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[2026 Latest] A Thorough Comparison of the 6 Major Music Subscription Services! Which One Is Recommended for You?

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"There are so many music subscription services that I don't know which one to choose..." "How much difference is there in monthly fees, sound quality, and the number of songs?"

"Music streaming services (music subscriptions)" are essential for daily commuting, school, and background music while working. With so many options like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, it's hard to know which one is best for you.

So, in this article, we will thoroughly compare the 6 major music subscription services in Japan (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, LINE MUSIC, and Rakuten Music)!

We have summarized the fees, features, and pros and cons of each in an easy-to-understand way. Please use this as a reference to find the perfect service for you.


Comparison Table of the 6 Major Music Subscription Services

First, let's compare the overall specs at a glance.

Service Names

・Spotify

Individual Monthly Fee (tax included)
1,180 yen

Free Plan
Available (with restrictions)

Features/Strengths
Excellent playlists, best recommendation engine

・Apple Music

Individual Monthly Fee (tax included)
1,080 yen

Free Plan
None

Features/Strengths
Perfect compatibility with Apple products, high sound quality (lossless)

・YouTube Music

Individual Monthly Fee (tax included)
1,080 yen

Free Plan
Available (with restrictions)

Features/Strengths
Can also listen to YouTube videos, music videos, and covers

・Amazon Music Unlimited

Individual Monthly Fee (tax included)
1,080 yen (Prime members: 980 yen)

Free Plan
Available (with restrictions)

Features/Strengths
One of the cheapest for Prime members, high sound quality

・LINE MUSIC

Individual Monthly Fee (tax included)
1,080 yen

Free Plan
Available (with restrictions)

Features/Strengths
Can set LINE ringtones and background music

・Rakuten Music

Individual Monthly Fee (tax included)
980 yen (Rakuten Card/Mobile members: 780 yen)

Free Plan
None

Features/Strengths
Earn and use Rakuten Points, powerful member benefits


(※Fees are for individual plans/standard prices as of 2026. Each company also offers student and family plans.)

1. Spotify: World's No. 1 market share! If you're unsure, choose this

Spotify is a pioneer in music subscriptions. Its greatest weapon is the overwhelming accuracy of its "recommendation feature," which analyzes user preferences to suggest new songs one after another.

  • Pros:

    • Abundant playlists created by users around the world

    • The app is fast and easy to use

    • Even with the Free plan, you can listen to all songs in full with shuffle playback

  • Cons:

    • The free plan includes ads and has limits on the number of skips

Recommended for these people! People who want to discover new music, people who want to enjoy music mainly through playlists

2. Apple Music: For iPhone users & those who prioritize sound quality

A service provided by Apple, it offers incredibly smooth integration with Apple products like iPhones and Macs. Another major appeal is being able to enjoy "Spatial Audio (3D sound)" and "Hi-Res Lossless (high sound quality)" at no extra cost.

  • Pros:

    • Perfect synchronization with the iPhone 'Music' app

    • High sound quality, allowing you to enjoy spatial audio as if you were at a live concert

    • Excellent lyrics display feature (karaoke mode)

  • Cons:

    • No completely free plan (only an initial free trial)

Recommended for these people! iPhone users and those who are particular about sound quality

3. YouTube Music: If you want both videos and music

The unique strength that sets it apart from other companies is the ability to play 'music videos,' 'live footage,' 'cover songs,' and 'Vocaloid tracks' found on YouTube as audio.

  • Pros:

    • You can listen to audio sources not released on CD as well as unique YouTube videos

    • Subscribing to 'YouTube Premium' is a great deal, as it includes ad-free YouTube videos and YouTube Music as a set

  • Cons:

    • Sound quality is standard (does not support Hi-Res, etc.)

Recommended for people like this! People who watch YouTube often, and those who like anime songs, Vocaloid, and tracks by independent artists.

4. Amazon Music Unlimited: Definitely the best value for Prime members

A plan operated by Amazon that offers unlimited listening to over 100 million songs. It is usually 1,080 yen per month, but Amazon Prime members can get it for a discounted rate of 980 yen per month.

  • Pros:

    • Cheaper than other services if you are a Prime member

    • Supports ultra-high sound quality (HD/Ultra HD) at no extra cost

    • Excellent compatibility with the "Echo (Alexa)" smart speaker

  • Cons:

    • The app's user interface (UI) takes a little getting used to

Recommended for people like this! People who are already Amazon Prime members, and those who use Alexa (Echo) at home.

5. LINE MUSIC: Very popular with teens and 20-somethings! Integrates with LINE

A service linked with the communication app "LINE".Its biggest feature is that you can set your favorite songs as your LINE profile BGM, or as ringtones and ringback tones for free calls (LINE Chaku-Uta). is its biggest feature.

  • Pros:

    • You can customize LINE to your liking

    • Strong in Japanese music, the latest trending songs, and K-POP

    • Extensive karaoke features

  • Cons:

    • May lag behind competitors in Western music and niche genres

Recommended for these people! People who want to change their LINE BGM or ringtone, and those who want to check the latest trending songs as soon as possible

6. Rakuten Music: The only choice for residents of the Rakuten ecosystem!

A music subscription service provided by Rakuten. It is usually 980 yen, but if you are a Rakuten Card or Rakuten Mobile user, you can use it for 780 yen per month, which is one of the lowest price levels in the industry.

  • Pros:

    • Extremely cheap if you are a Rakuten Card/Mobile member

    • Earn Rakuten points just by listening to one song every day (about 30 points per month by completing missions)

    • You can use your accumulated points to pay for the monthly fee

  • Cons:

    • Compared to other companies, features like the PC app and smart speaker integration are simple.

Recommended for people like this! People who collect Rakuten Points and those who want to keep their monthly costs as low as possible.

Summary: Here is the music subscription recommended for you!

Finally, here is a summary of recommendations by type.

  • Want to discover new music and use it for free 👉 [Spotify]

  • Use an iPhone and want to listen in high sound quality 👉 [Apple Music]

  • Want to enjoy YouTube videos and live audio sources too 👉 [YouTube Music]

  • Are an Amazon Prime member and want to listen to high-res audio with good cost performance 👉 [Amazon Music Unlimited]

  • Want to set LINE background music or ringtones 👉 [LINE MUSIC]

  • Are a Rakuten user and want to use points wisely while keeping costs low 👉 [Rakuten Music]

Many services offer trial periods such as "first month free." Please try out the ones you are interested in to experience the app's ease of use and sound quality for yourself!

May your music life be even more wonderful.

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