Music streaming 2026: the big picture
The music streaming market in Germany changed noticeably in 2025 and 2026. The biggest news: Spotify now offers lossless audio (up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC) in its Premium plan. That means lossless quality is included at no extra cost with all the major services except YouTube Music.
The second trend: price rises. A single plan with the big providers now costs €11.99 (Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music Unlimited for Prime members) to €12.99 (Spotify, and Amazon without Prime). Family plans range from €18.99 (YouTube Music) to €21.99 (Spotify, Amazon).
Did you know?
Fully used, a family plan with 6 accounts costs only €3.17 (YouTube Music) to €3.67 (Spotify) per person per month – less than a third of a single plan. With most providers, you need to share a household.
HiFi vs. standard: is the difference worth it?
Standard quality (AAC/Ogg, 256–320 kbps) is enough for most listeners – especially with Bluetooth headphones or inexpensive speakers. YouTube Music offers a maximum of 256 kbps AAC.
HiFi/lossless (FLAC/ALAC, 16–24 bit) is worthwhile for audiophiles with suitable equipment. The difference is audible with good wired headphones or a hi-fi system. Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music and Deezer include it in their normal paid plans. The services differ in maximum resolution: Spotify delivers up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz, while Apple Music goes up to 24-bit/192 kHz (according to Apple, “Hi-Res Lossless” requires an external digital-to-analogue converter).
| Service | Standard | HiFi | Dolby Atmos | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | 320 kbps | ✓ Lossless (up to 44.1 kHz) | ✗ | €12.99 |
| Apple Music | 256 kbps | ✓ Lossless (up to 192 kHz) | ✓ | €11.99 |
| Tidal | 320 kbps | ✓ Hi-Res | ✓ | €10.99* |
| Amazon Music | 320 kbps | ✓ Ultra HD | ✓ | €11.99 (with Prime) / €12.99 |
| Deezer | 320 kbps | ✓ FLAC | ✗ | €11.99 |
| YouTube Music | 256 kbps | ✗ | ✗ | €11.99 |
* Tidal: pricing page could not be accessed in October 2026 (bot protection); last known price.
The top services in detail
Spotify: the market leader
Spotify remains the best-known music streaming service. Its strength lies in personalised playlists and algorithms such as “Discover Weekly” and “Daily Mix”. After years of announcements, Spotify now offers lossless audio up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz in its Premium plan. It also includes podcasts and 12 hours of audiobook listening per month from the subscription catalogue. Premium costs €12.99 (Individual), €17.99 (Duo), €21.99 (Family) or €6.99 for students.
Apple Music: HiFi at a fair price
Apple Music offers lossless up to 24-bit/192 kHz and 3D audio with Dolby Atmos at no extra cost – when it comes to spatial audio, Apple is still ahead of Spotify. The subscription costs €11.99 (individual), €19.99 (family, with up to five other people) or €6.99 for students, including Apple TV. Integration with the Apple ecosystem is seamless; Apple Music is also included in Apple One (from €19.95).
Tidal: for audiophiles
Tidal is aimed at audiophiles. Hi-Res FLAC and Dolby Atmos are included in the standard plan. We could not confirm the current German prices directly on the provider’s site in October 2026 (access protection); the last known prices were €10.99 for the individual plan and €16.99 for the family plan. Check the price on tidal.com before you sign up.
Amazon Music Unlimited: for Prime members
Amazon Music Unlimited costs €11.99 for Prime members and €12.99 without Prime; the family plan for up to 6 people costs €21.99. It includes HD and 3D audio, ad-free podcasts and one audiobook per month from the Audible catalogue. A Prime membership on its own only gets you the limited Amazon Music Prime.
Deezer and YouTube Music
Deezer costs €11.99 (Premium), €15.99 (Duo), €19.99 (Family) and €5.99 for students – on an annual plan, Premium drops to €107.99 (€9.00/month). FLAC quality is included in all paid plans. YouTube Music Premium costs €11.99 (annual plan €119.99), €18.99 on the family plan and €5.99 for students. If you also want ad-free YouTube videos, you can book YouTube Premium for €14.99 – Music Premium is included.
Saving money on music streaming
The best money-saving tips
- Student plans: Deezer and YouTube Music €5.99, Spotify and Apple Music €6.99 (Apple including Apple TV)
- Share a family plan: with 6 users, from about €3.17 per person
- Annual plans: Deezer Premium €107.99 instead of €143.88 (−25%), YouTube Music €119.99 instead of €143.88
- Use bundles: Apple One from €19.95 (Music, TV, Arcade, iCloud+), Amazon Music Unlimited €1 cheaper with Prime
- Trial periods: Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube Music each offer 1 month free, Amazon Music Unlimited 30 days – Apple gives 3 months with new devices
Cost examples: music streaming per year
Calculated using the providers’ list prices (October 2026, including VAT).
| Scenario | Plan | per month | per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single user | Spotify Premium Individual | €12.99 | €155.88 |
| Single user | Apple Music Individual | €11.99 | €143.88 |
| Single user, annual | Deezer Premium annual plan | €9.00 | €107.99 |
| Single user, annual | YouTube Music Premium annual plan | approx. €10.00 | €119.99 |
| Couple | Spotify Duo / Deezer Duo | €17.99 / €15.99 | €215.88 / €191.88 |
| Family (6 accounts) | YouTube Music Family | €18.99 (€3.17/person) | €227.88 |
| Family (6 accounts) | Spotify Family | €21.99 (€3.67/person) | €263.88 |
| Students | Deezer or YouTube Music Student | €5.99 | €71.88 |
What to look for when choosing
- Devices and ecosystem: Check whether your smart speaker, car or watch supports the service. Apple Music plays to its strengths in the Apple world, Amazon Music with Alexa/Echo.
- Lossless only with the right setup: Lossless audio usually does not make it over Bluetooth. For hi-res (above 48 kHz), Apple Music needs an external digital-to-analogue converter.
- Audiobooks and podcasts: Spotify includes 12 hours of audiobooks per month, Amazon Music Unlimited one audiobook per month from the Audible catalogue. Apple Music and Tidal include no audiobooks.
- Family and Duo conditions: Duo and family plans usually require a shared address or household (e.g. Spotify Duo, YouTube Family).
- Taking your playlists with you: Switching is straightforward thanks to import tools – but downloaded songs are tied to the subscription and disappear once you cancel.
Last updated: October 2026