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Pandora One vs. Spotify Premium: Which music streaming service is a better deal?

Pandora and Spotify are both music streaming services, but that's about where their similarities end. Whether you鈥檒l prefer Pandora or Spotify depends on whether you want to discover new music or listen to old favorites, and on which service has the artists you want. 

By Alice Holbrook , NerdWallet

Both Pandora and Spotify are music streaming services 鈥 but that鈥檚 where most of their similarities end.

Pandora operates like a radio station. Users can design playlists around favorite artists and genres, but they can鈥檛 simply listen to an album straight through. On the other hand, Spotify users can pick the music they listen to and even add tunes from their own libraries.

Whether you鈥檒l prefer Pandora or Spotify depends on whether you want to discover new music or listen to old favorites, and on which service has the artists you want. Spotify鈥檚 library is much larger, but Taylor Swift famously pulled her music from the service late last year, though she鈥檚 still available on Pandora.

If not being able to stream 鈥1989鈥 and the extra $5 per month aren鈥檛 deal breakers, Spotify is a better bet. But if you鈥檙e still not sure, you can sign up for free trials of both Pandora One and Spotify Premium. And you can always use both without paying 鈥 though you鈥檒l be stuck with ads until you buy a subscription.