Shazam vs YouTube Music
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Shazam is the better app overall, scoring 8.6 to 8.0. Shazam wins on 4 of the 5 scores, YouTube Music on 1.
Music lovers who often hear a song and want to know what it is
YouTube Premium subscribers and fans of live versions, covers and remixes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Shazam | YouTube Music |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Music & Podcasts | Music & Podcasts |
| Category rank | #5 of 8 | #7 of 8 |
| Developer | Apple | |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Shazam
- Fast, accurate recognition even in noisy places
- Free with no ads
- Built into iPhone Control Center and the Mac
- Not a full music player
- Some features work best with Apple Music
Shazam does one thing better than anything else: it tells you what song is playing. Tap the button and it usually names the track within seconds, then shows lyrics and links to Apple Music or Spotify. Auto Shazam can keep listening in the background, and offline matches are saved until you're back online. It's free with no ads. Just don't expect a full music player.
Full Shazam review
YouTube Music
- Finds rare live versions, covers and remixes
- Good value if you already pay for YouTube Premium
- Upload your own music alongside the catalog
- Free tier has ads and no background play in most regions
- Google's ad business means heavy data collection
YouTube Music has a catalog no rival can match, because it adds live recordings, covers and remixes from YouTube to the official releases. Recommendations are strong, and Music Premium is included with YouTube Premium, which also removes ads across YouTube. The free tier is limited on mobile, though, and Google's ad business means more data collection. Get it if you already pay for YouTube Premium.
Full YouTube Music review
