Spotify is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. Spotify wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Bandcamp on 2.
Music fans who want great recommendations on every device they own
Fans of independent music who want to support artists directly
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Spotify | Bandcamp |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Music & Podcasts | Music & Podcasts |
| Category rank | #1 of 10 | #8 of 10 |
| Developer | Spotify | Bandcamp (Songtradr) |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Windows | ✓ | — |
| Linux | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Spotify better than Bandcamp?
Spotify is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. Spotify wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Bandcamp on 2.
Which is cheaper, Spotify or Bandcamp?
Spotify: Free with ads; Premium Individual $12.99/month in the US after a free trial. Bandcamp: Free app; you pay per album or track, and Bandcamp takes 15% or less of digital sales. On value for money, Bandcamp scores higher.
Do Spotify and Bandcamp work on the same devices?
Only Spotify runs on Mac, Windows, Linux.
Which is more private, Spotify or Bandcamp?
Bandcamp scores higher on privacy (7.8/10). No tracking listed on the App Store, but purchases, payment info, address, location and usage are linked to you. The policy says Bandcamp doesn't sell or rent personal data.
Strengths and weaknesses
Spotify
- Best-in-class recommendations and playlists
- Works on nearly every phone, speaker, console and car
- Free tier lets you listen without paying
- Free tier has ads and playback limits on mobile
- Premium now costs more than Apple Music in the US
- Its App Store label lists data used to track you
Spotify is still the best all-round music app. Discover Weekly, daylist and the new Prompted Playlist keep surfacing songs you'll actually like, and Spotify Connect hands playback between phone, speaker and car without fuss. Premium now includes lossless audio, but it also costs more after the 2026 US price rise. The free tier still works, with ads and the tracking that pays for them. Get it if discovery and device support matter most.
Full Spotify review
Bandcamp
- Most of your money goes to the artist
- You own your music, no subscription needed
- Great for discovering independent artists
- You pay per album instead of a flat monthly fee
- Basic app with no dark mode
- Android app rates much lower than iOS
Bandcamp is where you buy music straight from the people who make it. Find an album, pay the artist's price, then stream it in the app or download lossless files to keep. Artists keep most of each sale, and on Bandcamp Fridays the site waives its cut entirely. A January 2026 policy bans music made mostly by AI. The app itself is basic, and Android users rate it far lower than iPhone users.
Full Bandcamp review
