10 Best Free Music Apps

Free music apps are a great way to listen to your favorite music without having to pay full price for the app’s subscriptions. Sure, that might mean having to listen to a few ads in between songs, and the quality might not be as good as the paid version. But if you’re only listening to music every now and again you don’t always want to be tied down by a subscription.

What’s more is that a lot of free music apps also have trial versions for their full subscriptions. And some of these trials can last up to six months. Meaning you get all the best music, ad free, for as long as the trial lasts.

So here we’ve set up a list for those of you that are looking for the best free music apps that will keep you vibing without being tied down by hefty subscriptions.

1. Spotify: Music and Podcasts

The free version of Spotify might contain ads and a limited amount of searches and functionality but it still comes out on top. It’s one of the best free music streaming apps you’ll get. In fact, some phones even come with Spotify pre-installed. That’s how great this app is.

Spotify has over 82 millions songs and podcasts available and features top artists from across the globe. If you’re listening for free the audio quality can be a bit iffy if that’s your thing, and you’ll have to listen to playlists on shuffle. You also can’t listen offline. But those are just minor inconveniences.

The subscriptions start at $4.99 per month. Which isn’t much either. Given that you then get all the functionality the app has to offer including creating your own playlists and downloading music to listen to offline. This app also works across a load of different platforms.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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2. Amazon Music: Songs and Podcasts

If you’re already a subscriber to Amazon Prime you’re in for a treat. You get Amazon Prime Music included in your package absolutely free of charge! The sound quality isn’t great, but you can’t really complain seeing as the app is completely free to use.

This music app by Amazon offers a three month free trial for its Amazon Music Unlimited version too which is great if you’re into HD music videos. The subscription starts at a hefty $9.99 per month which is a lot of money to pay for the limited selection of 2 million songs and podcasts though.

But what makes Amazon Prime Music great is that it works with Alexa, which makes finding music so much easier. It also has zero ads even in the free version. So if ads drive you nuts this is definitely a good option to consider.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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3. Deezer: Music and Podcast Player

Deezer is a great free music app if you want a wide selection of audio files to choose from. There are over 90 million songs, podcasts and more to listen to using this app. Unfortunately the free version comes with ads and a lower sound quality than the full paid version.

The mobile app is also a bit limited in its functionality, but not too limited. It runs basically the same as its competition. And it’s pretty easy to navigate, which is a bonus if you’re looking for a song.

If you do decide to subscribe to Deezer you can enjoy CD quality music. But the music videos are still pretty low res. So if you’re into watching music this probably isn’t the app for you.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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4. YouTube Music

YouTube Music is one of the leading free music apps available for download. There are millions and millions of songs to choose from and the free tier isn’t that bad either. Sure you have to sit through a few ads, but the key word here is few.

Not only are there much less ads on this app than you’d expect, you also get the opportunity to discover a bunch of new artists you never knew about. And you can search for any music your heart desires.

The sound quality isn’t the best. And if you want to download music to listen offline you have to subscribe. But as far as free music apps go this is definitely one of the best out there. It even rivals Spotify.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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5. TuneIn Radio: News, Music and FM

If you enjoy listening to the radio this app is for you. TuneIn allows you to tune in to loads of top radio stations like BBC and C-Span. It also offers local news stations and podcasts for those that are into staying on top of local events.

Speaking of staying on top of events it also features news from the likes of CNN and Fox News. So you can stay on top of stories from around the world.

This is a great app because it has a wide spread of music stations to choose from. But on the down side it doesn’t offer you the option to search for specific songs. So while you will be able to listen to music you’ll have to listen to someone else’s selection.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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6. BBC Sounds

This radio station based app offers a wide selection of music and podcasts to listen to on top of the wide variety of radio stations. If you’re looking for an app to listen to radio stations on demand look no further.

You can even download music or listen to podcasts and other audio where you left off on multiple devices. You don’t have to worry about quality either. This app offers some of the best quality audio you can get on a music app.

If staying on top of global news and events is your thing this is the app for you. You can listen to a bunch of radio stations that include their news broadcasts. You can also listen to playlists on this app.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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7. SoundCloud: Discover New Music

This app is great if you’re looking for new music that’s off the beaten track. On SoundCloud up and coming artists can upload their new music for anyone to listen to. Unfortunately you are going to have to put up with some ads. And the music quality might not be the best because the app does feature up and coming artists - and only up and coming artists.

Fortunately the functionality is quite diverse on this app. You can search and like songs, build your own track lists and even connect with artists and friends directly on the app. Another great thing about the app is that there are quite a few great covers of well known songs available.

This app offers you the chance to take a break from mainstream music and discover some brand new artists, some of which you’ll end up loving.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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8. Pandora Music and Podcasts

Pandora has a great free version that allows you to pick stations that suit your music tastes. It’s got an easy to use interface and it even rivals Spotify in its accessibility and functionality.

With Pandora’s free version you are going to have to sit through a few ads, but luckily these ads are short and won’t take up a lot of your time.

Pandora also chooses your music for you. So you get a set list of music to listen to. This is great if you want to discover new artists in the genres you love, but not so great if you want to listen to a specific song.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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9. Future FM Radio

This is a great app if you love live music. The Future FM allows you to stream live music concerts from around the world. All for free. It also includes DJ sets, performances, festivals and even concerts.

This might not be the thing you’re looking for. But if you’re looking for an app that allows you to listen to the world’s top DJs for absolutely no cover charge this is the app for you.

The idea with this app is to give you a completely different sound experience with its long-form DJ sets from just about anywhere in the world. So if you like the clubbing scene and dancing around the house this is definitely the app for you.

Cost: Free

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10. Musi - Simple Music Streaming

If you like songs from SoundCloud and YouTube Musi is the app for you. This app allows you to create playlists from these two top music apps. That means you get all the old favorites from YouTube alongside all the newly discovered favorites from SOundCloud.

What makes Musi great is not just the fact that it combines these two platforms, but it’s also free. You just have to put up with the ads.

Cost: Free offers in-app purchases

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