Spotify and SoundCloud have long been close rivals; however, it is never easy to find which one is the best, especially for new users. Hence, this article will thoroughly answer whether SoundCloud is better than Spotify.
In the spotlight, Spotify is a very polished music player that offers high quality streaming experience and access to exclusive podcasts. Meanwhile, SoundCloud is more focused on community centered features and offers interactive features and artist-to-fan collaboration.
Further, the Spotify app is ideal for those who like to enjoy the cross platform compatibility features and curated playlist experiences every week. It is a more comprehensive platform that offers personalized playlists and user engagement features.
IIn contrast, SoundCloud is better in the sense that the artists can share experimental music that is appealing and looks fresh. You can find the underground music content and share it with millions of streamers.
Ultimately both of these applications are good for mainstream audio streaming and curated experiences. The users can select the best option as per the requirement of different features that we are going to compare for both apps in this blog.
What Is Spotify Music Player All About?
Music creators worldwide share their creativity in the form of songs, videos, and podcasts on Spotify. It is a revolutionary digital platform that gives access to millions of songs and online streaming content.
The users can share and create playlists and use personalized recommendations to discover new audio. The experience is unified on this music player because it is available for tablets, computers, and smart gadgets.
Offline download options are available to save the songs in the library and you can also enhance the audio quality. Some of the features of this app are free while others are paid. The specialty of Spotify is its performance tracking metrics and podcasts.
Top Rated Features of Spotify Music Player
Spotify has high-quality streaming services and a massive library of music content to explore. It gives you online access to stream the audio and listen to the podcasts. Some of the sensational features of this app are discussed as under.
Personalized Playlists
Spotify offers personalized playlists that are based on your personal habits. All the songs that you are going to listen to in such a playlist are related to your past search and taste. The advanced algorithms match the songs and ensure fresh listening experiences.
Spotify Wrapped
Spotify Wrapped provides the annual representation of the most played songs by the users. These songs can be related to various genres and artists. It shares the musical journey of a person for a whole year to celebrate.
Offline Listening
The offline playback mode on Spotify is ideal for those who like to listen to songs when traveling. If someone is facing connectivity issues then they do not need to rely on the mobile data anymore and utilize the offline mode.
High-Quality Audio
The quality of the audio is premium and you can hear crystal-clear voices. It is ideal for the listeners who prefer the clarity and sound details. The music experience is more immersive when you play the tracks at 320 kbps.
Cross-Platform Availability
This app is easy to download on various platforms such as PCs, tablets, and smartphones. You can enjoy the online music streaming on almost every device without any trouble. It is also possible to switch between various devices for group listening.
Collaborative Playlists
The collaborative playlist enables the folks to make a single list for all of their friends. They can add the tracks and edit the entire list as per their taste. Share this music with all the other members of the group and enjoy it all together.
What Is Soundcloud APK All About?
Soundcloud is another online audio streaming platform on which you can find podcasts and music. This platform is older than Spotify and is a vital place for independent artists who can share their work with all.
With millions of songs and a diverse range of audio content, this app has a vast library of music. All the tracks that anyone will find are from emerging artists and some popular ones. This is a unique platform to share your ideas in the form of music.
The benefit of using such an application is to reach global audiences without any need for a record label. There are monetization features so people can earn revenues from the music streams.
Top Rated Features Of SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a unique audio streaming platform that targets emerging and new artists. It has distinctive features such as community engagement and uploading songs.
Direct Artist-Fan Interaction
The fans can directly interact with the artists by utilizing the likes, reposts, and comments features. It fosters a sense of community and allows the artist to refine their work and get real-time feedback.
Share Original Content
The artist can easily share and upload the original content and reach a broad range of audiences. There is no need for any intermediary to manage and promote the connection. In this way, people can gain exposure in a short period of time.
Offline Listening
With the Go Plus subscription of the SoundCloud users can not only download the tracks but can also play them in the offline mode. This easy to access feature allows users that the customers will get uninterrupted music services and enjoyment.
Personalized Recommendations
The personalized recommendation features works by suggesting you the different songs as per your listening habits. It introduces new music that aligns with the user’s taste. It is easier to discover new artists and enrich your listening experience.
High-Quality Audio Streaming
The premium subscribers of the app can stream the music in 256 kbps format. The audio format is more enriched and it can enhance the overall enjoyment of the music.
Integration with DJ Tools
A lot of useful DJ mixing tools are available that include spin tracks and access to a wide range of libraries. This idea keeps the music fresh because you can play random songs with just a single tap.
Monetization
Another attractive feature of the soundcloud is its money earning opportunities. If the user becomes eligible then they can earn a decent amount from the streaming services. They can get paid and collaborate with the other musicians as well.
Comparing the Features of Spotify with Soundcloud
SoundCloud and Spotify are both popular applications that offer mainstream music and personalized playlists. Each of these platforms has multiple tracks that you can discover on all types of smart gadgets.
Music Library Size
The recent data suggests that the library size of Spotify music is now over 100 million. There are audiobooks and podcasts that are apart from these calculations. The users can get access to over 6 million of the podcast titles.
In comparison with Spotify the Sound cloud has over 375 million tracks and is among the largest music streaming platforms. It has over 40 million artists that are from across the borders. The app focuses on discovering unique and underground music for fun.
Audio Quality
The Premium users can now stream up to 320 kbps sound quality which is really high. The audio experience is great and the sound is very noticeable in the headphones. The free users can access 160 kbps songs, which is also a good quality.
SoundCloud Go + streams allow access to 256 kbps songs that are still of good quality. This app has recently started offering 320 Kbps to some of its users. The free users can enjoy the 128 kbps music tracks.
Pricing
The premium subscription to Spotify brings the ads free listening experiences and offline downloads. The user can get the $11.99 plan for one month. There are other plans such as the Family Plan which is $19.99 per month.
The Soundcloud costs almost $9.99 per month to access the premium content. For the students, it is offering the packages for $5 per month. This platform has more tracks and focuses on indie music lovers with the ads free experience.
User Interface
The user interface of Spotify is sleek and you can also switch to the dark mode. The new interface allows the artists from various regions and makes it simple for the audience to discover the new music.
Soundcloud has a very unique interface that shows some visual elements like album art and profile photos. The interface is very soft and you will feel very comfortable when using all of its features.
Social Features
Spotify has social features that enhance the experience of the customers and foster connection among the listeners. Create and share the collaborative playlist with your fellows and listen to them in real-time.
SoundCloud uses a community driven approach and allows the users to comment on the tracks. The interactions between the creators and listeners offer real time interactions. The users can stay up to date regarding the new content and albums.
Content Upload
Spotify has thousands of songs and audiobooks. The users can upload the content in the audio formats and share it with other people. The high quality streaming services and Discover weekly features are all amazing to observe.
The soundcloud empowers independent artists who are new. So the people can upload and promote the random content. You can listen to some of the emerging stars and the music looks unique as well.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
Spotify has over 250,000 audiobook titles that are available for premium subscribers. Similarly, it also has over 6 million podcasts to enjoy. The users can listen to up to 15 hours of audiobooks each month and also explore the other content.
Soundcloud does not have the same extensive list of audiobooks and podcasts as Spotify has. It majorly focuses on the new songs and user generated content. However, you can still listen to a number of podcasts and audio books for free.
Personalized Recommendations
Spotify offers a personalized experience for all users. It provides a curated lineup of music with commentary to attract new customers. The playlist is tailored and you can observe the Discover Weekly and Release radar features.
SoundCloud on the other hand presents the Tracks Suggestion feature to recommend favorable options to the users based on their listening habits. It also considers the interactions such as follows, likes, and reposts to find the appropriate content for all.
Offline Listening
Another very special feature that Spotify has is its ability to let you download up to ten thousand songs on your devices for offline use. This feature is particularly very helpful if one is not connected to the internet. The tracks will be available on your device for 30 days.
The Go + subscription on SoundCloud allows access to the music library in the offline mode. There are likes, playlists, and many other audios to download in this mode. Users can also choose the entire library as per their demand and data usage.
Monetization for Artists
Spotify also gives artists a chance to make between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream. This earning is based on the number of streams that occurred in the last 12 months. It also has algorithms to detect artificial streaming for fair distribution of wealth.
The users on Spotify can earn between $0.0025 and $0.004 per stream. This rate is different for the artists and they are paid based on the artificial listening habits of the fans. The artists can also share music on other platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify.
When to choose Spotify?
Well, Spotify remains the number one option for the audience since they can listen to more than 100 million songs out there. The people can listen to music within various genres, make their own playlists and share it with other users.
The Discover Weekly is a unique feature that allows you to play a unique playlist every week. The new releases are also tailored based on the searching habits of the users. The new and fresh content every week offers a more enjoyable experience.
The app is very flexible and is available for multiple platforms. The users can download it on tablets, smartphones, and on the TVs. Spotify Connect is an impressive feature that allows users to control the playback on various devices at the same time.
Overall this app is preferable due to its personalized features, device compatibility, and blend of podcasts and audiobooks. It is a more comprehensive app that offers ease and convenience to all types of customers.
When to choose Soundcloud?
Soundcloud is a very preferable music player for those who like unique and new content. It is a great place for independent musicians who are emerging and fresh. There are more than 300 million tracks that also include underground hits.
This platform opens the doors for the community to engage the different artists. The users can like, comment, and share the music of different artists. This type of relationship between the creators and the fans is hard to find anywhere else.
The artist can also upload the original music without any intermediaries. They can directly reach global audiences and increase fanbases. The monetization options are available to earn a good revenue based on the number of streams etc.
Soundcloud focuses more on the freedom of the artists and a diverse range of music. It fosters community interaction and looks for emerging talents. The users can enjoy the music on a deeper level and share it with others on social pages.
Conclusion
Spotify and SoundCloud both offer unique music experiences on multiple devices such as Android and Apple. You can enjoy some preferable features on Spotify such as personalized music, an array of mainstream tracks, and exclusive podcasts. The streaming quality is very high and you can listen to 320 kbps songs. It is majorly recommended for tailored recommendations and curated playlists. On the other hand, SoundCloud presents appealing options for new artists to monetize their channels. The new and emerging talents are all available on this platform to explore. The on-demand music and artist-to-fan interactions are some encouraging features of SoundCloud.
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