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SiriusXM alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave SiriusXM: limited on-demand listening, and pricing and promotions change often. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces SiriusXM, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Pandora currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Pandora logoPandoraFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android2 of 266.5
2iHeartRadio logoiHeartRadioFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 362.6
3TuneIn logoTuneInFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 359.6
4Spotify logoSpotifyFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +25 of 557.2
  1. Pandora logo

    1. PandoraTop pick

    Best for: US listeners who prefer lean-back personalised radio stations

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from SiriusXM

    Same owner, with free personalised radio stations.

    Pros

    • Excellent personalised radio stations
    • Free ad-supported tier
    • Widely built into US cars and speakers

    Cons

    • Only available in the United States
    • On-demand features feel secondary
    • No lossless audio
    Visit Pandora Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Pandora a good SiriusXM alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 2 verified
    Recommendation engine
    Music Genome Project
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pandora.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Availability
    United States only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026pandora.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. iHeartRadio logo

    2. iHeartRadio

    Best for: Listeners who want free live radio, talk shows and podcasts in one app

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from SiriusXM

    Free live radio, artist stations and podcasts.

    Pros

    • Free live radio, artist stations and podcasts
    • Works on a huge range of devices
    • Strong podcast catalogue

    Cons

    • Ads throughout the free experience
    • On-demand listening needs a paid plan
    • Features vary outside the US
    Visit iHeartRadio Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is iHeartRadio a good SiriusXM alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free app
    Checked Oct 25, 2026iheart.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Content
    Music, radio stations and podcasts
    Checked Oct 25, 2026iheart.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Devices
    Alexa, CarPlay, Android Auto and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026iheart.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. TuneIn logo

    3. TuneIn

    Best for: Listeners who want live radio stations, news and sports from anywhere

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from SiriusXM

    Internet radio with premium live sports and commercial-free news.

    Pros

    • Free access to stations worldwide
    • Live sports and news in one app
    • Built into many speakers and cars

    Cons

    • No on-demand song selection
    • Stream quality varies by station
    • Ads on the free tier
    Visit TuneIn Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is TuneIn a good SiriusXM alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free tier
    Free internet radio
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tunein.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium trial
    7 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tunein.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium content
    Commercial-free news and music, live sports
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tunein.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Spotify logo

    4. Spotify

    Best for: Most listeners who want a huge catalogue, great recommendations and apps on every device

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from SiriusXM

    Full on-demand music and podcasts with a free tier.

    Pros

    • Excellent personalised playlists and recommendations
    • Free tier with ads
    • Works on nearly every device via Spotify Connect
    • Podcasts and audiobooks in the same app

    Cons

    • Low per-stream payouts to artists
    • Lossless tops out at CD-level 24-bit/44.1kHz
    • Home screen pushes podcasts and audiobooks
    Visit Spotify Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Spotify a good SiriusXM alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Users
    788 million, 306 million subscribers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026newsroom.spotify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Markets
    184
    Checked Oct 25, 2026newsroom.spotify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, with ads
    Checked Oct 25, 2026spotify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Lossless
    Up to 24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.spotify.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plans
    Individual, Duo, Family, Student
    Checked Oct 25, 2026spotify.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best SiriusXM alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Pandora logo

Best SiriusXM alternative for most people

Pandora

Same owner, with free personalised radio stations.

iHeartRadio logo

Best SiriusXM alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

iHeartRadio

Free live radio, artist stations and podcasts.

Spotify logo

Best SiriusXM alternative for Mac

Spotify

Full on-demand music and podcasts with a free tier.

Spotify logo

Best SiriusXM alternative for Windows

Spotify

Full on-demand music and podcasts with a free tier.

TuneIn logo

Best SiriusXM alternative for iPhone and Android

TuneIn

Internet radio with premium live sports and commercial-free news.

Pandora logo

Best SiriusXM alternative for working in the browser

Pandora

Same owner, with free personalised radio stations.

SiriusXM alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to SiriusXM?

Pandora ranks first right now. Same owner, with free personalised radio stations. iHeartRadio and TuneIn follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to SiriusXM?

Yes. Pandora (free plan + paid), iHeartRadio (free plan + paid), TuneIn (free plan + paid) and Spotify (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to SiriusXM?

None of the 4 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from SiriusXM?

The complaints we hear most: limited on-demand listening; pricing and promotions change often; mostly limited to the US and Canada.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces SiriusXM, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.