10 Best Apps To Listen to Music Without Wifi

Best Apps To Listen to Music With

Whether you’re commuting to work or school, on a road trip with your friends, or in the middle of a study session, music is a necessity. Luckily, there are a whole slew of great options to stream and play music, even if you don’t have any WiFi.

In this article, we’ll go over ten of the best music apps you can use without access to WiFi. Keep in mind that while most of these options have both paid and free tiers, they usually only offer offline listening with a paid account.

Just to give you a quick summary – the best apps to listen to music offline are the following. Then underneath, I’ll review each app that you can use to listen to music without WiFi in more detail.

  1. Spotify
  2. Apple Music
  3. TIDAL
  4. Youtube Music
  5. Amazon Music
  6. Deezer
  7. Soundcloud
  8. iHeartRadio
  9. Musify
  10. Pandora

1. Spotify

Best Apps To Listen to Music With 1

I’m sure everyone has heard of Spotify as it’s one of the most popular streaming apps available to you by far. It’s extremely intuitive and easy to use, it hosts nearly every artist out there, and it sounds great.

This is why they boast 165 million premium subscribers as of August 2021.

Spotify can play music even when it isn’t connected to WiFi by connecting to cellular data, and premium subscribers can also download and play their music without WiFi or data. This means that even when you have a spotty connection, you will be able to listen to music in your downloaded library.

There are multiple tiers of premium subscriptions, including several family plans, so you should be able to find one that fits your budget. This is probably the best music app to use without WiFi, so give Spotify a try if you haven’t already.

Key Features

  • Premium subscribers can download playlists to listen to offline
  • The vast majority of popular artists are available on Spotify
  • Spotify also hosts a number of popular podcasts

Pros

  • Intuitive artist radio and song radio features help you to discover new music
  • Family plans allow for multiple users
  • Available on all devices, including desktop apps for easy listening

Cons

  • Offline listening is only available to Premium members
  • Downloading playlists will take up space on your phone

2. Apple Music

If you need an iPhone music app without WiFi that will easily integrate within the Apple ecosystem, Apple Music is the best bet for you.

It’s easy to download your favorite music to your device just by touching the song or album and then clicking ‘download.’ To avoid taking up too much space on your iPhone, be sure to optimize your storage and limit the number of downloads.

For greater access to your favorite musicians, Apple Music Connect is used by many famous artists today to give their fans exclusive material and a personalized social media feed.

Apple Music costs $10 monthly, which is similar to Spotify’s basic individual plan. Unfortunately, there’s no free tier, but there are several ways to gain access to a free trial, so you can try it out before you decide whether or not to pay.

Key Features

  • Exclusive access to artists through Apple Music Connect
  • Download songs, albums, playlists, videos, and podcasts for offline listening
  • Apple curated playlists are great for discovering new artists

Pros

  • Works with Apple and Android devices
  • Similar pricing to Spotify

Cons

  • No free tier

3. TIDAL

TIDAL claims that they pay artists more than other streaming platforms for the use of their music. They also put a lot of work into new artists and helping users discover new music.

Still, the cost of their lowest plan is equal to that of Spotify or Apple Music, and it includes offline listening too.

Unlike some other streaming apps, TIDAL doesn’t offer a free tier at all. That may turn some users off, but its lowest-paid tier costs the exact same as most other apps. Plus, users who are hesitant to take the plunge on an app you’re unsure of can take advantage of its 3-month free trial.

The major draw of TIDAL is that it offers lossless audio. Most music loses some of its nuances when running it through a streaming app, but TIDAL’s HiFi tier gives you HiFi and Master sound quality.

If you’re an audiophile, TIDAL is the only option.

Key Features

  • It uses lossless audio for higher quality listening
  • TIDAL offers users access to a variety of live streams and events

Pros

  • The pro plan is of a similar price to that of other more established platforms
  • Users can listen to their favorite playlists and songs offline

Cons

  • You won’t find as much new music due to the smaller user base
  • No free tier

4. YouTube Music

 Best Apps To Listen to Music With 3

YouTube Music offers video content that isn’t available anywhere else, which fans of music videos will appreciate. According to The Verge, this app has become significantly more popular in the past year, jumping from 30 million users to 50 million in a matter of months.

There are some major disadvantages to YouTube Music’s free version, other than the inability to listen offline. The free tier doesn’t let you listen when you’re not actively in the app, so you cannot listen and do other things on your phone or tablet.

Keep in mind that YouTube Music Premium is the only tier that will let you listen to music offline. It also gets rid of ads, enables you to download music, and allows you to continue listening when you’re in other apps or have your screen locked.

Key Features

  • Curated suggestions to help you discover new music
  • You can choose between the music video or the song for listening

Pros

  • YouTube Music Premium members can listen to music offline by downloading playlists
  • No need to sign in to YouTube to access songs or playlists

Cons

  • Must have the app open to listen in the free tier

5. Amazon Music

Amazon Music might be the easiest app to try out if you have a Prime subscription. There is a free tier, but you’ll need access to Amazon Music Unlimited, Amazon Music Prime, or Amazon Music HD in order to listen offline.

Amazon Prime members already have access to Amazon Prime Music. It’s a limited but free service that allows you access to over 2 million songs with ad-free and offline listening. For an extra few dollars a month, you can have greater access with Music Unlimited.

Amazon Music Unlimited boasts over 75 million songs and podcasts, which is nearly as many as Spotify. If you’re an Amazon subscriber and want to listen to music without WiFi or data, this app might be the easiest option for you.

Downloading music is a bit less intuitive on this app, but it still works.

Key Features

  • Amazon Music offers higher quality streaming within the Unlimited package
  • Access to specific songs
  • Compatible with Amazon Echo and Alexa devices

Pros

  • Free limited access for Prime Members
  • Offline listing for both Amazon Prime and Music Unlimited

Cons

  • Amazon will block certain content depending on your location

6. Deezer

Deezer is a little newer to the United States, having only entered the US market in 2016. However, it’s been popular in France and Brazil for years and dominates certain streaming markets.

If you’re looking for a free music download app without WiFi, it might be worth checking out this lesser-known option.

Compatible with Apple and Android, as well as most smartwatches and voice assistants, you won’t struggle with access. You can even connect your Deezer account to your smart TV or Xbox.

However, like other apps listed here, it can only support offline listening on its Premium tier, which automatically comes with a one-month free trial. After that, you can upgrade to either Deezer Student, Premium, Family, or Deezer HiFi.

Still, if you strongly dislike the format of Spotify or other streaming apps, it may be worth a shot.

Key Features

  • Connects to a wide variety of devices, including laptops, smart TVs, Apple watches and Fitbits
  • Offers trending playlists by country
  • HiFi subscribers will have access to higher quality content

Pros

  • Similar pricing to Spotify
  • Offline listening available to Premium members, including audiobooks and podcasts

Cons

  • Customers have reported poor customer service

7. SoundCloud

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SoundCloud is a unique music platform in that it allows for music sharing, which gives lesser-known artists the chance to release their music without any red tape.

Much like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, a popular self-publishing option for authors, SoundCloud is often used by indie artists looking to self-release their work without a label or manager.

Soundcloud features some of the same mainstream artists found on Spotify and other major services, but the unique draw is that it features indie artists of all stripes. So if you want to support and listen to independent music, SoundCloud is the service for you.

You can listen to SoundCloud offline, but you need to download SoundCloud Go or SoundCloud Go+ to download music. Go+ even offers the option to mix SoundCloud tracks yourself in select DJ apps. Aspiring music mixers will love the flexibility of SoundCloud.

Key Features

  • Allows for commenting on the music and even within the stream
  • Compatible with desktop, iOS and Android, Sonos, Xbox One, and Chromecast
  • Pro Unlimited users have unrestricted access to downloads

Pros

  • Great for discovering indie artists
  • Download playlists for offline listening

Cons

  • Little administrative authority allows for a lot of amateur music
  • Some artists can remove their work from offline listening

8. iHeartRadio

It’s easy to find some good music apps without WiFi, but few of them give you the option to listen to the radio too.

If you prefer to listen to the radio rather than a curated mix of one genre all the time, iHeartRadio might be the streaming app for you. You can pick and choose from your preferred local radio stations or even choose a radio based on your favorite artist.

iHeartRadio offers both a free tier and a Plus tier. However, you will need to pay for the highest tier, All Access, if you want to listen to music offline.

The good thing is that iHeart’s All Access costs the same as most other streaming apps’ lowest paid tier, so if you decide to spring for this subscription, you still won’t be breaking the bank.

Note that you cannot listen to the radio offline.

Key Features

  • Access to live radio stations as well as playlists
  • 30 million+ songs available
  • The free tier offers radio listening, curated playlists, and access to podcasts

Pros

  • Offline listening with All Access subscriptions
  • Similar pricing to Spotify and Apple Music

Cons

  • iHeartRadio Plus subscription does not allow for offline listening

9. Musify

You may not have heard of Musify, but it has one major advantage over some other apps listed here: it’s completely free, even for offline listening.

As an open-source project, it even allows you to play around with its code via Github.

A Pro Subscription will remove all ads and offer unlimited music access. However, there’s no need to invest in Pro if all you need is a free music download app without WiFi. Use this app to download music from Spotify or YouTube.

Currently, it only works with your desktop, tablet, or TV, but the iOS and Android apps are coming soon.

This might not be the best music app without WiFi, but it is the only one that allows for free offline listening.

Key Features

  • Free offline listening
  • Open-source allows developers to play with the code

Pros

  • Simple app that can be used for free
  • Pro users have no ads and unlimited access

Cons

  • Not available on iOS or Android

10. Pandora

Pandora was one of the earliest music streaming offerings available and is still one of the best in terms of ease of use and music options.

Pandora also uses their patented Music Genome Project to personalize your music recommendations. All you need to do is ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ the songs they recommend to you, so the program learns your preferences.

Pandora’s free, ad-supported tier is easy to use and works well enough for many listeners.

However, if you want to build playlists, remove ads, and listen offline, you need to upgrade to Plus or Premium. It’s also only available in the United States, so you won’t be able to access it if you live in another country.

That said, for people who value recommendations to find new music, this is an excellent option in music apps that don’t use WiFi.

Key Features

  • Music Genome Projects works to learn your preferences for better listening
  • Free tier for budget-friendly users
  • Pandora will not download stations if it detects there is not enough room on your device.

Pros

  • Plus or Premium users can build playlists and listen offline
  • Compatible with iPhone, Android, as well as Apple Watches and Fitbits

Cons

  • Not possible to download podcasts for offline listening

Music App Buyer’s Guide

10 Best Apps To Listen to Music With

The best apps to listen to music without WiFi should include a free tier for budget users as well as higher levels of listening for audiophiles. In addition, users should be able to download their favorite playlists as well as have access to other media, such as podcasts.

The best choice for most users is Spotify. It’s easy to use, offers tens of millions of songs, and has a number of premium features, including family plans.

Spotify also has many exclusive podcasts that users won’t be able to listen to anywhere else.

How To Choose the Best Music App for Offline Listening

To choose the best music app for offline listening, take into account how often you need such a service. If you need to listen to music offline every day, you’ll want to choose a platform with a larger volume of music.

For those who won’t use the feature as often, it’s worth paying a little less and sticking with streaming services with more variety, like iHeartRadio, as it offers live radio too.

What Features To Look For in Music Apps for Offline Listening

The features you should look for in music apple for offline listening include:

  • Price – almost every app with offline listening requires Premium subscriptions.
  • Availability – some apps are only available for desktop or iPhone.
  • Variety of music – although Amazon Prime music is free for Prime members, it only allows access to 2 million songs, compared to Music Unlimited’s 75+ million.

Final Thoughts

There are a number of great music apps for offline listening, but some are better than others. Spotify and Apple Music will probably always be at the top of the game, but it’s worth exploring the others to see which you prefer.

Luckily, most offer free trials so you can experience each before committing to a subscription. Because you will need a subscription to access offline listening in almost all of these apps.

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