streaming

In our last blog, we discussed how to choose the best streaming service for you. High Speed Internet is also changing the way you listen to and purchase music. While you can still purchase music via vinyl and CDs, you can also choose to download music or simply listen to music via subscription services. There are also free audio streaming services available for those that are budget conscious or do not need all the features from paid streaming services.

Let’s discuss some of the free and paid streaming services that are available and what to consider when choosing the right one to meet your needs.

If you’re looking to enjoy a wide range of music without spending any money, free streaming music services are a fantastic option. These platforms usually come with ads and occasional interruptions between songs. Here are a few popular free services:

Spotify Free: With a huge library and personalized playlists, Spotify Free is a hit among users. Just keep in mind, it includes ads and limits your ability to skip songs.
Pandora: Known for its radio-style listening, Pandora creates stations based on your favorite artists and genres. The free version has ads and limited song skips.
SoundCloud: A great place for indie artists and new discoveries, SoundCloud mixes mainstream and underground tracks. The free version includes ads and some skip limitations.
YouTube Music: YouTube’s music platform lets you explore official tracks and user-generated content for free, but it’s supported by ads.
iHeartRadio: Gives you access to vast libraries of free popular music.

If you’re after a listening experience without ads, plus extra features like offline listening, playlists, and higher audio quality, paid services are the way to go. Here are some top picks:

Spotify Premium: Offers ad-free listening, unlimited skips, offline playback, and high-quality audio.
Apple Music: Works seamlessly with your Apple devices, offers lossless audio, and includes exclusive content and live radio.
Tidal: Known for its high-fidelity sound quality and exclusive releases, Tidal is perfect for audiophiles and music lovers.
Amazon Music Unlimited: Provides a huge library, ad-free listening, and integrates with Alexa for voice control.
Deezer Premium: Offers personalized playlists, high-quality audio, and offline listening.

When choosing a streaming music service, think about these factors to find the best fit for your needs:

Music Library: Make sure the service has a comprehensive library that includes your favorite genres and artists.
Audio Quality: If you care about sound quality, look for services that offer high-fidelity or lossless audio options.
Device Compatibility: Check if the service works smoothly with your favorite devices, like smartphones, tablets, smart speakers, and computers.
Personalization: Services that offer personalized playlists and recommendations can make your listening experience even better.
Offline Listening: If you often listen to music on the go, choose a service that lets you download tracks for offline playback.
Price: Compare the subscription costs and features to find a service that offers the best value for your budget.

Having access to high-speed internet (broadband) gives us a wide variety of options not only to assist with work, but with our time at home and with our families. Picking the right music streaming service that fits your needs, and your budget can really boost your music enjoyment. Whether you go for a free or a paid service, considering the factors mentioned above will help you make an informed decision.

For more information, Check out these articles:

The Best Free Online Streaming Music Services for 2025 – PCMag – https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-free-online-streaming-music-services

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/

Pandora –https://www.pandora.com/

SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/

YouTube Music – https://music.youtube.com/

iHeartRadio – https://www.iheart.com/

Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/new

Tidal – https://tidal.com/

Amazon Music Unlimited – https://www.amazon.com/music/unlimited

Deezer – https://www.deezer.com/us/

We’ve moved from having 3 or 4 television stations to cable and satellite TV that give us hundreds of channels, to streaming services, which allow us to decide when we watch and where we watch shows, movies, and news.

We’ve been given more options to create the entertainment environment that we want, but this wonderful opportunity can make it hard to choose. It can also become expensive. How do we make the best choices to give us all the content we want while not breaking our budget?

What should you consider when looking at streaming options?

We recommend starting by looking at the service you currently have and the cost of your television service. Also, look at the programs and channels that you watch the most. You’ll want to stay within your budget while getting the programs you want.

If you want local content, you’ll need to find services that provide local channels. Services such as YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Hulu along with other services provide local channels plus other content, like sports. Be sure to look at which local channels they provide and what the cost is for adding the local channels.

Another option for local channels is to look at a digital antenna. These antennas can pick up the local channels you watch in many locations and allow you to choose services that give you additional programming. Digital antennas can be installed inside or outside the home. External antennas may give you the advantage of a better signal and receiving more local channels. Digital antennas can range in price from $40 to $150 but could save you money in the long run.

As another option, you may want to look at the TV offerings through your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Many ISPs offer a television service similar to cable TV via an app that you install on your smart TV, ROKU device, or Amazon Firestick. These services can provide the local channels, sports, movies, and other programming you are looking for.

You may want to look at free streaming options as well. There are services such as PlutoTV, Tubi, and channels provided for free on Smart TVs. There are also free TV channels on Roku devices and the Amazon Firestick (if you have these for other services). These options may provide news and entertainment channels you are looking for. To see what these services provide, you can do a web search for free TV services or a channel guide for your smart TV brand.

How do you decide what streaming services to buy?

Based on your current viewing habits, and interest, do some research and choose several services that might interest you. Look over their content offerings for shows and movies. You may also want to consider services that bundle with movie providers like Showtime, Starz, or other movie channels. If you want to try them out, see if they offer a free month trial. If they do not offer a trial, pay for a month, and see if you like the content. If you do, see about getting a lower price if you may for a year at a time. If you don’t enjoy the content, simply cancel the service.

Do you already have access to the content you’re looking for?

Subscription services may offer deals combining their services with streaming video services such as Walmart Plus. Similarly, if you subscribe to a service such as Amazon Prime, you already have access to Amazon Prime Video. You may want to research the services and see if they have any TV or video streaming service included that meets your viewing needs.

We have more choice for television programming than ever before because of high-speed internet service (broadband), but it also makes deciding how to continue to view what we want and stay within our household budgets harder.

Links for More Information:

The Best Free Video Streaming Services for 2025 – PCMag – https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-free-video-streaming-services

Best Free TV Streaming Services – CNET – https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/best-free-tv-streaming-services/

The Best Live TV Streaming Services for 2025 – PCMag – https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-live-tv-streaming-services

The best live TV streaming services: Expert tested – ZDnet – https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/home-entertainment/best-live-tv-streaming-service/

The Best Digital TV Antennas for 2025 – PCMag – https://www.pcmag.com/picks/how-to-find-the-best-digital-tv-antenna