The best music streaming services have improved our lives. Here’s how to choose the one that best suits your needs.

If you were born after 1995, you may not remember a galaxy far, far away, before Apple Music and YouTube. Still, we’ve come a long way since we eagerly awaited the latest releases on the radio. On-demand streaming services first appeared on the world’s radar with Pandora in 2000 and then gave way to Soundcloud in 2007. Spotify burst into our lives in 2008 and changed life as we knew it.

If you’re a music fan, we live in exciting times. With so many streaming apps, the world of music is at your fingertips. Choosing the right music streaming app doesn’t have to be complicated.

With free downloadable apps and over 30 million songs available, we’ll help you determine what questions to ask yourself to choose the right music streaming app. You… your needs. Better.

Q1: How Will You Music Streaming Services? 

Unless you’ve recently arrived from another planet, you probably have a smartphone. Most music streaming apps are compatible with iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone, allowing you to listen to music on your computer and desktop. However, some streaming apps work better than others on your computer.

If you typically listen to music at your desk at work, for example, the popular Spotify app is an excellent choice and is available for Sony’s PlayStation 4, Sonos hi-fi systems, and Google’s Chromecast and Fire TV. Amazon TV, though its mobile app, also works wonderfully with Apple TV.

If you’re very familiar with the Apple ecosystem and plan to stream music on your iPhone, iPad, etc., Apple’s music streaming service, Apple Music, is an obvious choice. However, many other apps sync well with iOS, such as Spotify and SoundCloud. SoundCloud, Google Play Music, and iHeartRadio are well-integrated apps for Android users.

Q2: Do You Want Access to Video Content? 

If you’re a video enthusiast, Spotify can’t help you. However, video giant YouTube (known for its latest jumping goat antics) recently launched YouTube Red. This monthly subscription lets you watch videos from your favorite artists without ads interrupting your sessions. Watch all the music videos you want, even offline.

Another option for those who prefer video content is Tidal, a streaming service originally launched by music mogul Jay-Z. It’s the only app that offers high-fidelity music and high-quality sound reproduction reminiscent of vinyl and CDs. It’s also packed with new and popular music video content from artists like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Macklemore, and other celebrities.

Q3: How Much Are You Willing to Pay? 

If you’re a true music lover but are wary of the rising monthly fees, there are free music streaming app options that won’t cost you much. Most apps offer a free trial period that typically lasts from one week to one month, but Apple Music just launched a full three-month free trial. Spotify and Google Play allow you to listen to music for free, but not without ads between songs; if you want to avoid them, you can always subscribe to the premium version.

One of the best apps for your money is iHeartRadio, a streaming radio app that’s free to download on most devices and has over 15 million songs in its database. Unusually for a free app, it also lets you create your own radio station and playlist for easy access the next time you log in. Probably the best thing about this free app is the lack of annoying ads.

One downside? It’s currently only available in the US, Australia, and New Zealand. Soundcloud is another free app that directly features new independent artists and allows you to connect with a community of music fans. You can follow friends and bands, add songs to your favorites, and create playlists.

Q4: Do You Want to Stream or Store Your Music?

Let’s say you already have a sizable music collection, but you want to continue streaming music through apps. In that case, Google Play Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify allow you to stream music from their catalogs and upload and play your personal collection.

This means the apps will search your collection for music you’ve already purchased and allow you to upload it manually. This is a good option if you’ve built up a large collection over the years but still want to access music you haven’t purchased. Spotify also offers offline music listening, ideal if you travel a lot but don’t have enough storage space to store millions of songs.

Q5: Is Your App User-Friendly? 

For music lovers, an intuitive interface is essential for searching through millions of new titles and albums. Spotify, the Swedish on-demand music app, has a unique Scandinavian interface with simple and intuitive features. It allows you to quickly navigate through playlists and features a simple play button for listening to songs. Both the desktop and mobile apps are easy to use. Soundcloud, another easy-to-use app, allows for easy integration of web-based music players, making it a popular choice for bloggers looking to incorporate a simple, customizable music player/streamer into their posts.

Q6: How Easy is it to Discover New Music? 

With any on-demand music app, you can access a wide range of music genres, but not all offer music from independent or emerging artists. The music streaming app Slacker uses a very active fan community to create preset stations that range from new music to genre classics and top artists. It’s a great way to discover new music.

If you’re looking to discover the next big independent artist, no other music streaming app can compete with Soundcloud. This tool includes exclusive mixes and unreleased music from new artists and DJs that aren’t available on other apps. Since musicians and artists can upload their new music for free, this is the ideal app for discovering new content that isn’t available on other services.

Spotify offers a “Weekly Discovery” feature that analyzes your music preferences and creates playlists with music similar to the beginning of the week.

If you’re a music addict, your favorite streaming app will play an important role in your life and should fit perfectly with your lifestyle.

The apps on this list are the best, and as competition grows in the market, they will continue to improve. Ask yourself the right questions and make an informed decision before downloading The One.