Music streaming prices in 2026: Spotify vs Apple Music vs YouTube Music, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer
Every major service raised prices this year. Here is what each plan now costs in the US, what you get for the money, and which one fits your listening.
If your music subscription costs more than it did last year, you are not imagining it. In 2026 almost every major streaming service in the US raised its prices, some for the first time in years. This guide puts the current monthly prices side by side, explains the real differences between the services, and helps you pick the right plan. All prices are US prices billed directly by each service, before tax, as of late October 2026. They change often, so check the service's own page before you sign up.
The price list at a glance
Spotify Premium: Individual $12.99, Student $6.99, Duo $18.99 (two people at the same address), Family $21.99 (up to six accounts).
Apple Music: Individual $11.99, Student $6.99, Family $19.99. Apple One bundles, which add other Apple services, start at $21.95. YouTube Music Premium: Individual $11.99, Family $18.99. YouTube Premium, which also removes ads from regular YouTube videos and includes YouTube Music, costs $15.99, or $26.99 for a family.
Amazon Music Unlimited: $11.99 for Prime members ($119 a year) and $12.99 for everyone else. Tidal: Individual $11.99, Student $6.99, Family $19.99. Deezer: Premium $11.99, Student $5.99, Duo $15.99, Family $19.99, with annual billing bringing Premium down to $107.99 a year.
How we got here: a year of price rises
The increases came in waves. Spotify moved its US Individual plan from $11.99 to $12.99 early in the year, which made it the most expensive standard plan of the big services. YouTube followed in April, its first US increase since 2023, raising Music Premium to $11.99 and the family plan to $18.99. Apple raised Apple Music in July, its first US increase in about four years, with the family plan seeing the steepest jump, from $16.99 to $19.99. Tidal followed in August, and Amazon announced new Unlimited pricing that reached existing customers from late September.
The services mostly point to rising licensing costs and new features. Whatever the reason, the old rule of thumb that every service costs about ten dollars a month is gone. A single plan now sits between $11.99 and $12.99 almost everywhere, and family plans cluster around $19 to $22.
Sound quality: lossless is now standard, almost everywhere
For years, CD-quality and better sound was a paid upgrade. That has changed. Apple Music includes lossless audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at no extra cost, although the highest resolutions need an external digital-to-analog converter to hear on most devices. Amazon Music Unlimited includes more than 100 million songs in CD-quality HD, over 7 million in Ultra HD up to 24-bit/192 kHz, plus spatial audio.
Spotify finally added lossless to Premium, with Spotify listing quality up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz. Tidal folded its hi-res catalogue and Dolby Atmos into its single plan, so there is no longer a pricier HiFi Plus tier to think about. Deezer offers CD-quality FLAC streaming, though it does not match the hi-res ceilings of Apple, Amazon or Tidal. The notable exception is YouTube Music, which still has no lossless option. If you listen on decent headphones or a hi-fi system, that matters; if you mostly use earbuds on a bus, it probably does not.
Which service is cheapest?
For one person paying monthly, there is a five-way tie at $11.99 between Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon (for Prime members). Spotify is the one outlier at $12.99. Over a year that dollar a month adds up to $12, which is real money but probably not enough on its own to switch services you already like.
The cheapest single plan overall is Deezer's annual Premium at $107.99, which works out to about $9 a month. Amazon's annual Prime-member price of $119 is the next best deal. Students do best with Deezer at $5.99; Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal all charge $6.99. Apple's student plan includes Apple TV at no extra cost for now, but Apple describes that perk as limited-time.
For two people, the Duo plans from Spotify ($18.99) and Deezer ($15.99) are worth a look. For a household, the family plans from Apple, Tidal and Deezer cost $19.99, YouTube Music is a dollar cheaper at $18.99, and Spotify is the most expensive at $21.99. Split six ways, though, any family plan costs well under $4 a person.
Beyond price: what actually sets them apart
Spotify's strengths are recommendations, playlists that feel personal, and the widest support on speakers, cars and game consoles. It also bundles audiobooks and podcasts, and it is adding paid extras on top of Premium. Apple Music is the natural pick if you live on an iPhone, and it has the strongest sound-quality features included in the base price, plus lyrics and a large classical offering. The service has just had its first full rebrand since launch in 2015, a sign Apple is still investing in it.
YouTube Music shines if you already pay for YouTube Premium, because it is included, and its catalogue includes live versions, covers and remixes that exist only on YouTube. Amazon makes the most sense for Prime households and Alexa users. Tidal and Deezer appeal to listeners who care about sound and about how services treat artists. Both label fully AI-generated tracks; Tidal already lets listeners switch them off, and Deezer has promised the same option before the end of 2026, a feature that matters more each month as machine-made music floods the platforms.
Ways to pay less
Pay yearly where you can: Deezer and Amazon offer clear annual savings. Subscribe directly on the web rather than through an app store, since prices billed through app stores can be higher. Share a family or Duo plan with people in your household. Watch for free trials when you switch: Spotify currently offers new Individual subscribers two months free, and Apple Music gives new subscribers a month free, or three months with an eligible new Apple device. And if you are a student, verify your status; the student discount is the deepest one any of these services offer.
Switching without losing your library
The biggest fear about switching is losing years of playlists. You do not have to. Third-party transfer tools can move playlists and liked songs between services in minutes, and some services offer their own import features. Most transfers are not perfect, as a few tracks may not match, but they will save you hours of rebuilding.
The bottom line
If you are happy with your current service, the price gaps are small enough that staying put is fine. If you are choosing fresh, our recommendation is Apple Music for most single listeners on iPhone, because hi-res lossless and Dolby Atmos are included at $11.99. Android users who want the best recommendations should pick Spotify, accepting the extra dollar. Budget-minded listeners and students should look hard at Deezer's annual plan, and anyone already paying for YouTube Premium should simply use the YouTube Music they already have.
