6 issues Spotify will get proper that YouTube Music doesn’t

[ad_1] <img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="youtube music vs spotify 4" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="youtube music vs spotify 4" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-4.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

YouTube Music at all times seems like that area of interest music streaming service that solely the nerd in your good friend group is utilizing. I'm that nerd in my group, by the best way. I’m a fan of YouTube Music purely due to its huge library — and I’m not speaking in regards to the official 100 million or so songs it hosts. I imply the billions of unnamed, unknown, obscure music movies with 5,000 views that I can slip into my YouTube Music playlists. Not gonna lie, it’s an enormous flex for me that I found such little-known underground tracks from a long time in the past.

However whereas I’m raving about YouTube Music, others are fortunately vibing on Apple Music or Spotify, and for good cause. My love for YTM doesn’t imply I feel it’s flawless. It has A LOT of room for enchancment, and I assume Google may study a factor or two — or six — from Spotify and reward them to me as a Christmas current

What’s the #1 cause you’d change from YouTube Music to Spotify? 13 votes

Sound high quality

15%

App ecosystem

38%

Design/UI

46%

Sharing & social

0%

Lossless music

<img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Spotify Premium Enabling Lossless through Profile settings" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Spotify Premium Enabling Lossless through Profile settings" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Spotify-Premium-Enabling-Lossless-through-Profile-settings-scaled.jpg"/> You win a grand complete of zero factors for guessing this one. I do know you noticed it coming from a mile away, however it’s essential, so let’s get it out of the best way. Spotify saved us ready for lossless audio for half a decade. There have been infinite rumors about it launching as a separate tier. However when Spotify lastly rolled it out lately — albeit in only a few international locations — it bundled it in the identical Premium plan.

YouTube Music, in the meantime, continues to be among the many handful of huge streaming providers that don’t supply lossless. Sure, it’s a extra superior characteristic that requires an exterior DAC and correct wired headphones that help the upper audio high quality (no, your useful Bluetooth earbuds received’t minimize it). However contemplating YTM’s ever-increasing Premium costs, you no less than deserve the choice to make use of it when you've got the setup in place.

Actual apps throughout platforms

<img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="youtube music explore page hero 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-64w-36h.jpeg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-1000w-563h.jpeg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-1920w-1080h.jpeg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-1536w-864h.jpeg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-675w-380h.jpeg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-300w-170h.jpeg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-1280w-720h.jpeg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-840w-472h.jpeg 840w" alt="Explore page in YouTube Music." src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/youtube-music-explore-page-hero-1-scaled.jpeg"/> Joe Maring / Android Authority

Positive, YouTube Music has Android and iPhone apps. However what about all the pieces else? You may get away with Google Maintain being web-only, however why drive the identical limitation on a service that completely wants offline entry? Offline playlists turn into significantly essential when the community drops: flights, nation roads, underground stations.

With out native apps for Mac and Home windows, YTM customers are caught with clunky workarounds like net apps. And let’s be actual, they’re simply browser home windows in disguise, with barebones system integration and, in fact, no music downloads.

Spotify, however, has a full-fledged ecosystem. Native apps can be found for Home windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, and even the Amazon Appstore. Principally, if the machine has a display, Spotify is there. YouTube, your transfer.

Spotify Join

<img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="spotify connect on google pixel watch" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="spotify connect on google pixel watch" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spotify-connect-on-google-pixel-watch-scaled.jpg"/> Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

When you’ve used Spotify Join, all the pieces else feels primitive. Join is that this seamless net of signed-in units the place you possibly can ship music with out leaving your telephone. Consider it as Chromecast however in every single place: good speaker, TV, gaming console, you title it. And it’s platform agnostic too. With Spotify’s huge machine help, you possibly can transfer music round effortlessly — and nonetheless management it out of your telephone.

YouTube Music does help casting to Chromecast-compatible units like Google TV and Nest audio system. However its implementation seems like watching a caveman curiously poking at hearth whereas a professional juggles flaming bowling pins.

Fashionable, intuitive UI

<img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="youtube music vs spotify 3" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="youtube music vs spotify 3" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/youtube-music-vs-spotify-3.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

YouTube Music has advanced through the years with new options and tweaks, however visually? It’s begging for an overhaul. The app could also be filled with performance, however the interface seems to be dated, prefer it really belongs to the Stone Age when hearth was first found.

Put YouTube Music and Spotify aspect by aspect, and also you immediately know which belongs to 2025 and which to 2015. The participant display is primary, album playing cards are bland, and playlist menus look barebones. And it feels extra stuffed than the rest — I don’t want the play depend towards every tune, and what’s that hideous TikTok-style feed doing within the backside menu, huh?

For a service with a lot potential, a recent design may elevate the whole expertise.

Group and social options

<img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="spotify recommendations" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations.jpg 2134w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-1000w-562h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="spotify recommendations" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/spotify-recommendations.jpg"/> Tushar Mehta / Android Authority

Okay, once I stated I’m the nerd utilizing YouTube Music, it’s as a result of everybody else is caught up in Spotify’s group impact. Spotify nails the social layer. Direct Instagram integration (each methods), frictionless sharing, playlist collaborations, visually attention-grabbing embeds — all these make it enjoyable and straightforward to share music.

Then there’s shared Premium accounts between companions, shareable listening exercise, and, in fact, Spotify Wrapped — the viral sensation that YTM has already copied. Spotify even borrowed Apple Music’s SharePlay in-car characteristic, excellent for jamming collectively on highway journeys with associates.

These options don’t simply lock you into the app out of FOMO; they really make music extra social and enjoyable. YouTube Music has copied a few of it, however it’s nonetheless enjoying catch-up.

Broader lyrics help

<img class="e_ih" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="Apple Music lyrics UI" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="Apple Music lyrics UI" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Apple-Music-lyrics-UI.jpg"/> Joe Hindy / Android Authority

It’s humorous that I’m asking for superior cross-platform options when YTM continues to be battling the fundamentals. Synced lyrics exist, however not for all songs, particularly in non-English languages. And no, Spotify doesn’t miss out right here. Even for obscure songs, it often has no less than static lyrics.

YouTube Music, however, typically has nothing. For a music service in 2025, that’s simply embarrassing.

Phew…I’ve ranted sufficient and might lastly breathe. Now I’ll hand it off to you: what’s your favourite Spotify characteristic that you just want YouTube Music had — the one that may make you turn immediately? Drop it within the feedback under.