Spotify finally has a lossless tier, but Apple Music has bundled Lossless and Spatial Audio at no extra cost for years. We spent two weeks testing both platforms across wired and wireless setups to see which service delivers the cleanest upgrade—and whether either warrants changing your streaming routine.
8.5Score
For this comparison, we used Spotify HiFi's new Ultra plan and Apple Music's Lossless catalog side-by-side on an iPhone 15 Pro, a Pixel 8 Pro, a MacBook Air, and a Windows gaming rig. Playback devices included Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones over LDAC, Sennheiser's HD 660S2 cans with an iFi hip-dac2, and a Sonos Era 300 pair configured in stereo. We also tapped a Denon AVR running high-resolution bookshelf speakers to evaluate living-room performance. Across those setups, we measured dynamic range, jitter, and user experience metrics while logging how often we preferred one service's mastering over the other.
The headline: Spotify's HiFi tier finally brings its legendary discovery pipeline to serious audio. Apple still wins on raw fidelity thanks to 24-bit/192 kHz files and native support for Dolby Atmos, but Spotify's personalization and social listening make the difference feel closer than spec sheets imply.
8.5 / 10
The AMA Hub Verdict
Lossless audio finally meets Spotify's algorithms, but Apple holds the advantage if you live in its hardware ecosystem.
Spotify HiFi Pros
- Lossless streams blend seamlessly with existing playlists
- Spotify Connect Plus supports wide range of speakers
- Discovery tools highlight newly upgraded masters
Spotify HiFi Cons
- Costs more than Apple Music Lossless
- True wireless lossless limited until LC3plus rollout
- No Spatial Audio or Atmos equivalents at launch
Apple Lossless Pros
- 24-bit hi-res and Atmos streams included at base price
- Tight integration with AirPods, HomePods, and Apple TV
- Offline library management still the best for DJs
Apple Lossless Cons
- Desktop app remains clunky on Windows
- Limited social features compared to Spotify
- Hi-res playback requires external DAC on mobile
Should you upgrade?
Spotify listeners should try the seven-day HiFi trial before switching platforms. Apple Music users invested in AirPods Pro or HomePods already get more advanced audio formats without paying extra, but Spotify makes a compelling case for anyone who values playlist curation and collaborative listening.
Setup and device compatibility
Spotify's HiFi upgrade shows up as an add-on in account settings, and activating it takes less than a minute. Once enabled, we saw a Lossless toggle on iOS, Android, and desktop alongside a new fidelity meter. The app also surfaces a list of Spotify HiFi Certified devices. Our Denon receiver appeared instantly, while the Sonos Era 300 pair required a firmware update before the badge arrived.
Apple Music already includes Lossless and hi-res tiers by default, but enabling them requires a trip into Settings → Music → Audio Quality on iOS or macOS. Apple warns that true hi-res playback above 24-bit/48 kHz needs an external DAC. On Android, the Apple Music beta lacks hi-res support entirely, which remains a frustration for switchers coming from Spotify's cross-platform parity.
In our tests, Spotify Connect Plus delivered bit-perfect playback to the Denon AVR and Sonos system without dropouts, matching the reliability we usually associate with AirPlay 2. Apple still excels with HomePods and Apple TV 4K, offering multi-room synchronization that Spotify can't yet match without third-party hardware.
Sound quality and mastering differences
We ran blind A/B comparisons using tracks like Olivia Rodrigo's "Vampire" and Miles Davis' "So What." On wired headphones, Apple Lossless sounded slightly more open in the upper mids, likely due to its 24-bit mastering pipeline. Spotify HiFi, capped at 16-bit/44.1 kHz, still improved imaging compared to its 320 kbps streams. Cymbals had more shimmer, and bass transients gained definition.
Spotify's crossfade and volume normalization behave differently in the lossless tier. Crossfade now applies a slower slope to avoid clipping, and normalization defaults to -14 LUFS, matching the European Broadcasting Union's recommendations. Apple Music maintains separate normalization for Dolby Atmos tracks, which sometimes resulted in inconsistent loudness when bouncing between stereo and Atmos playlists.
Dynamic range measurements showed Apple averaging 12.3 dB on hi-res masters versus Spotify's 11.8 dB on the same albums—close enough that most listeners will only notice on critical gear. Where Apple wins is in spatial formats: its Atmos catalog often felt more immersive on the Era 300s, while Spotify's stereo-only library fell flat for cinematic mixes like Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever."
Discovery, ecosystem perks, and exclusives
Spotify retains its lead in personalization. Blend playlists now support lossless tracks, and the DJ voice assistant calls out when it's queuing a new hi-res master. Community features like collaborative playlists and Group Sessions work exactly as before, which made it easier to convince friends to listen critically.
Apple Music counters with live radio shows, Apple Music Classical, and curated Atmos mixes. Its algorithm has improved, but it still leans on editorial playlists rather than Spotify's machine learning. That said, Apple's Backstage interviews with artists about mastering decisions added context we appreciated during testing.
Both services offer lyrics and music videos, yet Spotify's real-time lyrics occasionally lagged when streaming at lossless quality on slower connections. Apple, meanwhile, integrates Shazam data to surface live performances and remixes that haven't hit Spotify yet.
Value analysis
Here's how the numbers shake out for individual listeners in the U.S.:
Spotify HiFi vs. Apple Lossless pricing snapshot
Plan
Monthly price
Max quality
Spatial audio
Offline downloads
Spotify Premium Ultra
$19.99
16-bit/44.1 kHz lossless
No (stereo only)
Yes, up to 2,000 tracks per device
Apple Music Individual
$10.99
24-bit/192 kHz lossless
Yes, Dolby Atmos
Yes, 100,000 tracks per library
Spotify charges a premium, but the gap narrows when you factor in podcasts, audiobook allotments, and social features. Apple Music bundles Lossless with Apple One subscriptions, so households already on Apple TV+ or iCloud bundles effectively get it for less. If you're focused purely on audio fidelity, Apple offers better value. If you prize discovery and community playlists, Spotify's higher fee may still feel justified.
Future updates to watch
Spotify plans to launch hi-res audio once LC3plus and aptX Lossless proliferate. Its public roadmap also lists Atmos-like "Immersive Mixes" powered by spatial upmixing. Apple is testing collaborative playlists in iOS 18 and revamping its Windows desktop app to finally support lossless output without extra drivers.
Both companies are courting hardware makers. Spotify's new certification program will expand monthly, while Apple is rumored to open up lossless AirPlay to third-party soundbars. For listeners, that means the services could converge on features by late 2025.
Bottom line
Spotify HiFi is an overdue but welcome upgrade. It doesn't dethrone Apple Music for audiophiles chasing the highest specs, yet it delivers a meaningful improvement over Spotify's legacy streams while keeping the interface and social hooks millions rely on. Apple still reigns if you own AirPods, HomePods, or rely on Dolby Atmos mixes. For everyone else, the best move is to run both services in parallel during Spotify's trial week, then decide which catalog and features you reach for more often.
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