Tires of loading MP3s onto your smartphone every time you want new music, or having to purchase the latest music you want for each song? If so, you will definitely want to subscribe to a music streaming service to replace your MP3 collection. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a service. 

Simultaneous Streams

Are you planning to share the service with family members? Then you'll definitely want to find out how many people can simultaneously stream music from the service with your account. Some services offer family plans that can offer everyone in your household an individual login so you are not kicking people off the service. In general, this option is only a fraction of what it would cost for each person to have their own account.

Music Quality

Are you the type of person that loves high-quality music, and you listen to your music on high-end headphones and speakers? The quality of the music you are streaming may matter to you. Take a look at what the actual quality is of the music you are listening to. Basic streams may offer the equivalent of MP3 quality up to 320 kbps with lossy compression, while also offering a more premium quality that is the equivalent of listening to it directly off a CD. 

Artist Selection

Chances are that you have a few artists that you need to have on your music streaming service. Make sure to do your research to see if they are available on the service you are interested in. You may be surprised to see that one service has the artist you want, while another does not. This can often be a deal breaker if you are making the switch to a music streaming service.

Device Compatibility

How you listen to your music will depend on the device that you are using. Make sure that you do your research into whatever smart speaker, phone, or sound system you are using. Many have built-in apps where they handle the streaming without any issues, while others let you do it through wireless streaming from a compatible device. Either way, you don't want to be in a situation where you can't play your music anywhere you want.

Interface

Of course, even if a service has all of the above considerations working for you, the biggest deal breaker may be the app's interface. Take a look at what it is like to actually use the streaming service, and determine if it has an interface that looks nice and easy to use. This is important since you'll be interacting with the interface every single day. No matter what music radio streaming service you use, understanding these things can change your listening experience.