In recent years digital streaming has taken leaps and bounds in expanding its reach. With over millions of tracks now available with just the touch of a finger, it’s no surprise that Soundcloud and Spotify are dominating the digital streaming game.

Both downloadable apps are available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play and they offer a free streaming program with in-app purchases available. These apps both offer regular streaming but have a catch if you don’t purchase the premium version.

Without Spotify premium, users will have access to all Spotify music with a limited number of skips per hour. Along with only having a certain amount of skips, advertisements will play every so often while listening to music. However, every so often, there is the option to watch a short video to earn thirty minutes of advertisement-free music. This option allows users to get a break from all of the ads and enjoy their music. With Spotify premium, users will have access to all music with unlimited skips, the ability to choose what song they would like to listen to, be able to download and access music when offline and do all of this without ads. This premium option comes with a price of $9.99 a month.

Without Soundcloud premium, users will have access to all music but the one catch is that most of the full versions of newly released songs are only available to those who have a premium membership on their apps. The Soundcloud membership costs users $7 a month.

With both of these streaming possibilities, users often struggle with choosing which app to use. But for some users the option is very easy.

“I prefer Spotify because it has more mainstream music, and the music is easy to find and reliable,” sophomore Elkanah Gahima said.

Ultimately the choice depends on personal preference, but both Spotify and Soundcloud are great streaming apps that offer users endless music abilities.