Apple Music vs YouTube Music Premium
Apple Music and YouTube Music Premium both list at $11.99/mo. Below: prices, free plans, whether AI can replace each one, and the free alternatives.
01Side by side
| Apple Music | YouTube Music Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Listed price | $11.99/mo | $11.99/mo |
| Per year | $143.88 | $143.88 |
| Plan compared | Individual | Individual |
| Billing | monthly per user | monthly per user |
| Free plan | None listed | Yes: Free. 1 account; ad-supported listening; no numeric listening cap is publicly stated. |
| Can AI replace it? | Nah | Nah |
| Build time with AI | closest consolation build: one sitting | closest consolation build: one sitting |
| Free alternatives listed | 6 | 6 |
| Prices checked | Aug 12, 2026 | Aug 12, 2026 |
Each column uses the plan that app's page lists. Plans include different things, so read both pricing pages before you switch.
02The short version
Apple Music NahA consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Apple Music, serve a legally owned personal music library across a private network. The hard boundary is licensed catalog, apple ecosystem, spatial audio, recommendations, rights, and global streaming, plus licensed content, rights, and distribution network.
Leaving means giving up: licensed catalog, Apple ecosystem, spatial audio, recommendations, rights, and global streaming, licensed music catalog, royalty and distribution relationships and global streaming infrastructure.
Free options: Navidrome, Jellyfin and Koel.
Full Apple Music verdict →
All free alternatives to Apple Music →
YouTube Music Premium NahA consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For YouTube Music Premium, organize and stream user-owned audio without accessing YouTube's licensed catalog. The hard boundary is youtube catalog, videos, rights, recommendations, identity, and global delivery, plus licensed content, rights, and distribution network.
Leaving means giving up: YouTube catalog, videos, rights, recommendations, identity, and global delivery, licensed music catalog, royalty and distribution relationships and global streaming infrastructure.
Free options: Navidrome, Jellyfin and Koel.
Full YouTube Music Premium verdict →
All free alternatives to YouTube Music Premium →
03Free alternatives to both
Your music, your disk, your streaming server; the licensed catalogue is the part it cannot clone.
navidrome.org →A media server that also handles music, because apparently your albums can live beside your films.
jellyfin.org →The small, installable music server for people who do not want a media empire.
mstream.io →A prettier private jukebox with daily mixes; remote access still becomes your networking hobby.
github.com →A mature web jukebox with enough knobs to remind you it predates subscription fatigue.
ampache.org →04Questions
Is Apple Music cheaper than YouTube Music Premium?
Apple Music and YouTube Music Premium both list at $11.99/mo. The plans compared are Apple Music Individual and YouTube Music Premium Individual; they don't include the same things, so check both pricing pages.
Can AI replace Apple Music or YouTube Music Premium?
Apple Music: Nah. A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Apple Music, serve a legally owned personal music library across a private network. The hard boundary is licensed catalog, apple ecosystem, spatial audio, recommendations, rights, and global streaming, plus licensed content, rights, and distribution network. YouTube Music Premium: Nah. A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For YouTube Music Premium, organize and stream user-owned audio without accessing YouTube's licensed catalog. The hard boundary is youtube catalog, videos, rights, recommendations, identity, and global delivery, plus licensed content, rights, and distribution network.
Are there free alternatives to Apple Music and YouTube Music Premium?
Yes. Navidrome, Jellyfin, Koel, mStream, Swing Music and Ampache are listed as free alternatives to both.
Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you decide.
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