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With streaming services like Spotify and Apple MusicAccessing your favorite albums and songs is affordable and easy. But there are some downsides: rights holders can remove your favorite tracks at any time, plus it doesn’t help fund anyone but the really big labels and artists. However, there are a number of ways to support your favorite bands, and one of those ways is to invest in them Physical media such as vinyl Or CDs, or you can go all-digital and still claim permanent ownership. It’s probably also better for the environment. Here are the best ways to buy digital music and keep it forever.
Average cost per album: $10
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Pros
- One of the largest music catalogs of any service
- AAC files can be read by most music players and phones
cons
- There are no wasted options
- Moving from iTunes to Apple Music was awkward
Expand the pros and cons
Average cost per album: $10
Skip to details
Pros
- One of the best ways to support the artists and labels you love
- It sells physical albums that usually come with the digital version
cons
- Not the best for pop music
Expand the pros and cons
Average cost per album: $10
Skip to details
Pros
- Almost any music sold on Amazon is also available in MP3 format
- MP3 has the best format support
cons
- The website interface is rather poor which makes it difficult to browse
- Amazon really wants you to subscribe to its own streaming service instead
- Some MP3 albums cost the same as a CD, which usually comes with the MP3
Expand the pros and cons
Average cost per album: $10 (CD quality), $15 (24-bit)
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Pros
- The combination of live streaming and storefront in Qobuz is very compelling
- Great for classical music lovers
cons
- The catalog is not as comprehensive as its competitors, especially for indie
Expand the pros and cons
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Why should I buy digital music?
Buying digital music, such as MP3 or FLAC files, has more benefits than you realize. Once you purchase music, it can be stored on any device, meaning it’s yours to keep forever. Digital music stores also offer instant downloads after purchase, and there is often a choice between different formats, such as MP3 or AAC files to save space and money, or lossless FLAC, ALAC, or WAV versions Noticeable increase in quality. (They usually cost the same as MP3 files.) If you prefer physical media and don’t care much about storage, you can purchase CDs and Rip the music The old way.
Whether you want to buy a single song or an entire album, we’ve rounded up the best digital music stores out there. From iTunes and Amazon to Bandcamp and Qobuz, most of these stores offer apps for both Android and iOS, allowing you to easily listen to the music you purchase. Or you can download them to your phone, computer, or even a device walkman.
Read more: The best MP3 players of 2025
Pros
-
One of the largest music catalogs of any service
-
AAC files can be read by most music players and phones
cons
-
There are no wasted options
-
Moving from iTunes to Apple Music was awkward
Average cost per album: $10
Maximum bit rate: 256 kbps (AAC)
iTunes may no longer be the star of the company’s lineup, given that Apple music It’s the focus now, but it’s still one of the biggest digital markets. iTunes still sets the standard for lossy music downloads, and its catalog should provide for all but your most obscure needs. iTunes doesn’t sell MP3 files, it sells songs in its own AAC format, but almost every modern player can read them.
If you are using MacOS Catalina or higher, you can access the Market through it Music > iTunes Store. If you don’t have an Apple Music membership, you can still listen to your iTunes purchases in the Music app, but if you want to download lossless files, keep in mind that you’ll need a subscription.
Pros
-
One of the best ways to support the artists and labels you love
-
It sells physical albums that usually come with the digital version
cons
-
Not the best for pop music
Average cost per album: $10
Maximum bit rate: 320 kbps, lossless (up to 24 bit)
Backed by several independent music labels, Bandcamp (now part of Songtradr) is probably the best alternative to iTunes or Amazon, especially if your tastes run toward the esoteric. The site enables you to download in any format you want (MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless) and as much as you want, without paying extra. The company now also labels downloads in 24-bit quality which makes the site attractive to audiophiles. In addition, the site operates regularly Bandcamp Friday Events that give 100% of proceeds to the artist.
Pros
-
Almost any music sold on Amazon is also available in MP3 format
-
MP3 has the best format support
cons
-
The website interface is rather poor which makes it difficult to browse
-
Amazon really wants you to subscribe to its own streaming service instead
-
Some MP3 albums cost the same as a CD, which usually comes with the MP3
Average cost per album: $10
Maximum bit rate: 256 kbps
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, Amazon Music Streaming service Makes a lot of sense. However, you do not need to be a Prime member to purchase or download MP3 files Automatic rips from physical discs that you buy. The downside is that Digital music home page It’s fairly bland — just a bunch of blocky buttons instead of a cover photo — and includes prominent links to Amazon Music Unlimited My neighbor.
Note that even though Amazon is shutting down its “Digital Locker” service that stores your MP3 files, MP3s you purchase from Amazon will still be available for streaming and downloading.
Pros
-
The combination of live streaming and storefront in Qobuz is very compelling
-
Great for classical music lovers
cons
-
The catalog is not as comprehensive as its competitors, especially for indie
Average cost per album: $10 (CD quality), $15 (24-bit)
Maximum bit rate: Lossless (up to 24/192)
If you’re only interested in high-quality downloads – and I mean specifically by that 24-bit high resolution – the Al Quoz Download Store It is one of the cheapest. Like a cemetery Music streaming serviceIt caters to a wide range of music genres, from pop to jazz to metal to whatever you can think of. The site also offers sales on new releases including a recent Metallica promo. If you’re an audiophile, you can subscribe to Sublime’s $180 per year streaming plan, which also gives you discounts of up to 60% on HD downloads.
7 digital: This site has a wide selection of MP3 files (as well as FLAC files), but its front page has not been updated for many years. However, the site is full of new releases and offers competitive prices.
whistling: If your tastes run towards dance music with a bit of indie, you’ll find a lot to like about this site.
Download Juno: This UK-based Bleep competitor is also worth seeking out for more obscure EDM and indie titles, although its catalog typically costs more.
High-resolution tracks: An audiophile-focused site with CD-quality, high-resolution downloads, and although its prices are typically higher than competitors, the store has regular sales.
Where can I buy music instead of Google Play?
Which is better, MP3 or FLAC?