Spotify vs Deezer: My Honest Experience with Two Music Apps
Spotify has always been my go-to platform for streaming music. It’s super popular, with over 600 million people using it around the world. About 230 million of them even pay for Premium. I liked how it gives me playlists made just for me, lets me download songs, and helps me find new music I didn’t even know I liked. It also works really well on my phone, computer, and even in the car.
But not long ago, I tried Deezer, and I was surprised. It might not have as many users as Spotify, but it has some cool things that caught my attention. Deezer is a music app that started in France and now works in more than 180 countries. One of my favorite things was its HiFi audio feature. The sound was really clear, like I was right there with the band. If you care about audio quality, Deezer might sound better to you.
Also, Deezer has something called Flow, which plays songs based on my mood and favorites. I liked that it felt a bit more personal. Both apps let me make playlists, listen offline, and play songs on different devices. I even checked out how easy it is to convert songs to MP3 for offline use, and both apps work with different tools to help with that.
So I started thinking: which one is actually better for me—and maybe for you too?
That’s why I wrote this. I’ll share what I’ve learned about using Spotify and Deezer—the good parts, what could be better, and how they compare with things like music choice, sound, and even the free plans. If you’re trying to pick one, I hope this helps you decide.
Let’s take a closer look.
TL;DR:
I compared Spotify and Deezer after using both extensively. Spotify wins on music discovery, social features, podcasts, and app polish. Deezer stands out for its HiFi lossless audio, lower pricing, and unique Flow feature. If you’re into sound quality and personalization, go with Deezer. For everything else, Spotify remains the top pick.
Spotify vs Deezer: User interface and functionality
Winner : Spotify
The small touches in an app’s appearance and usability always catch my attention. I like when music apps are easy to use but also look good — and both Spotify and Deezer do a solid job here.
Spotify has a darker theme, which I personally enjoy, especially when I’m listening at night. The layout is clean and feels smooth whether I’m on my phone or computer. The home screen is always updating with things like “New Releases,” “Recently Played,” and playlists made just for me. It’s fast, organized, and lets me move around easily — I never feel lost while using it.
One thing I really like is how songs have short looping videos in the background while they play. It’s a small touch, but it makes the app feel more alive. There’s also a section called “Your Library” where I can find all the music I’ve liked, downloaded, or added to playlists. If I connect my account to other devices like a speaker or my laptop, I can switch the music between them with just a tap.
Deezer, on the other hand, feels a bit brighter and more colorful. The colors on the music player screen even change based on the album art, which makes it fun to look at while listening. The app is simple to use, and I like how it shows lyrics while the song plays. It feels more focused on music and less on extras, which can be nice if you just want to dive straight into your favorite tracks.
The layout in Deezer also has sections like “Favorites,” “Genres,” and “Made for You.” There’s a spot for all the songs I’ve liked and even for MP3s I’ve uploaded to play offline. I noticed that it takes a bit more tapping around to get to certain features compared to Spotify, but it still works well overall.
Both apps let me skip songs, add them to a queue, or mark songs I don’t like. I also like that I can save music for offline listening on both platforms. With Deezer, I really enjoy the Flow feature—it builds a playlist on the spot based on what I’ve been listening to and my favorites. It feels like a personal radio made just for me.
In the end, I think Spotify feels a little faster and more polished, especially if you like extras like videos and playlists that change with the time of day. But Deezer has a brighter look and some cool features like live lyrics and the ability to upload your own MP3 files, which might be perfect for someone who wants something a little different.
Spotify vs Deezer: Music Discovery
Winner : Spotify
When it comes to discovering new music, both Spotify and Deezer make it really easy for me. I love Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist, which updates every Monday with songs it thinks I’ll enjoy. There’s also Release Radar that shows new releases from the artists I follow, plus several Daily Mixes based on what I usually listen to. On top of that, Spotify has tons of playlists sorted by mood, genre, or activities, which I find super helpful.
Deezer’s main discovery feature is Flow, a nonstop playlist built around my favorite songs. I can skip or block tracks and artists I’m not in the mood for, which helps it get better over time. Deezer also gives me daily mixes, weekly discovery playlists, and suggestions based on my taste and what’s popular.
Honestly, both apps do a great job at helping me find new music, but if I had to choose, I’d say Spotify wins this round. Its variety of playlists and smart recommendations just keep bringing me fresh songs that I end up loving.
Spotify vs Deezer: Content and Exclusives
Winner : Spotify
When I look at the music libraries, both Spotify and Deezer offer a huge selection—each has over 90 million songs, covering pretty much every genre and artist you can think of, podcasts and audiobooks, including underground and indie music. Both platforms let artists, whether signed or unsigned, upload their music, so there’s always fresh content coming in. One interesting point is that Deezer is available in more countries worldwide, which means it reaches listeners in places where Spotify might not be as strong yet.
Both apps also let me upload my own music files and listen to them right in the app, which is great for songs I already own. Plus, downloading songs for offline listening works smoothly on both platforms, which is essential when I’m on the go.
Now, talking about podcasts, Spotify clearly leads. It has millions of podcasts, including some exclusive shows you can’t find anywhere else, like The Michelle Obama Podcast. Deezer’s podcast collection is growing, and it has a neat feature that lets you browse shows by length—perfect if you want a quick listen or a long episode. Both services organize podcasts by topics and popularity, so it’s easy to find something that fits your mood.
When it comes to exclusive artist content, both services offer unique perks. Deezer has Deezer Originals, which are live sessions recorded in its studios, while Spotify has Spotify Singles, exclusive tracks made just for its platform. Spotify also lets artists create public playlists and share more about themselves on their profiles, which adds a nice personal touch.
Regarding artist payments, Deezer reportedly pays slightly more per stream, but the difference isn’t huge, and these numbers can change frequently.
Overall, if you’re looking for the widest range of music and podcasts, Spotify just edges out Deezer thanks to its podcast variety and exclusive content. But Deezer’s availability in more countries and its unique features keep it competitive.
Spotify vs Deezer: Sound Quality and Streaming Options
Winner : Deezer
For me, one of the biggest differences between Spotify and Deezer is the sound quality they offer. Deezer has an advantage here because it already provides a HiFi plan that streams lossless FLAC audio. This means you get crystal-clear, high-resolution sound — perfect if you listen on good headphones or speakers. With Deezer HiFi, the audio is at 16-bit/44.1 kHz, which is the same quality as a CD.
On the other hand, Spotify promised a HiFi tier some time ago, but it still hasn’t launched. Right now, Spotify offers only compressed audio formats like AAC and Ogg Vorbis. Spotify Free streams up to 160 kbps, while Spotify Premium lets you listen up to 320 kbps, which is a decent quality but not lossless like Deezer’s HiFi.
Both apps let you adjust your streaming quality and choose whether to download songs in high or low quality. This is handy if you want to save mobile data or storage space. I also like that both Spotify and Deezer have equalizer settings, so I can tweak the sound to match my preferences.
If you care about getting the best possible sound and have good audio gear, Deezer’s HiFi option makes it the winner here. But if you’re fine with solid, high-quality compressed audio, Spotify’s streaming sounds great too.
Spotify vs Deezer: Subscription Plans and Pricing
Winner : Deezer
When I look at the pricing options for Spotify and Deezer, both offer free versions with ads so you can try them out without paying. But if you want the full experience with no interruptions, offline listening, and better sound quality, you’ll need a paid plan.
One thing I noticed is that Deezer’s annual plan can save you more money compared to Spotify, and Deezer includes its HiFi (lossless audio) option with every paid subscription—something Spotify doesn’t offer yet.
Here’s a quick breakdown of their plans:
| Spotify Plans | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Ads, shuffle play, limited on-demand access |
| Premium Student | $5.99 / month | No ads, offline listening, on-demand playback |
| Premium Individual | $10.99 / month | No ads, offline listening, full on-demand access |
| Premium Duo | $14.99 / month | Two accounts, Duo Mix playlist, all Premium perks |
| Premium Family | $16.99 / month | Up to 6 accounts, Family Mix, explicit content control, Kids app |
And here’s how Deezer’s plans compare:
| Deezer Plans | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Ads, shuffle play, personalized recommendations, 128 kbps audio |
| Student | $5.99 / month (after 30-day trial) | No ads, offline listening, on-demand, HiFi audio included |
| Premium | $10.99 / month or $98.91 / year | No ads, offline listening, HiFi audio included |
| Family | $17.99 / month or $196.99 / year | Up to 6 accounts, no ads, offline, HiFi audio, kids content |
What I like about Deezer is that HiFi sound quality is available on all paid plans, which is great if you want better audio without paying extra. Spotify is solid and popular, but its pricing is a bit higher for families, and it doesn’t include HiFi yet.
Overall, if you want the best value for your money and care about sound quality, Deezer offers a slight edge. But if you want a wide range of features and family plans, Spotify remains a strong contender.
Spotify vs Deezer: How They Stack Up on Social Features
Winner : Spotify
When it comes to sharing music and connecting with friends, I find Spotify has the stronger social side. You can link Spotify to Facebook, which makes it easy to find friends, follow their playlists, and see what they’re listening to in real time. I really like the “Friend Activity” feature on the desktop app because it shows live updates of what your friends are playing—it feels like you’re sharing the music experience together even if you’re apart.
Another cool thing on Spotify is “Collaborative Playlists.” I’ve used this a lot to create shared playlists with friends where everyone can add or remove songs. It’s great for parties or road trips because everyone gets to contribute.
Deezer lets you follow friends and check out their playlists, but it doesn’t have a live listening feed like Spotify. Since Spotify is more popular worldwide, I’ve also found it easier to connect with more friends there. Both apps let you share songs to social media and other platforms, but Spotify goes a bit further with partnerships that let you show your favorite tracks on dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.
So, if social sharing and discovering music with friends is important to you, I’d say Spotify definitely takes the lead here.
Spotify vs Deezer: Extra Features That Make a Difference
Winner : Spotify
Both Spotify and Deezer offer some neat extras that add to the listening experience, but in different ways.
Deezer has a handy song recognition feature built right into its app, kind of like Shazam. So if you hear a song playing nearby and want to know what it is, Deezer can help you out instantly. They also make listening more fun with music quizzes, which I thought was a cool way to test your knowledge while enjoying your favorite tunes. Plus, Deezer’s equalizer is simple to use, with preset options if you don’t want to spend time tweaking the sound yourself.
Spotify, on the other hand, has a great Crossfade feature that smooths the transitions between songs, eliminating those annoying gaps. It’s perfect if you like a continuous flow of music. Spotify also connects easily with popular apps like Google Maps and Waze, which is super useful if you’re listening while driving. Both apps support CarPlay and Android Auto, making in-car listening easier.
One of Spotify’s most talked-about features is Spotify Wrapped, an annual report that shows your listening stats in fun, colorful graphics. I always enjoy looking back to see my top songs, artists, and how much time I spent streaming. Deezer offers something similar with their Stateeztics app, but instead of once a year, it updates your stats regularly, showing things like your daily average and top tracks over the past month.
In the end, the choice between Deezer and Spotify’s extra features comes down to what matters most to you. If you want top-quality HiFi audio now, Deezer’s got you covered. But if sharing music and discovering with friends is your thing, Spotify is hard to beat. For more information related to spotify you can check the blog section also.
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