5 Apple Music Features You Won’t Find on YouTube Music

It’s not always easy to choose the right music streaming platform when there are so many available online. Although we have ranked the top streaming services in the past, some users may choose between Apple Music and YouTube Music. Given that they are both available at around the same price (depending on the plan you choose) and appear to offer essentially the same service at first glance, choosing between the two can be a challenge. Either way, there are some features in Apple Music that you just won’t find with YouTube Music.

While YouTube Music promises over a hundred million songs as well as live performances and music videos, Apple Music offers a few additional features. While a karaoke feature isn’t enough to warrant a subscription, Apple Music also offers several audio features that may entice audiophiles to take a second look, as well as a more streamlined experience and dedicated app options.

Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of reasons why you might want to upgrade to YouTube Music, but knowing what to expect before paying for a subscription can ensure there are fewer surprises once you pay that monthly bill. If you’re deciding which service to choose, do some additional research to see which platform best suits your needs. Both may be worth your money on their own, but here are a few areas where Apple Music excels.

At the top of our list is something that audiophiles and music lovers may consider essential: lossless audio. Lossless is an audio format that aims to retain the original quality of a recording. Essentially, the higher the bit rate, the higher the quality of the song. YouTube Music still offers a solid listening experience, but those looking for the best audio formats and codecs may want to do some additional research.

For YouTube Music, listeners can access songs with a bit rate of up to 256 kbps in AAC and OPUS, still delivering clear vocals and fewer compression artifacts. Apple Music, however, offers its own audio compression technology, known as Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). With this codec, many songs in the Apple Music catalog support 16-bit/44.1 kHz (CD quality) audio, up to 24-bit/192 kHz.

Multiple devices support lossless Apple Music streaming; Simply enable the setting for lossless audio. The audio can be improved, but those interested in this audio format should be aware that higher bitrates will also consume more data. Getting the most out of lossless also requires specialist equipment. Bluetooth doesn’t support lossless mode, so you’ll need wired headphones.

Like YouTube Music, Apple Music doesn’t really support lossless audio, but does offer a few additional audio benefits on the platform. These include access to Apple’s Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. If you’re unfamiliar, spatial audio creates a three-dimensional audio experience. Like Dolby Atmos surround sound, it’s Apple’s way of creating a more immersive reading experience, and YouTube Music doesn’t offer it either.

For those who rely on free plans, this may not be a big deal. However, those who pay for a YouTube Music subscription may be upset that the platform doesn’t support Dolby Atmos or anything similar. When you’re paying monthly for something, it’s reasonable to expect what services like Tidal and Amazon Music offer to their premium subscribers. If audio quality is your main concern, you may want to consider Apple Music over YouTube Music.

To be fair, Apple Music users will have to work to get Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos working. Although it works with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Android, Windows and more, users still need to remember to enable the feature and have the physical hardware (such as the right headphones) to support it. If you can take advantage of it, Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio can be an important factor in choosing the service.

If you’re using a smartphone or tablet, you can get a dedicated YouTube Music app by going to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and downloading it. However, if you are using a desktop computer, the process is not as simple. YouTube Music doesn’t have a dedicated app, not even as a hidden YouTube Premium feature. Workarounds exist, but for Apple Music listeners, this isn’t a problem.

If you’re using a Mac, the Apple Music app comes pre-installed, and finding the Windows app simply means a trip to the Microsoft Store. Users can also use the web option if necessary. While some may find the lack of a dedicated YouTube Music desktop app trivial, something that runs natively on your computer can potentially work better. YouTube also offers a paid subscription without a dedicated desktop app.

Fortunately, there are options. This requires a little extra research, but one option is to search for a third-party YouTube app. Another quick example is creating a Progressive Web App (PWA). You can do this with a Chromium-based browser like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome. On Chrome, it’s as simple as clicking the Install YouTube icon or selecting the three vertical dots and then selecting Install YouTube Music when you visit the YouTube Music page. Users have options, but none are as simple as Apple Music.

It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but what’s interesting about Apple Music is its Sing feature. Sing allows Apple Music to act as a karaoke player, allowing users to reduce or remove vocals from a wide selection of the Apple Music library. It even has duet options and singers can follow lyrics that match the rhythm of the song.

YouTube Music offers access to lyrics (although it is paid to some extent), but users cannot adjust the vocals for a true karaoke experience. A subscription gives you full access and there’s even an option for live lyrics. This means you can follow the lyrics alongside the music, like in a karaoke experience (you’ll always hear the original singer). To use it, simply tap the Lyrics button in YouTube Music from the playback window.

Apple Music Sing is unlikely to attract people to the platform for this feature alone, but it can be great for those who like to have some goofy fun. If you’re the type who likes to listen to a tune at parties, this feature may be particularly appealing. However, even those who prefer instrumentals can still get some use out of it.

If you already own multiple Apple products, one of the biggest benefits of Apple Music is its seamless integration with other Apple products. This means you get a service designed for an ecosystem of devices, including iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and more. To cite just one example, when Apple moved to the Apple Glass look in iOS 26, Apple Music adapted at the same time.

Just like you can bundle YouTube Music with YouTube Premium, Apple fans can also bundle Apple Music with several other services. With an Apple One subscription, users can access Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Fitness+ and more on one bill. This might be worth considering if you already use other Apple services, but if an Apple product isn’t your preferred device, this integration might be less appealing.

For what it’s worth, Google offers its own Google One services, although they focus more on bundling Gmail/Google Drive storage with its AI agent, Gemini. However, the Google AI Ultra plan includes YouTube Premium, and some Google One AI subscribers may also get discounted YouTube Premium, depending on their plan. You can always bundle YouTube Music, but if you’re interested in Apple One, you may want to look at what each offers individually.