Alternatives · Music streaming

Best Spotify alternatives in India, free and paid

Spotify Premium Standard costs ₹139 a month in India, and Spotify has tightened what its free tier can do on mobile. If you’re looking for an alternative, the good news is that several legal apps still let you stream for free with ads, and a few paid ones cost less than Spotify for what you get. This guide covers the free, ad-supported options (Spotify’s own free tier, YouTube Music and JioSaavn), the paid alternatives compared on price and features, and the one route to avoid: modded “premium unlocked” apps. You’ll also see what each option costs per person if you share a plan.

Spotify Standard: ₹139/month
YouTube Music Premium: ₹119/month
Gaana Plus yearly: ₹799/year

Start a group on Subspace Get the app

Spotify plans on Subspace right now

Live Spotify listings on Subspace
Plan	Price	Members	Per member
Mini Plan - 1 Day	₹7	—	—
Mini Plan - 1 Week	₹25	—	—
Platinum ( Monthly )	₹120	—	—
Individual Plan - 1 Month	₹129	—	—
2 Months Family plan	₹179	—	—
Family Plan - 1 Month	₹199	—	—
Spotify Platinum	₹300	—	—
Individual Plan - 3 Months	₹389	—	—

Source: Subspace marketplace (updates hourly)

Join an existing group or start your own on the Spotify groups page.

Free, ad-supported music apps that are legal

These apps cost nothing and are fully licensed. You pay with ads and some limits.

Spotify Free. Still available. You can search and play, but with ads, and Spotify limits skips and on-demand controls on mobile; the limits have been tightened in India.
YouTube Music (free tier). The huge YouTube catalogue, including live versions and covers, with ads. Music stops when you lock the screen, and downloads need Premium.
JioSaavn (free tier). Strong on Bollywood and regional film music, with ads between songs. JioSaavn Pro removes ads; check the current price in the app.
Amazon Music with Prime. Included with full Amazon Prime (₹1,499/year), on one device at a time. If you already have Prime, you may not need anything else.

Apple Music has no free tier, only a free first month for new subscribers.

Paid alternatives compared

If you want ad-free listening, downloads and background play, these are the legal options and what their cheapest plans cost.

Music streaming apps in India: free tiers and paid plans
App	Free tier	Cheapest monthly plan	Student	Plan for several people
Spotify	Yes, with ads and limits	₹139/month (Standard)	₹69/month	Platinum ₹299/month, 3 accounts at one address
YouTube Music	Yes, with ads, no background play	₹119/month	₹59/month	Family ₹179/month, 6 people in a household
Apple Music	No	₹139/month	₹69/month	Family ₹229/month, 6 people
Gaana	Check app	₹119/month, or ₹799/year	—	—
JioSaavn	Yes, with ads	JioSaavn Pro, price shown in app	—	—
Amazon Music	With Prime	Included in Prime, ₹1,499/year	—	Music on 1 device at a time

Source: Official plan pages: spotify.com/in-en/premium, youtube.com/musicpremium, apple.com/in/apple-music, gaana.com/subscribe, amazon.in/amazonprime · as of 2026-10-12

Cheapest ways to get ad-free music

On a yearly plan, Gaana Plus is the cheapest solo option. Shared family plans beat everything once you split them, but they come with household rules: YouTube’s family members must live together, and Spotify Platinum’s three accounts must share an address.

Ad-free music, monthly cost per person

Yearly plans divided by 12; shared plans divided by the maximum members. Official prices as of 12 Oct 2026.

Ad-free music, monthly cost per person
Spotify Standard	₹139
Apple Music	₹139
YouTube Music Premium	₹119
Spotify yearly prepaid	₹116
Spotify Platinum ÷ 3	₹100
Gaana Plus yearly	₹67
YouTube Music Family ÷ 6	₹30

Avoid modded “Spotify Premium” apps

Search results for free Spotify alternatives are full of modded APKs that claim to unlock Premium for free. They break Spotify’s terms, so the account you log in with can be suspended, and because they are installed from outside the Play Store, they can carry malware that reads your messages or banking apps. Every legal option on this page is on the Play Store or App Store. If an app promises Premium features for nothing, treat it as unsafe.

How to pick the right alternative

You listen to podcasts: stay on Spotify Free or Standard; its podcast library is the deepest.
You already watch YouTube a lot: YouTube Premium (₹149/month) covers music and ad-free video together. See is YouTube Premium worth it.
You mostly play Bollywood and regional film songs: JioSaavn or Gaana.
You have an iPhone and good headphones: Apple Music, for lossless audio. See Apple Music vs Spotify.
You live with two or three others: a shared Spotify Platinum or YouTube Music Family plan. Subspace lets you start or join a Spotify group and split what you pay.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free Spotify alternative?

For most people, YouTube Music’s free tier: it has the largest catalogue, including live versions and covers. Its main limit is that music stops when the screen is off. For Bollywood and regional film music, JioSaavn’s free tier is a strong option.

Are there apps like Spotify but free?

Yes. Spotify Free itself, YouTube Music and JioSaavn all have legal free tiers supported by ads. If you have full Amazon Prime, Amazon Music is included at no extra cost.

Is Spotify Free still available in India?

Yes. You can still sign up for Spotify for free. It plays with ads, and Spotify limits skipping and some playback controls on mobile. Premium Standard at ₹139/month removes the ads and limits.

What is the best Spotify alternative overall?

It depends on what you value. YouTube Premium gives the most for the money if you also watch YouTube. Apple Music is best for sound quality. Gaana Plus on a yearly plan is the cheapest ad-free option for one person.

Are Spotify Premium mod APKs safe?

No. They violate Spotify’s terms, which can get your account suspended, and APKs from outside the Play Store can contain malware. Use the free tiers of licensed apps instead.

Which music app is cheapest for a family?

YouTube Music Family at ₹179/month for up to six people in one household. Apple Music Family at ₹229 also covers six.

Ready? Start a group on Subspace

Legal free and cheaper Spotify alternatives in India: YouTube Music, JioSaavn, Spotify Free, Apple Music and Gaana. What each free tier allows and what paying adds.