Qobuz vs Spotify
As music streaming evolves, listeners care more than ever about sound quality, catalog size, music discovery, and the overall listening experience. Two platforms that sit at opposite ends of the audio spectrum are Spotify and Qobuz. Spotify dominates mainstream listening with smart algorithms and universal compatibility, while Qobuz leads the audiophile market with pristine high-resolution audio.
Streaming guide: what matters
- Sound quality: Lossy vs. lossless, bitrates, and whether your system can reveal the difference.
- Catalog & content: Size of the library, depth in your favorite genres, and podcast availability.
- Discovery & curation: Algorithmic playlists vs. human-curated recommendations and editorials.
- Device support: How well the service works across phones, computers, streamers, cars, and speakers.
- Use case fit: Background playlists, critical listening, or building a reference-quality digital library.
Platform Overviews
Spotify
Why it’s great: Spotify is the world’s most widely used streaming platform, built around convenience, personalization, and massive content variety. Its intuitive interface and powerful recommendation engine make it easy to discover new music without thinking about it.
Who it’s for: Listeners who value discoverability, curated and algorithmic playlists, podcasts, and seamless device integration more than absolute sound fidelity.
Good to know: Spotify Premium now includes a FLAC lossless option supporting resolutions up to 24-bit. While not every track is available in lossless yet, this update finally brings Spotify into true high-fidelity territory for much of its catalog.
Spotify is the world’s most widely used streaming platform, built around convenience, personalization, and massive content variety. Its interface is intuitive and designed to help you discover new music effortlessly. Spotify’s algorithm studies your listening habits to create tailored playlists like Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes, and Release Radar — tools that have set the industry standard for music discovery.
The platform isn’t just about music; it also houses one of the largest podcast libraries available, making it an all-in-one destination for audio entertainment. Spotify runs on practically every device imaginable: smartphones, smart TVs, gaming consoles, desktops, car systems, and smart speakers. Features like seamless device switching make it easy to start a playlist on your phone and continue it on your home speaker without interruption.
Historically, Spotify’s biggest drawback was its audio quality. With the introduction of FLAC lossless up to 24-bit, that gap has narrowed significantly, especially for everyday listening. However, audiophiles chasing the highest-resolution masters and the widest hi-res catalog may still find more to love on platforms like Qobuz.
Spotify is ideal for listeners who value discoverability, convenience, podcasts, and seamless device integration, now with the option to step up into lossless sound when the content supports it.
Qobuz
Why it’s great: Qobuz delivers true lossless and high-resolution audio up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, plus rich editorial content that treats albums like art instead of background noise.
Who it’s for: Serious music lovers and audiophiles with good headphones, DACs, or hi-fi systems who care more about fidelity, liner notes, and album-centric listening than algorithmic playlists.
Good to know: Qobuz streams in open formats like FLAC and even lets you purchase and download hi-res albums to own forever, but its app support and discovery tools are more limited than Spotify’s.
Qobuz is a high-resolution music streaming platform designed for serious music lovers who prioritize sound accuracy and album-focused listening. Unlike algorithm-heavy services, Qobuz emphasizes editorial content: detailed digital booklets, artist stories, professional reviews, and curated playlists. It feels closer to browsing a boutique record store than scrolling through a playlist feed.
The real standout feature of Qobuz is its lossless and hi-res audio. Qobuz streams FLAC files up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, delivering studio-quality sound that preserves every nuance of the original recording. This makes Qobuz especially popular among audiophiles, engineers, and anyone using high-end speakers, DACs, or headphones.
Qobuz also allows users to purchase and download high-resolution music to build a permanent collection — a unique benefit compared to most streaming platforms.
However, Qobuz does have limitations. Its library is smaller than Spotify’s, and some mainstream genres (especially pop, hip-hop, and electronic) may feel less complete. Discovery tools are more limited, as the platform prioritizes human curation over algorithmic recommendations. Device compatibility can also be more restricted.
Qobuz is best for intentional listeners who want the highest possible sound quality and appreciate editorial depth over algorithm-driven listening.
Streaming Quality Breakdown
Comparison note: Both Spotify and Qobuz offer lossless FLAC, but they emphasize different tiers. Spotify’s lossless option brings much of its mainstream catalog up to CD-quality and 24-bit where available, while Qobuz focuses on studio-grade hi-res masters up to 24-bit / 192 kHz and a deeper bench of titles specifically mastered for high-end listening.
Spotify Audio Quality
Spotify now streams using Ogg Vorbis, AAC, and a recently added FLAC lossless tier.
| Tier | Codec | Bitrate / Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Free (Web) | AAC | 128 kbps |
| Free (Mobile) | Ogg Vorbis | ~96 kbps |
| Premium (Standard) | Ogg Vorbis | 320 kbps |
| Premium (Lossless) | FLAC | Up to 24-bit (lossless) |
Summary:
- Spotify now supports FLAC lossless up to 24-bit, dramatically improving clarity and dynamic range over its legacy lossy tiers.
- Standard Ogg Vorbis remains efficient and is still fine for casual and mobile listening.
- Lossless files are larger and benefit most from wired connections and higher-quality systems.
- Not every track is available in FLAC yet, but coverage is expanding over time.
Qobuz Audio Quality
Qobuz streams exclusively in lossless FLAC, offering true CD-quality and high-resolution options.
| Quality Level | Format | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16-bit / 44.1 kHz |
| Hi-Res | FLAC | 24-bit / 48 kHz |
| Hi-Res | FLAC | 24-bit / 96 kHz |
| Max Hi-Res | FLAC | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
Summary:
- Lossless and hi-res audio preserves full detail of studio recordings.
- Ideal for high-end systems, wired headphones, and critical listening.
- Larger file sizes require more bandwidth.
- No lossy or proprietary formats; everything is delivered as FLAC.
Spotify vs Qobuz: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Spotify | Qobuz |
|---|---|---|
| Max Audio Quality | Up to 24-bit FLAC lossless | 24-bit / 192 kHz lossless |
| Library Size | 100M+ tracks | Smaller but higher-quality masters |
| Podcasts | Yes | No |
| Music Discovery | Best-in-class algorithms | Curated, limited automation |
| Offline Listening | Yes | Yes |
| Buy/Download Music | No | Yes, hi-res downloads |
| Device Support | Excellent | More limited |
| Best For | Casual listeners, playlist lovers | Audiophiles, hi-fi users |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Spotify If You Want:
- The best music discovery experience with smart, evolving playlists.
- A massive library and podcasts in one app.
- Compatibility with virtually all your devices.
- A lower-cost subscription or a free, ad-supported tier.
- Now, the option to step up into lossless FLAC when it’s available for your favorite albums.
Choose Qobuz If You Want:
- The highest audio quality available in mainstream streaming, with a strong focus on hi-res masters.
- A more album-centric, editorially rich experience.
- Access to hi-res downloads you can keep forever.
- A platform designed to show off high-end audio equipment.
Reference Tracks to Test Your System
Qobuz: 10 Tracks to Test Your Hi-Res System
Why these tracks: Each of these selections highlights different aspects of your system—dynamics, imaging, tone, texture, and low-level detail—so you can really hear what Qobuz’s hi-res streaming can do.
You can also check out our ListenUp curated Qobuz Playlist as well.
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Spring 1 (2012)
Artist: Max Richter
Album: Recomposed By Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons -
The Dream of Delphi (Bonus Extended Strings Version)
Artist: Bat For Lashes
Album: The Dream of Delphi -
Tabula Rasa: I. Ludus
Artist: Arvo Pärt
Album: Arvo Pärt: Portrait -
Birds
Artist: Dominique Fils-Aimé
Album: Nameless -
The Seer
Artist: Nubya Garcia
Album: Odyssey -
Speaking Gently
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Nova autour du monde -
home
Artist: Willow
Album: empathogen -
Tin Pan Alley (AKA Roughest Place in Town)
Artist: Stevie Ray Vaughan
Album: Couldn't Stand The Weather -
Falling Fast
Artist: Rosie Frater-Taylor
Album: Featherweight -
Take Five
Artist: The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Album: Time Outtakes
Spotify: 10 Tracks to Stress-Test Your Everyday System
Why these tracks: Even at 320 kbps or in lossless where available, these songs are great for checking dynamics, punch, and mix clarity on real-world systems—from headphones to soundbars and car audio.
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Lateralus
Artist: Tool
Album: Lateralus -
Take the Power Back
Artist: Rage Against the Machine
Album: Rage Against the Machine II – XX -
Into the Void
Artist: Nine Inch Nails
Album: The Fragile -
Time
Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: The Dark Side of the Moon -
Teardrop
Artist: Massive Attack
Album: Mezzanine -
The Chain (2004 Remaster)
Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Album: Rumors -
Shout
Artist: Tears for Fears
Album: Songs from the Big Chair -
Red Right Hand (2011 Remaster)
Artist: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Album: Let Love In -
Digital Love
Artist: Daft Punk
Album: Discovery -
Nightcall
Artist: Kavinsky
Album: Nightcall
Need Help Choosing the Right Streaming Platform?
Whether you're chasing the highest possible sound quality or looking for the most convenient everyday listening experience, we're here to help you make the best choice for your system and listening habits.
If you’d like personalized guidance on whether Spotify or Qobuz is the better fit for you, give us a call or chat with us online — our team is always happy to help.
