Every iTunes alternative is unique in its own way. There are so many of them. The good news is that I’ve already picked the best ones for you. Keep reading.
*The Best ITunes Alternatives For MacOS - Tech Junkie
*15 Best ITunes Alternatives You Can Use (2020) | Beebom
It definitely seems like the worst piece of software that Apple has ever created is iTunes. Don’t get me wrong, when it just appeared back in 2001 — it was a wonderful piece of software.
Sep 01, 2020 Another great iTunes alternative on the market is iMazing. As the name suggests, it is built specifically for iOS devices. With that said, we are all aware of how iTunes is no longer the perfect tool for managing your Apple devices – in fact, iTunes won’t even be available on the Mac after updating to macOS 10.15 Catalina. Decibel is another great iTunes alternative for Mac, but it doesn’t cater for everyone. First of all, this is due to its high cost. Secondly, to actually catch the difference with a default player, users will need a better sound system (like Sonos). However, if you are looking for. Jun 28, 2017 As a result, some people don't like to open iTunes to listen to music only. In this article, I will review the top 5 best iTunes alternatives for playing music on Mac, you can follow me to find the one you like most. Ecoute - Simple Music Player with Clean Interface. It is known as a simple music player for Mac with clean and elegant. Up to30%cash back #4. Fidelia iTunes Alternative. Those who want the best music to be played would easily find Fidelia as a great iTunes alternative player as it allows for the best combination of sonic character and audio fidelity, without compromising the audio waveform at all. Pros: Import music from your iTunes Library.
Unfortunately, as time passed by, Apple kept adding stuff to it and iTunes turned out to be very bulky. Glitchy, laggy, crashy, non-intuitive (totally against Apple’s approach) & cluttered — all of these perfectly describe what iTunes is today.
All of that made a huge incentive for 3rd party developers to create their own iTunes alternative. Also, here is a video review of the best iTunes alternatives for Windows & Mac for you:
Honestly, I’ve never met a person who actually likes it. It can be “usable”, but certainly not enjoyable. It’s pretty much the same as exist, but not actually live for any human being.
Cog is a superb small player for OS X which simply plays music files from your file system. None of the library rubbish that iTunes enforces. A small but important detail is that Cog is controlled by the media keys on the Mac keyboard too!
What’s more, a lot of studies state that iTunes is one of the biggest drawbacks in switching from Android to iOS. The question is: why doesn’t Apple work on it, makes it better? Do they wanna miss out on a pretty big number of people out there?
Because of this suckish experience that iTunes provides, a lot of 3rd party developers saw that there is a huge gap they can fill. And they did it. Most of them, though, instead of focusing on building the same overloaded iTunes alternative, decided to focus on the most important features and leave all the extra stuff behind.
That’s how we’ve come up with our simple & powerful drag-n-drop approach and totally blew up the whole industry.Drag-and-Drop Pusher — iTunes Alternative WALTR 2
WALTR 2 is the next generation of the highly-acclaimed WALTR Original (read below). It has everything that WALTR does, except — it offers way more fascinating & useful features now! Basically, it’s a totally different product.
Today WALTR isn’t just a drag-and-drop pushing app, it’s a magic drop area for your Apple device. This means that it’s no longer limited to iOS devices, it also supports every single Apple mobile device — starting with the original iPod dated 2001.
But this isn’t the only thing that’s new. WALTR 2 comes with a few very vital improvements on board. The whole team spent a big chunk of time & energy to make it possible.
So, here they are: ACR (Automatic Content Recognition), aWiFi (automatic Wi-Fi) & iBooks (PDF & ePUB) support.What’s new in WALTR 2?
Let’s start with ACR. This technology allows WALTR 2 to fill up all the missing data (artwork, description, actors/singers, etc) for any file you transfer through it. The app automatically pulls up all this info, so you don’t have to do it manually beforehand.
Secondly, automatic Wi-Fi frees you from the need to use cables when connecting your iOS device to your computer. While using WALTR 2 all of your surrounding devices will be connected automatically for a wireless transfer of any files you have.
And last but not least is iBooks support. Now this wonderful piece of software can transfer any PDF or ePUB file instantly onto your iOS device & have it ready for you to read it anytime.
Also, I would really like to emphasize on the fact that WALTR 2 has a very beautiful & minimalistic interface, which most other iTunes alternatives simply lack. First off, it doesn’t really have any buttons, just a dropping area — and that’s it.
You drag-and-drop any file you have on your computer (music, movie, ringtone, book) and it magically appears on your device. No conversions, iTunes hassle, crashes or any other inconveniences. When you use WALTR 2 you get the job done & enjoy the whole process along the way.
The bottom line: if you are looking for the fastest & easiest way to get any media content from your computer onto any Apple mobile device (iOS or not) — WALTR 2 is the way to go. It is an essential app that will save you a lot of trouble, time & nerves.
Honestly, I do not believe that you will ever look at iTunes again after using this snappy app.
Price: Free Trial, $39.95.Compatible with: macOS & Windows.WALTR Original
This is the first generation of WALTR 2 & the entry price level app by Softorino. The very 1st app in the world that could simply transfer any file (regardless of its format) onto an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch from macOS by just dragging-n-dropping it was — WALTR.
It is the only iTunes alternative that lets you simply drag & drop any music, video & ringtone regardless of its format to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch without iTunes.
The guys from Softorino knew that most of the people who are using iTunes, are doing it because they want to transfer some media content (movies, music, books, etc) from their Macs onto any iOS devices they possess.
This isn’t an easy task when you have to pass through: format barriers, iTunes sync, occasional errors — all created by Apple. Therefore, Softorino has decided to create the most efficient & effortless way of passing any media to any iDevice. That’s how WALTR got created.
When it comes to media pushing, it’s packed with a bunch of useful features.
WALTR Original easily transfers Apple’s unsupported files such as MKV & AVI or the classic MOV, MP4 for natural playback on iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.
Also, it pushes Music in any format, such as MP3, FLAC, APE, ALAC, M4R, AAC, AIFF, WAV, and even WMA, CUE, OGG, WV & TTA. Plus, the best of all is that you can play it from the device’s native player.
All files are automatically transferred into iOS native TV & Music apps without syncing them via iTunes or using any 3rd party iOS media players for that matter.Why WALTR?
One of the biggest advantages of WALTR compared with other solutions out there is its ease of use & consistency (no need to use anything else: converters, iTunes, etc). Even if you have a file that’s not supported by iOS, WALTR will simply adapt it by transcoding or converting it on-the-fly (without having to do it prior to transferring), so you can have it on your iDevice as soon as possible. This is exactly why this magic app is so unique.
The bottom line: WALTR Original is a magnificent app if you're looking for a way of transferring all of the media content that you have onto your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
In fact, it can even refresh your ringtones’ list on your iPhone. All of the above goodies definitely prove that this app is indeed a revolutionary piece of macOS software & nothing else compares to it because it is so darn easy & it just works!
Price: Free Trial, $19.95.Compatible with: macOS & Windows.Music Player — iTunes AlternativeVOX
Honestly, this is my player of choice for Mac. There’s just nothing like it out there for all of us — macOS users, no other iTunes alternative is as smooth when it comes to music playback.
It reminds me of those good old days when I just tried Winamp for the first time ever…
It’s simple, elegant, powerful and so damn good! It can handle pretty much any audio format you throw at it. And when I say it — I mean it.
Coppertino — the company behind VOX, positions it as a premium Mac music player for hi-res audio playback. This is due to its support of not only mainstream MP3s but also the so loved by audiophiles — lossless audio formats, such as FLAC, ALAC, APE, and others.
Additionally, it offers some neat integrations with SoundCloud for seamless music streaming, its unlimited cloud music storage (LOOP) for $15.99/month and it also provides access to a handpicked library of literally 30000+ radio stations for a single payment of $9.99.
The bottom line: when it comes to the casual, lightweight music listening experience, VOX is definitely one of the best iTunes alternatives for macOS out there. Moreover, I am a big fan of their vision for UI/UX, which makes it really stand out from the crowd. It’s beautiful & functional — it is all I need.
Price: Free.Compatible with: macOS only.Swinsian
Swinsian combines music playback & management on your macOS. It has most of the features that iTunes is simply missing, which are crucial for having a pleasant audio experience and make it a wonderful iTunes alternative. Plus, it cuts everything extra, so it’s not as bulky and overloaded as iTunes.
If you are looking for an iTunes replacement that can manage and playback your music on macOS, and you are a veteran user of legacy non-iOS iPods — Swinsian can substitute iTunes completely for you.
In case you are an iDevice user (iPhone, iPad or iPod touch), then you will still need to run iTunes if you need to sync tracks, movies, ebooks or applications, to make backups.
Probably, the biggest advantage of Swinsian over iTunes is its speed & stability. You can easily have a library of 3TB+ of music in various formats (MP3, AAC, ALAC, WAV, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, AIFF, Opus, AC3, APE WavPack, MusePack, and WMA) and the app will handle them like nothing. On the other hand, iTunes will most likely crash or just loop hiccuping.
The bottom line: if you are looking for a media player & audio manager that can handle all of your music, and you don’t have a need to sync your iOS devices with it, then Swinsian is a solid choice. It is very sleek and convenient.
Price: Free Trial, $19.95.Compatible with: macOS only.Fidelia
The first thing that will totally shock you right after you launch Fidelia for the first time is — its size. The interface of this high-resolution music player is HUMONGOUS! Trust me on this one. It literally looks like a giant music amplifier on your desktop.
Nevertheless, the sounds quality with which it reproduces any kind of audio format is superb. Simply crystal clear. I was completely blown away from the very first second.
Fidelia is a really good alternative to iTunes because it can handle lossless music on a totally new level. The developers of this app have really put a lot of effort into creating it, with more than 10+ years of experience in music software development.
What makes this iTunes alternative really great is the amount of control you have over your playback. You can adjust it to exactly the way you want it to sound. It’s magnificent. It offers a bunch of customizability for a true audiophile experience.
The bottom line: Fidelia is not for everyone. It’s for those people who wanna go further & aren’t satisfied with a “normal & regular” sound quality. For those who really know what they want from their sound — this app is an outstanding piece of music software.
Price: Free Trial, $29.99.Compatible with: macOS only.Clementine
Clementine is a nice old-school styled open source iTunes alternative. It’s packed with features & is a truly robust iTunes replacement. This app is good at music playback & its management.
Additionally to searching and playing your locally stored music, this great piece of software allows you to do so many things that iTunes simply can’t. You can even listen to radio from Spotify, Grooveshark, SomaFM, Magnatune, Jamendo, SKY.fm, Digitally Imported, JAZZRADIO.com, SoundCloud, Icecast, and Subsonic servers.
Moreover, you can play your own songs from the cloud: Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. You will really enjoy this integration if you currently store any of your music in the cloud. Basically, it does everything you expect it to do.
The best thing that Clementine offers is a truly rich experience while being an alternative to iTunes. It is the only cross-platform app here that works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. I really like that it works like a charm & does everything that I need it to do. It can’t manage my iPhone’s media but there are way betters apps for that.
The bottom line: Clementine is an incredible piece of software & it’s full of useful features for casual music playback. I was really pleased with the app.
Price: Free (Open Source). Compatible with: macOS, Windows & Linux.Video Player — iTunes AlternativeVLC
VLC needs no introduction. It’s my personal #1 choice when it comes to video playback on my Mac and it definitely is a fantastic iTunes alternative for movies. It’s simply a beast of a video player software that eats (plays) pretty much anything you throw at it.
I believe it to be the best video player on any desktop operating system, not just macOS since it is multi-platform.
Sure thing it supports any video file you can think of, subtitles, multiple audio tracks: MPEG (ES,PS,TS,PVA,MP3), AVI, ASF / WMV / WMA, MP4 / MOV / 3GP, OGG / OGM / Annodex, Matroska (MKV), Real, WAV (including DTS), Raw Audio: DTS, AAC, AC3/A52, Raw DV, FLAC, FLV (Flash), MXF, Nut, Standard MIDI / SMF, Creative™ Voice and more.
Needless to say that VLC has been developed by a huge community of software engineers and it’s nearly impossible to find a single bug, lag or get a crash in it. It works very smoothly, and considering the fact that Apple’s native QuickTime players do not support quite a long list of video formats — makes VLC a must app on any Mac.
The bottom line: VLC is a magnificent video player and a wonderful iTunes alternative for smooth & universal playback. I highly recommend everyone to have it installed. It will make your life a lot easier and way happier while watching movies with it.
Price: Free (Open Source).Compatible with: macOS, Windows & Linux.Data Recovery App — iTunes AlternativeSynciOS Data Recovery
This app is great at recovering all kinds of stuff & files from your iOS devices. This piece of software lets you preview all the files and pick the ones that you need to recover.
It can retrieve your pictures, texts from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, private contacts, reminders, bookmarks, notes, calendars, videos, call history, voicemail and much more.
It easily restores lost data that you’ve already deleted, or that was caused due to device damage, iOS upgrade or for any other reason. SynciOS is a lifesaver. It’s extremely useful in all of these really painful accidents. And, honestly, I couldn’t find any other software that does it so well.
SynciOS app offers three different ways of recovering your sensitive data from your iPhone. You can restore it from your iOS device by scanning it, recover your files & information by extracting an iTunes backup or restoring it from your iCloud backup.
The bottom line: when it comes to iTunes, it’s wonderful if you have a backup of your iPhone, but what if you simply don’t? — That’s exactly when this snappy recovery app comes into play & does it really well, making it the best iTunes alternative for restoring all kinds of data.
Price: Free Trial, $39.95.Compatible with: macOS & Windows.iOS Manager — iTunes AlternativeiMazing
If you are looking for a perfect file management app that can replace clumsy iTunes — you will fall in love with iMazing from the very first second you use it because it is a magnificent iTunes alternative.
When it comes to Apple device management — it is as good as it can get.
This app is simply packed with features. You can easily throw all kinds of files in-between your iOS device and your computer & vice versa. Plus, its interface is really gorgeous.
It’s funny, but I honestly enjoy using it a lot. And I don’t remember the last time I felt like this while using iTunes.
What I really enjoy in iMazing is that I do not have to go over syncing my iPhone with the computer every time I need to connect it. Due to the fact that I have over 100Gb of stuff in there, sometimes it can take around 15 min, which is pretty annoying.
It just transfers all kinds of media in-and-out without having to sync the whole iTunes library.
The bottom line: iMazing is a great iOS management app that can easily take this function away from iTunes. It can help you manage your apps, photos, books, contacts, music, etc. Its robust interface makes it a very good iTunes alternative that is pleasant to use.
Price: Free Trial, $39.99Compatible with: macOS & Windows.AnyTrans
This iOS management app has a completely different approach from the previous one. It offers you a few circles, and each of them represents a shortcut. I found “Clone Device” and “Merge Device” to be pretty cool, especially when migrating from an older iPhone to a newer one.
Also, a pretty nice thing that AnyTrans offers as a good iTunes alternative is its ease of export from an iPhone to Mac or Windows.The Best ITunes Alternatives For MacOS - Tech Junkie
This is especially useful when you need to get something out of your device as quickly as possible. Plus, it can rebuild your iTunes library in case your computer crashed or you just got a new one.
Moreover, AnyTrans offers iCloud support. The app lets you use multiple accounts, so you can distribute your files among them free of charge.
It also smartly resumes failed downloads, so you don’t waste time on them. Plus, it comes with a built-in iCloud interface making it more convenient.
The bottom line: AnyTrans is a nice iOS manager. It does what you expect it to do in a pretty unusual way (those circles above). Moreover, it offers a good number of features, which are simply missing in iTunes, which make AnyTrans a decent iTunes alternative that might come in handy.
Price: Free Trial, $39.99.Compatible with: macOS & Windows.15 Best ITunes Alternatives You Can Use (2020) | BeebomIn conclusion
As you can see from this article — there are a lot of different iTunes replacements out there. Each of them is unique in its own way. Some software developers are trying to push as many features as they can, and almost entirely replace iTunes, while others only focus on some truly important features.
Which approach is better? — It comes down to your personal preference. Frankly, I enjoy more “one-purpose” apps since they aren’t overpacked with stuff and fly really quickly.
What’s more, I believe that they offer a much better experience. I am truly in love with WALTR 2 because it’s a great iTunes alternative due to the ease of use and it’s effectiveness.
Also, I really enjoy VOX and it’s currently my go-to music player when I desire to play it locally. It’s especially cool when listening to some hi-def music files such as FLAC.
Summing up, all of the above apps are really great at what they do. And more importantly, they do it better than iTunes — and that’s the catch.
Every single of them brings something new to the table, something that Apple wasn’t really thinking about while developing iTunes. And this little detail that Apple missed — totally changes our user experience.
