Watch video at end of story for student responses.

Music streaming is a necessity for most music fanatics, and different platforms often inflict debates among opposing users. However, in order to get the music you want, it all comes at a price.

Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music and other applications compete against one another for your attention and satisfaction, but how do you know which one to invest in? It all comes down to how you want your favorite music presented to you.

Here’s what they each have to offer.

Spotify is a playlist-based app. This platform allows users to create numerous playlists and even follow other people’s. The cool thing about it is that you can find your friends and see what kinds of tunes they are listening to that you might enjoy.

Pandora goes about things a different way. Various radio stations are created when selecting a favorite artist or song and plays similar artists or genres. This seems to be the easiest way to find new music you love or already love with the least amount of effort.

Apple Music is almost like a hybrid of both Pandora and Spotify. Except this one provides access to Apple Music’s entire music catalog. You can listen to new music and all of the songs or playlists made in iTunes all in one place.

“I’m a Spotify person,” said Laurel Hood, junior child development major. “Most of my friends have it and it’s cheaper than buying individual singles or albums. I feel like I get the most out of my money.”

One good thing about Spotify is a special they have for students. When you register with a school email you can get Spotify premium for only $4.99 per month, but it only lasts for a year.

I took a poll consisting of anonymous Twitter followers that told me what platform they prefer. The majority of voters said they use Spotify most. However, there was a tie between Pandora and the use of other platforms that weren’t listed.

I think a lot of what steers listeners into one app or the other is based on funds. Streaming costs money, at least if you want to get the most out of the platform without the annoying ads, and it really does add up after a while.

Ultimately, in the end it depends on what kind of music listener you are. Whether you love making playlists, creating radio stations or somewhat of a combination, it all depends on preference.

Carly Plemons can be reached at [email protected] or @plemnz on Twitter.