With prices rising and Spotify Lossless finally here, 2025 marks a turning point in streaming. Sound quality — once a premium feature — is now standard on the majority of platforms, with many services adding HiRes, immersive audio, or curated experiences that go beyond the playlist.
If you’re considering switching or simply checking what you’re paying for, these tables show how the leading platforms now compare on price, quality, and features.
Price and Plan Updates
Most individual plans now sit between £10.99 and £11.99 per month, with student and family discounts following familiar patterns.
Key developments this year include:
• Spotify Premium has introduced its long-awaited Lossless tier, while increasing its price from £10.99 to £11.99.
• Amazon Music Unlimited has risen slightly to £11.99 (Prime members £10.99) and continues to include HD (CD Quality), Ultra HD (HiRes), and Dolby Atmos.
• Apple Music retains its price but offers one of the broadest audio ranges — from CD Quality and HiRes ALAC to Dolby Atmos — and features includes Apple Music Classical free for subscribers.
• Deezer continues to focus on CD Quality FLAC playback.
• Qobuz and TIDAL remain firmly aimed at audiophiles, offering HiRes FLAC streaming up to 24-bit / 192 kHz.
• Napster provides partial CD Quality (16-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC) coverage, with the remainder in AAC 320 kbps.
• Pandora and SiriusXM remain US-only benchmarks, providing useful comparisons but unavailable to UK listeners.
Music streaming plans and pricing per month
(Discounts are available for 12-month subscriptions with most streamers.)
| Service | Individual | Couples / Duo | Family | Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Music Free | Free with ads | — | — | — |
| Amazon Music Prime | Free with Prime subscription | — | — | — |
| Amazon Music Unlimited | £11.99 (with Prime £10.99) | — | £19.99 (6 users) | £5.99 |
| Amazon Music Unlimited (Single Device) | £5.99 | — | — | — |
| Apple Music | £10.99 | — | £16.99 (6 users) | £5.99 |
| Deezer | £11.99 | £15.99 | £19.99 (6 users) | £5.99 |
| Deezer Free | Free with ads | — | — | — |
| Napster | £10.99 | — | £14.99 | — |
| Qobuz | £12.99 (Studio) | £17.99 | £17.99 (2–6 users) | £4.99 |
| SoundCloud Go+ | £10.99 | — | — | £5.49 |
| Spotify Free | Free with ads | — | — | — |
| Spotify Premium | £11.99 | £16.99 | £19.99 (6 users) | £5.99 |
| TIDAL | £10.99 | — | £16.99 | £5.49 |
| YouTube Music Free | Free with ads | — | — | — |
| YouTube Music Premium | £10.99 | — | £16.99 (6 users) | £5.49 |
| Pandora Premium (US) | $10.99 (~£8.99) | — | $14.99 (~£12.99) | $4.99 (~£3.99) |
| SiriusXM Streaming (US) | $10.99 (~£8.99) | — | $17.99 (~£14.99) | — |
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Audio quality and formats
With Spotify Lossless now live, every major paid plan offers at least CD Quality streaming, while several go further into HiRes and immersive formats.
Apple Music supports CD, HiRes (up to 24-bit / 192 kHz ALAC), and immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio — all at no extra cost. Classical fans also get Apple Music Classical, a separate app optimised for composers, works, and recordings.
Amazon Music Unlimited offers a similar mix of HD (CD Quality 16-bit/44.1 kHz), Ultra HD (HiRes 24-bit/192 kHz), and Dolby Atmos streaming across compatible devices.
TIDAL and Qobuz remain the audiophile benchmarks, streaming in open FLAC formats up to 24-bit / 192 kHz and supporting a wide range of HiFi equipment.
Deezer delivers CD Quality FLAC and is expanding its catalogue of immersive mixes, but not yet HiRes.
Napster includes a mix of CD Quality FLAC and AAC 320 kbps, depending on track availability.
Spotify Premium now delivers Lossless playback at 24-bit / 44.1 kHz — a mid-point between CD and HiRes — integrated into its AI-driven listening experience.
YouTube Music and SoundCloud Go+ prioritise accessibility and discovery, especially for emerging artists, over absolute fidelity.
Free tiers across all platforms remain capped between 128 kbps and 256 kbps, with ads or shuffle restrictions.
Audio quality and formats
| Service | Maximum Quality / Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Music Free | Up to 256 kbps AAC (with ads) | Standard-quality streaming; ad-supported. |
| Amazon Music Prime | Up to 320 kbps MP3 | Shuffle play, ad-free. |
| Amazon Music Unlimited | Up to 24-bit / 192 kHz FLAC (Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos) | Full HD & Ultra HD lossless included at no extra cost. |
| Amazon Music Unlimited (Single Device) | Up to 16-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC | Quality depends on device; same library as Unlimited. |
| Apple Music | Up to 24-bit / 192 kHz ALAC + Dolby Atmos / Spatial Audio | Lossless, HiRes, and immersive playback included by default. Includes Apple Music Classical. |
| Deezer | 16-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC | CD Quality available on all paid tiers; immersive catalogue growing. |
| Deezer Free | 128 kbps MP3 (with ads) | Basic quality; ads and shuffle limits. |
| Napster | Up to 16-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC | Not all tracks in CD Quality; remainder AAC 320 kbps. |
| Qobuz | Up to 24-bit / 192 kHz FLAC | CD Quality and HiRes downloads and streaming. |
| SoundCloud Go+ | Up to 256 kbps MP3 (creator-uploaded source dependent) | Catalogue quality varies by uploader. |
| Spotify Free | Up to 160 kbps Ogg Vorbis | Standard quality; ad-supported. |
| Spotify Premium | Up to 24-bit / 44.1 kHz FLAC | Lossless rollout 2025; streaming midway between CD Quality and HiRes. |
| TIDAL | Up to 24-bit / 192 kHz FLAC | HiFi Plus includes Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio; some legacy MQA tracks remain. |
| YouTube Music Free | Up to 128 kbps AAC (with ads) | Standard quality; audio-video combined. |
| YouTube Music Premium | Up to 256 kbps AAC | No lossless tier; prioritises stream stability and content breadth. |
| Pandora Premium (US) | Up to 192 kbps AAC | No lossless option; US only. |
| SiriusXM Streaming (US) | Variable bitrate ~128–192 kbps AAC (estimated) | Focused on radio and curated streams rather than HiRes audio. |
What It Means for Listeners
For the first time, nearly every mainstream streaming service delivers CD Quality or better — so the decision now depends less on sound and more on ecosystem, catalogue, and experience.
• Spotify leads on discovery, playlists, and its AI-driven DJ features.
• Apple Music offers the richest format range, deep integration across Apple devices, and a free Classical companion app.
• Amazon Music Unlimited combines high-resolution formats with Alexa and Echo integration.
• Qobuz and TIDAL still cater to listeners who demand true HiRes playback and HiFI equipment integration.
• Deezer provides a CD Quality experience and growing immersive support.
• Napster sits in the middle ground with mixed-format availability.
• YouTube Music and SoundCloud Go+ continue to thrive on user-generated and visual content.
Quick Takeaway
In 2025, CD Quality is standard, HiRes is mainstream, and immersive sound is spreading fast. Spotify’s long-promised Lossless tier finally joins the pack, but Apple Music now sets the bar for versatility — offering HiRes, immersive formats, and Classical listening under one subscription. For most users, choosing a service is no longer about sound quality, but about how you listen and what ecosystem fits you best.
