Comparison of online music lockers


This is a comparison of online music storage services, Internet services that allow uploads of personally owned or licensed music to the cloud for listening on multiple devices.
There were three large services—Amazon Music, Apple's iTunes Match, and Google Play Music—each incorporating an online music store, with purchased songs from the associated music store not counting toward storage limits. Other than additional storage space, the main additional feature provided with an annual fee by Apple is "scan-and-match", which examines music files on a computer and adds a copy of matched tracks to the user's music locker without having to upload the files. Google provides both a large amount of storage space and the scan-and-match feature at no cost.
Amazon was the first of the currently significant players to launch their cloud music locker service in late March 2011 and the first to discontinue it on 30 April 2018. Amazon Music launched without obtaining any new music streaming licenses, which upset the major record labels. Google launched their service less than a month and a half later, also without obtaining any new licenses. Apple negotiated with the major record labels for a new license before launching their service six months after Google's. Amazon and Google eventually negotiated licenses before launching their scan-and-match features.
For streaming services where a person is unable to upload their own music, but is limited to music provided by the service, such as Pandora Radio and Spotify, see Comparison of on-demand streaming music services. See that article also for information on subscription streaming services provided by four of the companies below.

Comparison

Major differences between the services are Google offering scan-and-match and a large amount of storage as no-cost features, whereas others usually offer limited or no storage space for free and scan and match only with an annual fee.
Amazon did not allow podcasts, ringtones, or audiobooks to be uploaded. Apple does not allow audiobooks or podcasts to be uploaded.
Google Play MusicYoutube MusiciBroadcastiTunes MatchVOX Music Cloud
Owner:Google LLCYoutube LLCiBroadcast Media, LLCApple Inc.Coppertino Inc.
Launch date:2011-05-10 2012-06-152011-10-122015-04-15
Web player:
Windows player:
Android player:
iOS player:
Windows Phone player:
Other listening platforms:Android TV, Apple TV, other AirPlay, Chromecast, SonosApple TV, other AirPlaymacOS, Apple TV via AirPlay, Chromecast, Sonos
Free space:50,000 files-
Upload software:Windows, macOS, Linux, any web browserWindows, any web browserWindows, macOSVOX Player for Mac, any web browser
Filetypes uploaded:MP3MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, PCM, MKAMP3 and AACFLAC, MP3, AAC, M4A, WAV, OGG, AIFF, WMA, APE, ALAC
Filetypes transcoded:Transcoded to 320 kbit/s MP3:
AAC, ALAC, FLAC, WMA, OGG		Transcoded to 256 kbit/s AAC:
ALAC, WAV, AIFF
Maximum file size:300 MB200 MB or 2 hours
Premium service name:YouTube Music Premium
Youtube Premium		iTunes MatchLoop Music Cloud Storage
Premium service features:Matching included in basic featuresN/AMatch/import up to 100,000 filesUnlimited storage and playback
Premium annual cost:N/A$24.99, £21.99, €24.99, $39.99 $131.88
Matchable file types:MP3, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, Ogg, WMAMP3, AAC, AIFF, ALAC,
WAV		-
Result for matched song:320 kbit/s CBR MP3256 kbit/s AAC-
Premium service countries:63117Worldwide-

Former or defunct services