What streaming quality can I expect in Crates?

TL;DR: Crates lets you stream for discovery – but for the highest quality and real artist support, we recommend purchasing the music you love and want to keep for the long run.

Crates connects with several online services to help you explore music, but most limit high-quality playback outside their own apps:

• Spotify — Limits streaming quality and restricts third-party apps from full catalog playback.
• Apple Music — Streams at AAC 256 kbps (very good quality, though not lossless).
• YouTube Music — Streaming quality via embeds varies, up to 256 kbps.
• Bandcamp — Streams via web embeds at 128 kbps MP3.

We are actively exploring partnerships to bring high-quality, lossless streaming into Crates in the future.

Our philosophy is: stream what you’re curious about, purchase what you love.
Streaming is great for discovery, but buying music directly supports artists, gives you lasting ownership, and builds a healthier ecosystem for creators and fans alike.

👉 Try our Streaming vs Buying Calculator to see why directing your budget toward purchases is more impactful than paying rent for temporary streaming access.