I Dropped Spotify for Deezer—the Grass Is Mostly Greener

I never really thought I had issues with Spotify, but that was until I started exploring the other options. Eventually, I discovered Deezer, and after a month-long trial period, I decided it came out on top for a handful of reasons.

What’s Deezer’s Deal?

Deezer is a digital music streaming platform that’s been around since 2007. Big whoop, there’s already a glut of these types of services: Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Tidal, LiveOne. Just like anything in the modern world, you have options.

However, I tried most of these major players out, and Deezer has a couple of key factors that separate it from the pack. So, after giving the 30-day free trial a go, I decided to make the permanent switch. In terms of cost, a premium plan costs $11.99, which is the same as Spotify and a buck more than Apple Music. They give half off to students (which is typical), but they also offer discounts to healthcare workers.

So, what was it that reeled me in? The 120,000,000+ tracks? The 32,000+ radio stations? That they actually send you a reminder to cancel well before your free trial is up? Sure, these were all factors, but there’s more to it than that.

Impressive Hi-Res Audio Library Streaming

The thing about hi-res audio is that you don’t really know how much it matters until you try it. For me, once I did, there was no was no going back. Yes, I don’t always choose hi-res, but Deezer makes it easy for me to toggle it on and off. You can access audio quality settings on each song, rather than having to go to the home page and into settings, like you do in Spotify. There are also multiple options for bit rates, which is nice.

As of now, they offer 320 KBPS, which is standard lossless and sounds great. They also added true hi-fi FLAC audio files, but you need a high-speed connection to use it.

Finally, a Usable In-App EQ

One of the biggest surprises with Deezer was the 5-band EQ that’s accessible right from the dashboard of every song. So, if the mood should strike you, you can go right into the audio output settings and begin making adjustments.

It’s easy to use and works great. Sure, it’s not some master-level soundboard, but that would be too much anyhow. There’s just enough there to make meaningful adjustments based on the genre and setting, and it’s just barebones enough not to be a hassle. It’s simple and effective, and there are at least a dozen great presents.

Exclusive Sessions and Playlists

If you scroll down the Deezer homepage, you’ll find a list of “Deezer Sessions.” These are essentially live EPs that Deezer records and offers as exclusives. I think it’s a great idea. My only selfish gripe is that it doesn’t feature many artists that I’m super familiar with, but I like the more intimate setting and raw recording quality. It’s also a great place to find new artists that otherwise you would never have heard of. But it’s an entirely new way to listen to music, and I’ve found myself loving this feature more over time.

Transfer All Your Playlists and Music

One of the things I was most worried about when making the switch was how much of my liked and saved music I’d lose. At first, I thought I’d have to start fresh. Then, I realized that Deezer actually allows users to transfer it all— from almost every major streaming service, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, TIDAL, and more.

Easy Song Identification

There are many “identify this song” apps out there, but Deezer has one of the better ones I’ve come across. All you need to do is press the search bar and there’s a large button that says, “what’s this song?”

For identifying songs by the music, its response is accurate and nearly instant. However, it also has a feature where it lets you hum or sing a song yourself, and this feature is basically useless. I tried using it across multiple genres and with major hits. I get that it could be my vocal limitations, but it took me a long time before I got it to pick up a song I sang accurately.

I’m Sold on Deezer, but It Has Its Drawbacks

Everything has its opportunity costs. So, just as Deezer has many benefits, there are also some things I don’t prefer.

Hi-Res Takes Up a Lot of Data

I can’t blame Deezer for this, but the platform almost encourages users to stream high-res content, which is great. But if you don’t have unlimited data, I discovered it can eat it up pretty fast, especially since I probably do at least a couple of hours of audio daily.

The Free Version Isn’t Worth the Time

If you want to scope out the interface, the free version could be a good place to start, but I’ve always hated the typical free-streaming service format that doesn’t allow people to pick which songs they want to hear. Yes, you get “full access” to Deezer’s library, but you only get to shuffle through and hope you get something good. Then, of course, they have to deal with the ads and can’t download any content for offline listening.

The Non-Music Catalog Scene Isn’t Great

When it comes to music, Deezer is one of the leaders of the pack, but podcasts and audiobooks aren’t its strong suit. Deezer offers around 160,00 podcasts. which seems like a lot until you realize Spotify offers 2.2 million. Deezer has plenty of major titles available, but it isn’t a podcaster’s paradise.

I’m not saying Deezer will be the promised land for everyone. However, it’s a compelling, intuitive platform with many great features, and I encourage anyone considering interested in a new service to try out the 30-day free trial.