Spotify offers two official solutions to access its service: the traditional client (mobile or desktop) and a web player for those who prefer to use their browser to listen to music. But there are also alternatives such as theSpotube open source app which therefore offers a third solution to access the platform. This alternative Spotify client allows you to keep access to all the platform's mixes and lyrics, with the added possibility of offline playback and the use of YouTube as a secondary source.
So if you are not a big fan of the official solutions provided by Spotify, I highly recommend that you discover with us what Spotube offers.
Spotube, a different way to use Spotify
Spotube presents itself as an alternative, free and open source for Spotify that does not depend on heavy frameworks (like "Electron"). Instead, it combines the official Spotify API with two APIs for YouTube (official or Piped), and the JioSaavn platform, thus obtaining multiple audio sources. This strategy allows Spotube tooffer an experience very similar to Spotify Premium, without requiring a monthly subscription and all that legally !
Spotube's search engine is quite robust, making it easy to create custom playlists. It also allows access to lyrics of your songs favorites (when available), and when you click on the three-dot menu that accompanies each song, options appear such as adding to favorites, playing next, and the ability to get a copy for offline playback. If for some reason the music doesn't start, the alternative sources icon (the arrow that splits in two, just above the volume control) should help.
However, Spotube has some slightly rough aspects. This is particularly the case with its Spotify login process. The client does not accept traditional identifiers, and it is therefore necessary to copy the values of the keys generated during a session in the browser (these are sort of connection cookies). The process is explained in the application, but here is how to do it:
- Visit Spotify in your browser and log in
- Open the browser's developer tools by pressing F12
- For Chrome and Chrome based browsers : Go to the “App” tab.
- For Firefox : Go to the “Storage” tab.
- Find the Cookies section and copy the cookie values
sp_dcetsp_keyousp_gaid
- Paste the values into the respective fields on Spotube and press the “Submit” button
There you go! You're connected.
Spotube also doesn't provide access to podcasts and the Jam feature that lets you listen to music with your friends. However, the basic features are there, they work very well and I definitely recommend you give it a try.
Spotube is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Android and even several versions of Linux.
Summary of features supported by the alternative Spotify client Spotube
To recap, here is everything Spotube can do:
- No ads, thanks to the use of public and free APIs of Spotify and YT Music
- Downloadable tracks
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Low data consumption
- Anonymous/Guest Login
- Lyrics synchronized with time
- No telemetry, diagnostics or user data collection
- Native performance
- Open source/free software (available on Github)
- Playback control is done locally, not on the server
And here's what Spotube doesn't allow you to do:
- Spotify Shows and Podcasts: Audio tracks are only available on Spotify and therefore require a Premium subscription
- Simultaneous listening on Spotify (development is in progress though)
In conclusion, Spotube represents an interesting option for those looking for a free and open source alternative to Spotify. While there are limitations and challenges to overcome, the benefits, including the ability to play offline and access to a wide range of music content, make it an option worth considering.
