Clementine Music PlayerLinux
vs
SpotifyWindows
Clementine Music Player as a Linux alternative to Spotify
Updated
Our verdict
Clementine is not a direct replacement for Spotify because it does not stream Spotify's proprietary catalog. It is a local file player with internet radio support. If you own your music files, Clementine is a solid, fast alternative for managing and playing them. It lacks Spotify's massive streaming library, social features, and cross-device sync. Choose Clementine if you want to manage local audio files and listen to independent radio streams. Avoid it if you rely on Spotify's specific streaming content or need to sync playlists across multiple devices automatically.
- License
- GPL-3.0+
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 1.4.0rc2 (April 23, 2020)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Search functionality for artists, albums, and tracks
- Playlist creation and management
- Podcast discovery and download support
- Desktop audio control integration via MPRIS
What is different
- Cannot stream Spotify's proprietary music catalog
- No cross-device library syncing
- Requires local files or third-party cloud storage for offline playback
- Lacks Spotify's social sharing and collaborative playlist features
Opening your Spotify files
Clementine cannot open Spotify proprietary file formats or export playlists directly to Spotify. It supports standard playlist formats like M3U, XSPF, PLS, and ASX. If you have local files, you can import them. If you have Spotify playlists, you must manually recreate them or use third-party tools to export them to a supported format before importing into Clementine.
Switching from Spotify to Clementine Music Player, step by step
- Install Clementine via your package manager or Flathub
- Add your local music folders to Clementine's library
- Create new playlists or import existing M3U/XSPF files
- Configure internet radio stations if desired
- Set up cloud storage integration if you want to access remote files
- Test playback and adjust audio settings
Key features of Clementine Music Player
- Search and play local library
- Internet radio from Spotify, Soundcloud, Icecast, Subsonic
- Cloud integration (Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
- Smart and dynamic playlists
- Tag editing and transcode to MP3/Ogg/FLAC/AAC
- Lyrics, album art, and visualisations
- M3U/XSPF/PLS/ASX import/export
- Remote control via MPRIS or Android
How to install Clementine Music Player on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.clementine_player.ClementineFrequently asked questions
Can I use my Spotify account in Clementine?
No. Clementine does not integrate with Spotify's streaming service. It only supports internet radio streams from various sources, not Spotify's proprietary catalog.
Does Clementine support offline playback?
Yes, but only for local files or files downloaded from cloud storage. It does not support offline streaming of Spotify content.
Is Clementine free?
Yes, Clementine is free and open-source software licensed under GPL-3.0+.
2 other alternatives to Spotify
Strawberry Music PlayerStrawberry is a free, open-source Qt-based music player and collection organizer for Linux.Open sourceFreeFlatpakStrawberry Music Player vs Spotify
VLCVLC is a free, open‑source multimedia player that handles virtually any audio or video format.Open sourceFreeFlatpakVLC vs Spotify