Best Android Music Apps (Free & Paid) – 2025 Guide

Sure! Here’s a long-form article on the best Android music apps (free & paid) that covers their features, pros, cons, and pricing to help users pick the right music app for their needs.

Best Android Music Apps (Free & Paid) – 2025 Guide

In today’s fast-paced digital world, music apps are the heartbeat of our smartphones. Whether you’re a casual listener or an audiophile, there’s a music app tailored for your tastes. Android users are especially lucky with a vast selection of both free and paid apps to enjoy music online and offline.

Let’s dive into the best Android music apps available in 2024, covering both free and premium options.

Free Android Music Apps

1. Spotify

• Downloads: 1B+
• Rating: 4.4★
• Category: Streaming

Spotify is a global leader in music streaming, offering millions of songs, albums, and podcasts. Its personalized recommendations and curated playlists are top-notch.

Key Features:

• Vast music library from global and local artists
• Daily Mix and Discover Weekly playlists
• Podcasts and audiobooks
• Cross-platform sync

Free Version Includes:

• Ads between songs
• Shuffle-only mode on mobile
• Limited skips

Premium Starts At: ₹119/month (India)

Pros:
✔ Excellent personalization
✔ Global catalog
✔ Podcast integration

Cons:
✖ Ads in free version
✖ No offline downloads without Premium

2. YouTube Music

• Downloads: 1B+
• Rating: 4.2★
• Category: Streaming

YouTube Music replaces Google Play Music and integrates seamlessly with YouTube to bring music videos and tracks under one roof.

Key Features:

• Access to official music videos
• Smart recommendations based on YouTube history
• Trending and regional playlists

Free Version Includes:

• Ads
• No background play
• No offline support

Premium Starts At: ₹109/month (India)

Pros:
✔ Huge video and audio collection
✔ Great for discovering new songs

Cons:
✖ No background play in free version
✖ Data-heavy app

3. JioSaavn

• Downloads: 100M+
• Rating: 4.1★
• Category: Streaming

JioSaavn is India’s leading music streaming app offering Bollywood, regional, and international tracks.

Key Features:

• Multi-language music: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, and more
• Expert-curated playlists
• Built-in lyrics and podcasts

Free Version Includes:

• Ads
• Limited quality streaming
• No offline mode

Pro Starts At: ₹99/month

Pros:
✔ Huge Indian music library
✔ Great regional content
✔ Podcast collection

Cons:
✖ Ads
✖ Limited features without subscription

4. Gaana

• Downloads: 500M+
• Rating: 4.0★
• Category: Streaming

Gaana is a strong competitor to JioSaavn, known for its user-friendly interface and deep Indian music catalog.

Key Features:

• 45M+ songs in 20+ languages
• Gaana Originals and Radio
• Podcasts and short videos

Free Version Includes:

• Ads
• Limited downloads
• Basic audio quality

Plus Starts At: ₹99/month

Pros:
✔ Strong regional focus
✔ Easy to use

Cons:
✖ Ads
✖ High-quality audio and downloads locked behind paywall

5. SoundCloud

• Downloads: 100M+
• Rating: 4.5★
• Category: Indie/Streaming

If you love indie artists and underground tracks, SoundCloud is the go-to app. It’s also ideal for discovering new talent.

Key Features:

• Upload your own music
• Discover unsigned/independent artists
• Niche and experimental music

Free Version Includes:

• Ads
• No offline mode

Premium Starts At: ₹99/month (SoundCloud Go)

Pros:

• Great for indie fans
• Huge library of emerging artists

Cons:

• Limited popular music
• Not ideal for casual listeners

6. Musicolet Music Player (Offline Only)

• Downloads: 10M+
• Rating: 4.7★
• Category: Local Player

If you already have songs downloaded, Musicolet is a lightweight, no-ads music player that doesn’t need internet.

Key Features:

• Completely offline
• No ads or in-app purchases
• Folder browsing, tag editor, lyrics support

Price: Free

Pros:

• Completely free
• No ads
• Fast and lightweight

Cons:

• No streaming
• No online integration

Here is Best Paid Android Music Apps

1. Apple Music

• Price: ₹99/month
• Free Trial: 1 month
• Highlights: Lossless audio, Dolby Atmos, curated playlists

Apple Music offers a rich catalog of 100 million+ songs and is one of the few that offer lossless and spatial audio. Works well on Android too.

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality
• Editorially curated content
• Offline listening

Cons:

• Heavier app
• No free version

2. Amazon Music Unlimited

• Price: ₹99/month (Prime users), ₹129/month (non-Prime)
• Free Tier: Limited catalog
• Highlights: 100M+ ad-free songs, Alexa integration

A great choice for Amazon Prime users, offering high-quality streaming and Alexa voice control.

Pros:

• High-res audio
• Included with Prime (limited version)
• Alexa support

Cons:

• Interface not as polished
• Full catalog behind paywall

3. TIDAL

• Price: ₹129–₹199/month
• Highlights: Hi-Fi and Master quality sound, artist-first platform

TIDAL is perfect for audiophiles. It supports FLAC, Dolby Atmos, and 360 Reality Audio.

Pros:

• Top-tier audio
• Artist-friendly platform
• Exclusive content

Cons:

• Expensive
• Niche audience

✅ Conclusion: Which Music App is Best?

Whether you’re a fan of Bollywood beats, Western chartbusters, or indie grooves, there’s a music app for you. Free users can start with Spotify, YouTube Music, or JioSaavn, while those wanting premium features and offline listening may benefit from Apple Music, TIDAL, or Amazon Music.