If you’re anything like me, music probably helps you unwind in different conditions. Personally, I like the idea of streaming music from various sites because of the variety of options they offer. However, sometimes, you may also need to listen to music without internet access, and streaming services only work when you’re online.
In this article, I’ll provide details on the best apps to download music on iOS and Android devices. Most of these apps are free to download and use, so let’s have a look at the top options to download music on your smartphone.
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What Are the Best Apps to Download Music on iOS and Android?
Free offline music apps for the iPhone and Android come in handy when you’re trying to listen to music without internet access. Below are the best apps to download music on iOS and Android, so try these options if you ever have to listen to music offline.
Spotify
Spotify is a widely used streaming services with a fantastic discovery engine that makes it the best place to find new music. It is also one of the best apps to download music on iOS and Android, and creating, sharing, and embedding playlists is incredibly simple on Spotify.
You’ll find something for every kind of music taste on this app. You can also download any song, album, or playlist offline in the Spotify app if you subscribe to the Spotify Premium plan. However, keep in mind that even though these songs are offline, you will lose access if you stop paying for Spotify Premium.
Apple Music
Apple Music is one of the best apps to download music on iOS and Android, especially if you’ve fully committed to the Apple ecosystem. There isn’t a free tier like there is with Spotify—it costs $9.99 per month. However, you’ll have several song options to download for offline listening, so the cost is pretty much worth it.
With Apple Music, creating an offline music library is simple. You can enable Automatic Downloads by going to Settings > Music. Now, whatever you add to your library will immediately download to your device.
Amazon Music
You most likely already have access to Amazon Music, you just might not be aware of it. Prime Music is available to all Amazon Prime members. Aside from Prime Music, there are numerous other Amazon Prime benefits. Prime Music allows you to download songs to your iPhone or Android device for free (for Prime members).
Consider Prime Music if you don’t want to pay for a streaming service and only need to listen to offline music randomly. Spotify’s music discovery and sharing features are far superior to Amazon’s, but as a fundamental offline music downloader and player, it works fine. So, you’ll agree that it belongs on the list of the best apps to download music on iOS and Android.
Pandora
The intelligent radio service offered by Pandora is another of the best apps to download music on iOS and Android. It is well-known for its “set it and forget it”—basically, you choose a song and let Pandora play you similar music for the next few hours. Pandora has also included an on-demand feature—you can download as many songs as you want to listen to offline if you subscribe to Pandora Premium ($9.99/month).
If you use Pandora frequently, it might be worth paying this amount. You’d also be able to find more of your favorite songs and albums with Pandora’s Music Genome Project, add them to your library, and use the same app to listen to them offline.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is the app to use if you’re looking for alternative music or electronic music mixtapes. It’s also a great option if you want to discover and support new artists in your favorite genre. If you’re unfamiliar with SoundCloud, it’s a streaming service that’s available everywhere. This app also has an offline mode.
Some tracks are available for download on the free plan. A good number of its tracks can be downloaded by subscribing to the $4.99/month SoundCloud Go plan. And if you pay $9.99 per month for the SoundCloud Go+ plan, you can download over 30 million exclusive tracks. So, is it one of the best apps to download music on iOS and Android? Definitely, yes!
Google Play Music
Google Play Music is another free music app that supports multiple languages, has great Google features, and can be linked to your Google account. Given the data security and safety inherent in Google apps, we can undoubtedly rank it as one of the best apps to download music on iOS and Android. So, try it if you’re looking for a free option for offline music.
TIDAL
Though a lot of people are unaware of it, TIDAL is the best option for offline music listening. You can download music using TIDAL, a music streaming app for iOS and Android. Although it has a free version, you can’t save your favorites offline, as you might expect. You can gain access to the download feature by purchasing one of its subscription plans.
YouTube Music
You can find unique music on YouTube Music. YouTube has a massive library of cover songs, live concerts, and alternative song versions. The free plan allows you to listen to music for free (with the occasional advertisement). You can download music for offline use and play it in the background if you pay the $9.99/month YouTube Music Premium subscription.
To summarize, downloading music for offline listening is obviously only a small part of the functions of these streaming services. You’ll find great options among my suggestions for the best apps to download music on iOS and Android, so take advantage of them for premium offline listening.