Life is somewhat like a movie. Don’t all of us have music playing in the background when something special happens? People tend to associate certain individuals or events with particular songs. Music has become everyone’s universal companion that follows wherever we go.
Only half a decade ago an iPod with couple hundreds of favorites was enough, but today the advancement of internet connection speed has changed the demand for music and resulted in the rising popularity of music streaming app, thus, increasing the demand in music app development.
Spotify is a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs. Bring your music to mobile and tablet, too. Listening on your phone or tablet is free, easy, and fun. One account, listen everywhere. Communities For Artists Developers Advertising Investors Vendors Useful links Support Web Player Free Mobile App 2020 Wrapped. While all this sounds amazing, Spotify’s free tier is limiting and you need to shell out a whopping $9.99/ month for the premium subscription. However, the $9.99 gets you ad-free streaming, offline downloads, and most importantly, the ability to skip and play all tracks instead of being stuck with random shuffles.
Having over 75 million users, Spotify is the most popular among them. What is the reason behind its popularity and how to make a music app like Spotify? These are the topics of our article.
- I downloaded Spotify from a different website, the executable is different. Now when I open the Windows Store, I see the 'Install' button on Spotify as if I didn't have the Windows Store version installed, which is what I want! But the app I'm running still looks exactly like the Windows Store version.
- Jul 16, 2019 Stereomood's iOS app is also linked to iTunes and gives you an option to buy the songs that you like on iTunes. Stereomood is free to listen to and has no ads. Pros: Spotify alternative free. Fun mood options. Cons: No customization. Limited song catalogue. Choose the Spotify Alternative that is Best for You.
- One of the major benefits of using sites like Spotify is that you get to stream the music on almost any device. You can enjoy streaming music on your mobile phone, tablet, computer, home audio system and even on your gaming consoles. If you want to listen to free music online, apps like Spotify are exactly what you’ll want.
What is a Spotify streaming app?
In short, Spotify is a video and music streaming app that allows users to browse for any song, artist, album or genre. Users can share favorite tracks, add them to playlists or even collaborate with their friends to create compilations.
The Spotify app was launched back in October 2008. The idea behind it belongs to two friends, Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, that came up with it sitting in the nearly empty apartment in Stockholm, Sweden. It provides access to all music in the world, anywhere and anytime.
The benefits of an online music streaming service are clear:
- Quick access
- Affordability
- Unlimited storage
- Social engagement
Spotify offered an inexpensive alternative to piracy. A monthly subscription does not cost much, so users can enjoy their favorite tracks and give credit to artists at the same time.
Cost forming factors of building a music streaming app Like Spotify
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same thing goes for an application. There is a long process involved in creating a music streaming app. In brief, it looks like this:
- Planning and estimating
- Finding tech crew
- Designing the app Like Spotify
- Deciding on a Platform
- Getting licensed
- Developing features
Let’s take a closer look at each of these stages.
#1. Planning
Before getting down to developing a music app, prepare the planned concept of the project. Try out the main competitors, check out what is so special about them and how to outrun them.
Of course, not all niches in the music streaming industry are taken, but you have to study what people are going to use your product. What is their age? How do they live? Why do they need you? Tailor the application’s features and design to match the needs of your target audience.
#2. Finding Tech Crew
When you finally have a vision of what your product is going to be, it’s time to locate the team that will build it for you. There are lots of factors (e.g. rates, location, language and time zone differences, etc.) to consider while setting down with one company.
In case you want to roughly estimate how much it costs to build an app like Spotify, use the average rates per region given below:
- North America
- Western Europe
- Eastern Europe
- Asia
Pay attention to the project history of the company. https://bbqbjc.weebly.com/ford-1600-tractor-repair-manual-free-download.html. Do they have relevant experience in creating music streaming applications? Is their reputation any good? You can go as far as checking out their applications in App Store and Play Market.
#3. Designing the app Like Spotify
When you have found the team that is going to make your music streaming app, proceed to make wireframes for the project. The application’s purpose has to be understandable. Every action and feature has to be straightforward and intuitive. Users love apps that are easy to use.
The time spent on making a prototype strongly depends on how thoroughly you thought out what you want from the finished product. Make sure to analyze your main competitors and learn from them. Pick up the best parts, and look at the app like a user would, not like the owner.
#4. Deciding on a Platform
It’s one of the key aspects to influence the final development cost. It’d be better to create a native applications for each platform so they would perfectly interact with the existing operating system, and offer users the most authentic user experience. No matter what platform you go with, the Spotify’s SDK are available for both iOS and Android. It will ease the work of your developer crew in making features like music streaming or authentification.
#5. Getting licensed
There is no way you will be able to take someone’s composition and spread it everywhere all that simply. There are copyrights and legal procedures that should be followed. Otherwise, a lawsuit is in store for you.
To provide users with high-quality audio or video content, you have to receive a Public Performance Rights license. In the USA, it is handled by three agencies: ASCAP.com, BMI.com or SESAC.com. Moreover, a particular share of revenues will have to be paid to artists as royalties for using their music.
#6. Developing features
Authentification
Spotify utilizes the freemium business model, which requires the user to sign up before using a system, and what’s more important, it lets them access the content for the trial period before purchasing a subscription. Also, Spotify is connected to Facebook and allows users to sign in through their account.
- Developing this feature is going to require 24 hours of front-end time, and 16 hours to build the backend part.
Music streaming
The streaming method does not require the whole file to be downloaded. Actually, the audio is delivered in small “packets” for the data to be buffered into the device and instantly played. You have to make sure that the stream in steady and uninterrupted to hear the clear sound without any stops.
- As for a simple MVP, it will take about 60-80 hours for front-end, and 50 hours for back-end part. However, building the music streaming feature altogether is going to take about 600 hours (350 hours for front-end including caching, and 250 for back-end without scaling).
Search
Spotify allows users to choose among tons of playlists and select the one that suits their mood the best. Aside from that, users can search the track by artist, album or a particular genre.
- The MVP needs 50-60 hours to develop the front-end, and 50 hours for back-end.
Sharing music
The application has taken after a social network in giving the ability to see the playlists of friends and share liked tracks with them.
- Front-end: 5 hours per each platform
- Back-end: 60 hours
Playlists
There is a whole team dedicated to creating relatable playlists suitable for a special occasion like having a road trip with a family or enjoying the party with friends. Moreover, users can set up their own music collections on their own, or together with their buddies. These playlists can be shared and popularized on Spotify.
- Front-end: 40 hours
- Back-end: 70 hours
Offline mode
This feature allows users to listen to their favorite songs without the internet connection. It uses the local storage of the device to cache the audio data.
- Front-end: 40 hours
- Back-end: 20 hours
The time needed to develop an MVP of a similar music streaming app like Spotify is going to take approximately 550-600 hours of working time. However, if you aim for the same quality and usability as in Spotify, multiply this number by 2 or 2.5.
Approximate overall cost of a music streaming MVP Like Spotify
Relying on the rough estimate in the table given above, we can say that the development of an average music streaming MVP is going to take the minimum of 530 hours (development time). So the sole development is going to cost around $16-20 K. We covered only the essential features of music streaming app, and that is only the top of the iceberg. However, why is Spotify so successful?
Feature | Front-end | Back-end | Total +/- |
---|---|---|---|
Authentification | 24 h | 16 h | 40 h |
Music streaming | 80 h | 60 h | 140 h |
Search | 60 h | 50 h | 110 h |
Sharing music | 5 h per platform | 60 h | 65-70 h |
Playlists | 40 h | 70 h | 110 h |
Offline mode | 40 h | 20h | 60 h |
530 hours |
Secret behind Spotify’s success (or why you won’t make it)
Spotify has become so popular because it gives users what they want. It understands users’ preferences by analyzing enormous amounts of collected data with the help of specially developed algorithms.
While the basic Spotify technology stack may look quite simple: they build the app relying mainly on Python and JavaScript, and PostgreSQL in combination with memory caching system to save the music directly on the device, the true fame should go to the discovery algorithms.
It is the long process of receiving the data on user and user’s behavior together with creating algorithms for analyzing its every aspect.
To provide personalized user experience, companies offer their users an option to like or dislike songs they listen to. Whenever a user likes or Spotify a composition. The information is stored in the user’s preferences section combined with the name of the artist, album, song, and more.
It is also possible to analyze what tracks the user has skipped, or what he has listened to until the very end. It will also allow offering tracks that suit a user’s taste.
With time, the analysis will help improving user experience, but the cost of storing space and developing algorithms for analysis will require additional funding. Microsoft publisher for mac free.
As the amount of users’ data increases, you will have to think about improving or implementing new algorithms to better the system of music recommendations and daily discoveries.
Spotify, for instance, uses Echo Nest API, that utilizes data mining and machine learning technologies to collect information on what user listens to on a daily basis, what artists or songs are most or less favorite. This information is used to create personalized playlists for the user and his particular mood. It works on proposing suitable music for every moment of user’s life.
Why it is nearly impossible to repeat Spotify’s success
The streaming market is not as easy to enter as it may seem. Here at IDAP we get a lot of clients that want a Spotify-clone. However, despite that is simple on the tech side, there are a lot of processes involved that remind in the background. If you want to have a successful streaming application, you have to dig deeper where no one has dug before.
Spotify did not become famous in one day. They have spent nearly 5 years, acquired machine learning, created a system of algorithms that analyzes user’s preferences and offers a playlist for a day.
Therefore, it would be difficult to compete with the giant of the music streaming industry. Instead of trying to succeed at something that is already made, try to find your own niche that will help people of a specific profession or interest.
Summary
Summing up, the initial cost of building a simple Spotify-like music streaming app starts from $16,000, and can only grow and grow some more. We at IDAP have no problem in building the technical part of any streaming application, both video and audio.
However, no matter how much money you invest into another Spotify clone, the probability of its success is very low. The magic of Spotify is unique and not cloneable. It is something that cannot be technically built, as it is driven by an idea.
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Jul 16,2019 • Filed to: Streaming Music Services & Sites Tips • Proven solutions
Want a Spotify alternative to stream music on your computer or mobile devices? As we know, Spotify is the most popular music streaming service. However, not everyone think Spotify is the best and some might consider that the monthly fee for Spotify music is expensive. So is there any other streaming music program similar to Spotify available? Of course. Read on and find the top 7 best Spotify alternatives below.
Part 1. Download Music from Spotify and Other Streaming Music Programs
If you want to enjoy your favorite music from Spotify or other streaming music sites anytime without Internet connection, you can download or record the music with the help of iMusic. You can use this Spotify alternative to download music from Spotify, Dailymotion, Vimeo, YouTube and other over 3000 music sites by copying and pasting the URL of the songs. As for some music you can't download, for example, music played in radio stations, you can use the Record feature to save the songs on your computer. Besides, iMusic offers you a music library, letting you search and download music for free.
iMusic - Alternatives to Spotify to Download Music from Over 3000 Music Sites
- Download music from more than 300 music sites by copying and pasting the URL.
- Record unlimited music from any website for playback in your computer with just one click.
- Built-in music library let you browse and preview the lattest and hottest music.
- Automatically save downloaded/recorded music to library for management and easy transfer.
- Identify and tag music with artist, title, album, genre, and more with the latest technology.
- Transfer music/playlist between iPhone/iPad/iPod/Android to iTunes/Windows/Mac easily.
- 1 click to transfer downloaded music and playlist to USB drive to enjoy in car.
How to Use iMusic-Best Alternative to Spotify to Get Music from Spotify
To use iMusic Spotify alternative to get music from Spotify, here are two methods by iMusic, one is to record music from Spotify, another is directly download the music from Spotify by Pasting music's URL. Here we will show this two methods one by one.
Method 1. Use iMusic-Best Spotify Alternative to Download Music from Spotify
Step 1. Download and install iMusic at: https://www.aimersoft.com/imusic.html
Download and install iMusic on your computer. You can immediately install it after it has been downloaded. Click the 'download' under the 'Get Music' option.
Note: Note that the program is running two versions, so make sure you select the appropriate choice for your computer(Windows & Mac). Both are similar, so we will demonstrate a sample using the version that is specifically for Windows.
Step 2. Download Spotify music Directly
Open the Spotify software or Spotify website, copy the playlist link or song link which you want to download.
Step 3. Paste the URL
![Like Like](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134054236/322231320.jpg)
Paste the link to the iMusic downloaded window: Get Music > Download , and then press the 'Download' button.
Step 4. Download Music from Spotify
Press the Download button after you select the format.
Method 2. Use iMusic-Best Spotify Alternative to Record Music from Spotify
Step 1. Open iMusic
As a first step, open the iMusic software present on your PC by double clicking its icon.
Step 2. Select Record
Select the option of 'Record' which on the top of the interface as below screenshot.
Step 3. Play music on Spotify
Now you need to play or stream the music on Spotify which you wish to record. In order to record from Spotify, open your Spotify account and then play the desired track.
Step 4. Click the record icon
As the music is played on Spotify, click on the button on the bottom of the interface as the below screenshot and the track will automatically get recorded.
Step 5. Find the recorded songs in the 'iTunes Library'
As you complete the recording of the songs, you can find the songs in the 'iTunes Library'.
Why Choose iMusic Spotify Downloader
Download Unlimited Free Music
Download music from Spotify, BBC Radio, Pandora, Grooveshark, Deezer, Napster, and 3000+ more.
Filter Ads and Split Tracks
Detect Ads and audtomatically filter Ads when recording. Split tracks to separate music files.
Identify Music and Get Info
![App like spotify but free reddit one App like spotify but free reddit one](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134054236/505386541.png)
Identify recorded music and automatically get music information like Title, Artist, Album and Genre.
Easy to Share Music
The downloaded music can be transferred to iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android devices, and burn to CDs.
Deezer
Deezer is a music streaming website that gives you access to millions of songs and is available on a variety of platforms and devices. Like many music streaming programs, Deezer has paid and free membership levels. Deezer actually has two paid membership levels, $4.99 and $6.99 a month, respectively. The $4.99 version is ad-free and comes with a limited mobile app, while the $6.99 version has full mobile abilities. The paid version of Deezer advertise an increased sound quality of up to 320 kbps. Deezer is one of the few music streaming programs available in Canada and in fact, it is in available in more than 100 countries worldwide and it is very similar to spotify.
Pros: Three levels of membership option. Available in 100+ countries. Good sound quality. Available on a variety of platforms.
Cons: Install java for mac. Interface can be hard to navigate. Music library can feel limited. Have to pay extra to be able to use on mobile devices.
Google Play All Access
Google Play All Access is Google's entry into the streaming market. This is available through your mobile device or through the browser on your computer. Google Play has a music of almost 20 million library and boasts high sound quality. Unlike many of the other streaming options, Google Play does not have a free option. To access Google Play you have to pay $9.99 a month. Google Play allows you to search for songs and build customized playlists and there is also a feature to build playlists based on your listening history. Some listeners find the interface can be a bit confusing at times.
Pros: Large music catalogue. Good sound quality. Easy customization. One of the good Spotify alternative free.
Cons: No desktop version. No free version.
Grooveshark
Grooveshark is a music streaming site that uses user-uploaded content, instead of making deals with record companies to access their content. You can find millions of songs on Grooveshark, all uploaded by users. There are two options, a free option with ads and a $5 month subscription fee that gives you ad-free music, the ability to take your account anywhere in the world, and other features. Grooveshark is facing lawsuits from several record companies because of rights infringement, so if legal access of music is important to you, then Grooveshark is not the service for you. Apple and Android have removed the Grooveshark App from their store, though it is still available on devices like Blackberry. Grooveshark's sound quality also varies wildly, due to the nature of the content.
Pros: Good Spotify alternative.Extremely extensive catalogue of songs. Very user-friendly. Blackberry supported.
Cons: Violates music copyright. Inferior sound quality. No app support for iPhone or Android.
Last.fm
Last.fm is a streaming radio station. It allows you to play music online and provide services like spotify, but you can't create custom playlists. Instead you can enter likes and dislikes, choosing artists you want to listen to and ones you want to avoid and it builds you a set list based on your preferences. For straight music listening, Last.fm has good sound quality and a good selection of music, though many may find the lack of customization frustrating. Like many radio stations, Last.fm features commercials, you can pay $3 a month to get an ad-free version.
Pros: Good sound quality. Good music catalogue.
Cons: Limited features. Limited customization.
Pandora Radio
Pandora is an online streaming radio site. It consists of themed stations, but does give you the option to create your own playlists. You can skip certain songs, but you are limited to a certain amount of skips per hour. Pandora's created playlists do become more personalized in time, as your listening history becomes more apparent. Pandora has a music library of around 1 million songs. You can access Pandora with ads for free or you can pay $4 a month for ad-free service. With Pandora you can listen via mobile app and it is available on a large selection of devices or through the web browser on your computer, there is no desktop version.
Pros: It is an almost free spotify alterntive with low cost. Available on most mobile systems.
Cons: No customization. Small music catalogue.
Rdio
Rdio allows both personalized streaming, but also has themed radio stations for your listening pleasure. It has an incredibly easy to use interface and a large catalogue of songs, however the sound quality suffers at times. Rdio does not release their sound rate, unlike services like Spotify. Unlike a lot of streaming services, Rdio offers a free service, but limits the amount you can stream. There are two price levels for Rdio, $4.99 a month gets you unlimited, ad-free content from your web browser. While $9.99 a month gives you mobile access as well an offline access mode.
Pros: Interface is easy to use with service like Spotify. Good variety of songs. Mix of playlists and radio mode.
Cons: Sound quality. Streaming limit with the free option.
App Like Spotify But Free Reddit Download
Stereomood
Stereomood works a little differently than other streaming music sites. Stereomood suggests music for you based on your mood. So you say 'I feel sad', then you'll get a playlist of designated sad songs. Stereomood isn't as good for customization as some of the other streaming sites, as it is all pre-set playlists, but you can tag songs that you think fits certain moods. The program keeps track of the moods that you enter and every week, you can look at your mood tally. Stereomood's iOS app is also linked to iTunes and gives you an option to buy the songs that you like on iTunes. Stereomood is free to listen to and has no ads.
App Like Spotify But Free Reddit Free Music
Pros: Spotify alternative free. Fun mood options.
Cons: No customization. Limited song catalogue.
Choose the Spotify Alternative that is Best for You
Choose the Right Streaming Music Site to Enjoy Music | Deezer | Google Play All Access | Grooveshark | Last.fm | Pandora Radio | Rdio | Stereomood |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | Free, $4.99 per month or $6.99 per month | $9.99 per month | Free or $5 per month | Free or $3 per month for ad-free and mobile | Free or $4 per month for ad-free | Free, $4.99 per month, or $9.99 per month | Free |
Sound Quality | Up to 320 kbps | Up to 320 kbps | Depends on the song | Up to 128 kbps | Up to 192 kbps | Unknown | Up to 320 kbps |
Customization | Yes, but the interface can be tricky. | Yes. | Yes. Music is all uploaded by users. | No | No | Yes | No, pre-set playlists. |
Music Library | 30 million songs | 18 million songs | Over 30 million songs | 12 million songs | 1 million songs | 1 million songs | Less than 500,000 |
Platform Availability | Web; Desktop: Mac, Windows; Mobile (premium only): iOS, Android, Blackberry | Web; Mobile: Android, iOS | Web; Mobile: Blackberry | Web; Mobile (paid): iOS, Android, Windows Mobile | Web; Mobile: iOS, Android; Kindle and Nook; Roku; | Web; Desktop: Mac, Windows; Mobile (premium only): Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Mobile | Web; Mobile: iOS, Android |
For more comparison info about Spotify and other popular Spotify alernatives, click the corresponding link below >>>