Last updated: 13 October 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
Which music streaming service should you pay for?
Qobuz vs Spotify is the comparison most people land on once they start caring how their music sounds, and Apple Music sits right between the two. All three stream lossless audio in the UK now. However, they cost different amounts, top out at different quality and suit very different setups.
I pay for Apple Music as part of an Apple One plan I share with my mum and my partner, so Apple TV and iCloud storage sit on the same bill. I used to pay for Spotify and don't any more. I have never subscribed to Qobuz, so everything about it here comes from its own pages and apps.
Apple Music is the one I use. At £11.99 a month it is also the cheapest monthly plan here with hi-res audio and Dolby Atmos included, and it suits anyone with an iPhone, AirPods or HomePods.
Spotify suits people who care most about finding new music, with podcasts and audiobooks in the same app. Its lossless stops at 24-bit/44.1 kHz.
Qobuz suits listeners with wired headphones or a hi-fi, and anyone who wants to buy hi-res downloads as well as stream.
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