What the the best apps for listening to music in the car? Photo Credit: DepositPhotos/ lightpoet
Driving is more fun with great music, right?
When it comes to music in your car, the preinstalled radio/CD isn’t your only option. It might be the last option given there are 20+ apps for listening to music. How do you narrow the field? We put together this list of the best music apps for listening to music in the car. We can’t decide which one you’ll think is the best but here’s a good start.
Google Play Music – Best Apps for Listening to Music in the Car?
Google Play Music is a strong contender as one of the best apps for listening to music in the car. With more than 35 million songs, Google Play Music creates customized stations based on your choices. The ad-supported free version allows users to access Google Play radio stations, podcasts from several different sources and your own library of uploaded music for streaming. The paid subscription also provides users with on-demand access, an included membership to YouTube Red and downloads of songs for offline listening.
Worth noting: Google Play Music comes as a pre-installed app on most Samsung android devices. There are special benefits for Samsung device users. Starting with the S8 and all future devices, Samsung/Google Play users can add up to 100,000 songs to their cloud locker for free.
How to Access It: Available via computers on the Google Play website or the Google Play Music mobile app for Android and iOS operating systems.
Price (monthly): Free for ad-supported version; $9.99 for a single account and $14.99 for a family account with up to 6 users and 10 devices.
Read More: 10 FREE APPS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY TRAVEL
Spotify – Best App for Listening to Music, Podcasts and Video Streaming
One way that Spotify stands out is that it is a music, podcast AND video streaming service. The service shines by editing and creating playlists that can be shared via social media with access to over 30 million songs. A drawback of the free version: users can only listen to playlists in shuffle mode. The premium version has an upgraded sound quality and allows users to select the exact songs they would like.
Worth noting: Spotify offers a student account with both Spotify Premium and Hulu Limited Commercials for a $4.99 a month. The student account is limited to one account only.
How to Access It: Available via computers on the Google Play website or the Spotify mobile app for Windows Phone, Android smartphones/tablets and iOS operating systems.
Price: Free for ad-supported version; $9.99 for a single account and $14.99 for a family account with up to 6 users.
Pandora – The First App for Personalized Content
Pandora is the originator of personalized media with a database powered by the Music Genome Project. Users can create literally hundreds of stations based on genre, mood, artist, song or by following other users. Compared with other streaming services, Pandora has the most limited library of only 1.5 million songs. It has three levels of service; the free ad-supported streaming, Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium. Pandora Plus is the ad-free streaming services that allows you to replay tracks, listen to 3 stations offline and provides a higher audio quality. Pandora Premium allows users all Pandora Plus benefits as well as the ability to play songs on demand and fully customizable playlists.
Worth noting: Pandora doesn’t offer any shared or family accounts. It also doesn’t allow for the downloading or purchase of any music; it is a standalone music streaming service.
How to Access It: Available via computers on the Pandora website or the mobile app for Windows Phone, Android smartphones/tablets and iOS operating systems.
Price: Free for ad-supported version; $4.99/monthly & $54.89/annually for Pandora Plus and $9.99/monthly & $109.89/yearly for Pandora Premium.
READ MORE: FIVE TRAVEL APPS THAT SHOULD RIDE SHOTGUN ON YOUR PHONE
iHeartRadio – The FREE App for Listening to Radio Around the World
With its ability to connect to local radio stations and improved FREE service options, iHeartRadio is easily one of the best apps for listening to music. iHeartRadio carries more than 1,000 different radio stations including local broadcasts as well as artist owned stations. iHeartRadio Plus allows users to play any song on demand and save songs from the radio to a personal playlist. iHeartRadio All Access upgrades the experience for listening offline and allows you to create unlimited playlists from a catalog of millions of songs.
Worth noting: iHeartRadio allows users to hear their local radio stations and any ads are based on the local broadcasts.
How to Access It: In addition to the iHeartRadio for Auto app (Android and iOS), iHeartRadio is available on more than 70 different platforms, including iOS, Android and Windows.
Price: Free for standard service; $4.99 for iHeartRadio Plus and $9.99-12.99 for iHeartRadio All Access.
AppleMusic – The Best App for Your Content
AppleMusic offers users the option of streaming their selections, listening to existing playlists or the Beats 1 radio station. One of the best things: It easily connects with the iOS operating system to bring any of your music to any device. There is no free version; however, there is a three-month free trial before converting to a subscription only model.
Worth noting: AppleMusic is the replacement for iTunes radio.
How to Access It: On desktop with the iTunes application and on the Android and iOS mobile apps.
Price : $9.99 for a single user; $14.99 for a family membership for up to 6 users.
Tidal – The App for Exclusive Content and Highest Quality of Sound
Tidal is a subscription based streaming service for audio and HD music videos. With more than 48.5 million songs, it has one of the largest music databases. Tidal allows users to stream music on demand. It also has exclusive video content and feature-length articles with artist background information. Tidal HiFi subscription is the best quality of sound over MPS or audio streaming for any app.
Worth noting: Tidal does not offer any free option and doesn’t allow for any offline listening.
How to Access It: Web based and the Android and iOS mobile apps.
Price: $9.99 for Tidal Premium; $19.99 for Tidal HiFi, $14.99/month for Tidal HiFi Family plan and $29.99/month for Tidal HiFi Plus Family plan.
Rock out in your ride with the best apps for listening to music in your car! She Buy Cars has all the information for you to make the best pick.
Kendra Pierson
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Thanks a lot for sharing your incredible ideas. It is an appreciated and pretty tip for all those music lovers.