Spotify dominates in podcast content, discovery features, and global reach with 500M+ users, while Deezer offers superior audio quality through HiFi streaming, better artist payment rates (50% higher per stream), and a music-first interface. Choose based on whether you prioritize discovery and podcasts (Spotify) or audio quality and artist support (Deezer).
Spotify vs Deezer — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Freemium music streaming platform with 602M users and AI-powered recommendations.
European-focused music streaming with lossless audio quality up to 320kbps FLAC.
Audio Quality Options. Artist Payment Per Stream. Podcast Catalog Size. Global User Base. Music Library Size. HiFi Lossless Audio. AI Discovery Tools
Spotify wins for most listeners (500M+ users, superior podcasts, better discovery tools, larger ecosystem), making it ideal for casual listeners who want everything in one app. Deezer wins for audiophiles and independent artists (HiFi audio included, 50% higher artist payouts, artist-centric payment model), making it best for listeners who prioritize sound quality and supporting creators fairly.
Spotify: Excellent (Discover Weekly) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Advanced (Blend, Collaborative playlists) | Deezer: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Premium Tier)
Spotify: No (Spatial Audio instead) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Universal compatibility | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Lossless (HiFi tier) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Full platform integration with exclusives | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Secondary feature, available but limited | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Strict verification required | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 320 kbps AAC (standard) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Full ad-supported tier | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Spotify Individual | Deezer: N/A
Artist Growth Multiplier (focused strategy)
Spotify: 3-5x faster monthly listener growth | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: $0.003-0.005 per stream | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Requires distribution service | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Algorithm-driven, slower direct feedback | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Limited exclusive release functionality | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 3M+ podcasts | Deezer: 500K podcasts
Spotify: 100M+ tracks | Deezer: 100M+ tracks
Spotify: HiFi Tier (additional cost) | Deezer: Included with Premium Plus
Spotify: 180+ countries | Deezer: 50+ countries
Spotify: Discover Weekly, Release Radar, Song/Artist Radio, Song Credits expansion | Deezer: Deezer Flow, Flow+, AI-driven playlists
Spotify: $11.99/month (Premium) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 320 kbps (Premium) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 6+ major platforms | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: All platforms equally | Deezer: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Annual Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Spotify: Ogg Vorbis, MP3, AAC | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 10,000 per device | Deezer: Unlimited (Premium)
Discover Weekly Playlists Generated Weekly
Spotify: 100 million songs | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Yes — included, no extra charge | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Yes — largest catalog | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Yes (limited per plan) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Yes (ad-supported, shuffle-limited) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Yes (Blend, Friend Activity) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Yes (DJ, Smart Shuffle) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Via Spotify Connect | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 320 kbps (compressed) | Deezer: Lossless FLAC 16-bit/44.1kHz
Spotify: 9+ (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web, PlayStation, Xbox, Alexa, Smart TVs) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 6 skips/hour on ad-supported tier | Deezer: N/A
User Satisfaction with Discovery (2024 survey)
Spotify: 73% satisfied with personalization | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 600+ million | Deezer: 73 million
Spotify: 100+ million | Deezer: 90+ million
Spotify: 256 kbps AAC lossy | Deezer: 320 kbps MP3
Spotify: 500+ (Android, iOS, web, consoles, smart TVs) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 6 users at $16.99/month | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Required (strict verification) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 6 hours (with ads) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: ~100+ million | Deezer: 73+ million
Spotify: 320kbps Ogg Vorbis | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: 10,000 (5 devices max) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: Full free tier with ads (shuffle-only on mobile) | Deezer: N/A
Spotify: N/A | Deezer: Yes, ad-supported
Spotify: N/A | Deezer: $5.99-$14.99/month
Spotify: N/A | Deezer: Desktop and mobile
Spotify: N/A | Deezer: 320kbps FLAC (HiFi)
Spotify: N/A | Deezer: No native video integration
Spotify: N/A | Deezer: Deezer Flow algorithm (95% accuracy)
How to choose between Spotify and Deezer
Spotify vs Deezer — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Spotify vs Deezer. Contains 144 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Spotify vs Deezer — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Spotify vs Deezer.
Deezer pays approximately 50% more per stream than Spotify. Deezer uses an Artist-Centric Payment System (ACPS) that distributes revenue based on listener behavior, while Spotify uses a pro-rata model pooling all revenue. For artists, Deezer payouts range from $0.0075-0.008 per stream versus Spotify's $0.003-0.005, making Deezer significantly more favorable for creator income.
Does Deezer have lossless audio like Spotify?
Deezer includes HiFi FLAC lossless audio (16-bit/44.1kHz) standard with its Premium Plus tier at no extra cost. Spotify requires a separate HiFi tier for lossless audio and only compresses to 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis on its standard Premium plan. For audiophiles, Deezer offers better value and higher fidelity out of the box.
Is Spotify or Deezer better for podcasts?
Spotify dominates in podcasts with 3M+ titles versus Deezer's 500K. Spotify has integrated podcasts, audiobooks, and spoken-word content as a core feature, making it ideal if you want music and podcasts in one app. Deezer focuses exclusively on music, so if podcasts matter to you, Spotify is the clear choice.
Deezer has a significant advantage in francophone markets (France, Belgium, Luxembourg) and African countries, where it has deeper market penetration and more localized editorial content than Spotify. Artists and listeners in French-speaking regions often benefit more from Deezer's focus and community presence in those markets.
Both Spotify and Deezer offer 100M+ tracks with virtually identical major artist catalogs. The difference lies not in quantity but in discovery: Spotify's Discover Weekly and Release Radar are considered industry-leading, while Deezer's Flow AI specializes in personalized radio-style listening. For catalog completeness, they're a tie; for discovery experience, Spotify has the edge.
How to Choose Between Spotify and Deezer
Audio Quality Options: Spotify has 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis (Premium), while Deezer has FLAC lossless HiFi (standard on Premium Plus).
Artist Payment Per Stream: Spotify has $0.003-0.005 (pro-rata model), while Deezer has $0.0075-0.008 (50% higher, artist-centric model).
Podcast Catalog Size: Spotify has 3M+ podcasts available, while Deezer has 500K podcasts available.
Global User Base: Spotify has 500M+ monthly active users, while Deezer has 56M+ monthly active users.
Music Library Size: Spotify has 100M+ tracks, while Deezer has 100M+ tracks.
HiFi Lossless Audio: Spotify has HiFi Tier (separate premium cost), while Deezer has Included with Premium Plus tier.
AI Discovery Tools: Spotify has Discover Weekly, Release Radar, Song/Artist Radio, while Deezer has Deezer Flow AI personalization, Flow+.