more radio-style experience, check out music service TuneIn. Think of TuneIn as a giant digital radio website where you can listen to music for free without downloading anything to your device. Of course, if you prefer, you can get the app for a more optimized listening experience.

TuneIn has a lot of channels. That means there is something for all listeners. TuneIn doesn’t cost him a penny, but like other services, it shows ads and doesn’t let you listen to live sports games. If you prefer, you can upgrade to TuneIn Premium to remove such restrictions.

iheart radio

For music listeners who like radio-style formats, another great option is iHeartRadio. Music via live radio isn’t the only option you can tap within iHeartRadio’s website and app. Enjoy podcasts, news and playlists. If you want to listen to your favorite local live radio stations on your computer or smartphone, iHeartRadio is for you.

Listeners of the free service can enjoy much of what iHeartRadio has to offer, but they will see ads and limit how often they can skip songs. iHeartRadio offers Plus and All Access subscriptions, offering listeners a premium experience for a monthly fee.

Pandora

Founded in 2000, Pandora is the music streaming service that everyone who’s been on the internet since the dial-up days knows. Pandora has been in operation for over 20 years, bringing music to listeners and providing strong music recommendations thanks to the Music Genome Project.

Pandora also works radio-style, playing endless music streams and allowing custom radio stations. The free version of Pandora lets you search and play what you want, but before that you have to display ads. Ad-free Pandora Plus and Premium plans are available.

eat

One of our favorite free music streaming services is Jango. Unlimited music and no commercials is the only option you can find. I can not do it.

For example, if you want to listen to Taylor Swift, you can’t choose a specific song or album. Instead, it shows radio stations featuring Swift’s songs and other artists that Jango deems similar. Jango does not have a paid tier. The free tier gives you the full experience available to listeners.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Michael Archambault is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.