YouTube Music Vs. Apple Music: Which music service is best for sound quality?

When it comes to music streaming platforms, Spotify is the most popular in terms of active users and paying subscribers. There are, however, plenty of alternatives, such as Apple Music and Google-run YouTube Music, which each have strong appeal within their own broader ecosystem of software and services. But not all streamers are built the same, and that becomes apparent when you take a look at the audio quality options you have.

Among Spotify’s main competitors, YouTube Music is the one that falls short in terms of audio quality as it offers three bitrate options: 64, 128, and 256 kbps via AAC or OPUS lossy codecs. Apple Music, meanwhile, starts at 256 kbps AAC, but offers three higher fidelity bitrates via the company’s own lossless ALAC codec: CD quality at 16-bit/44.1 kHz, lossless at 24-bit/48 kHz, and high-resolution lossless at 24-bit/196 kHz. Users can adjust their sound quality in each app’s Settings menu.

To adjust music quality as a YouTube Music Premium subscriber, go to the app, then tap your account avatar and select Settings. For streaming quality, you will need to click on “Data backup”, then “Audio quality over Wi-Fi” or “Audio quality over mobile network”. Apple Music users, on the other hand, can access the lossless options on iOS by going to the system settings, tapping Apps, then Music, and finally Audio Quality. On macOS, open the Music app, select the Music tab, then Settings, and click Play.

If you’re entering the streaming space for the first time or considering jumping ship, audio quality options are just one factor to consider in your choice. Consider that Apple Music costs $12 per month for a single subscriber, while YouTube Music Premium, part of YouTube Premium, pushes the cost up to $16. Each has its own discount mechanisms, such as family plans, student plans, and integrations with Apple One or Google One. You also need to consider the impact on your mobile data allowance or, if you download songs, on your local storage.

Apple Music might be the way to go if you’re looking to create a soundtrack for your quiet spaces, but as for whether you’ll notice an improvement in quality on Apple Music Lossless, you should be able to pick up finer background details in more complex tracks and the lyrics should be clearer. Many users enjoy the freedom that wireless headphones and earphones give us, which is a problem for Apple Music because ALAC support doesn’t exist on wireless headphones: you’ll need wired headphones to fully experience lossless audio. Alternatively, it would be nice to see YouTube Music support high-bitrate codecs, but it also gets the job done if you’re just trying to get through the day.