Strawberry Music PlayerLinux
vs
SpotifyWindows
Strawberry Music Player as a Linux alternative to Spotify
Updated
Our verdict
Strawberry is not a direct replacement for Spotify because it is a local music player, not a streaming service. It plays files you already own or download, rather than streaming from Spotify's servers. It suits users who have large local music collections or use Subsonic-compatible personal servers. It lacks Spotify's social features, official offline caching, and cross-device cloud sync. If you rely on Spotify's vast streaming catalog and paid offline mode, Strawberry will feel like a downgrade. It is best for audiophiles managing local libraries, not for casual streamers.
- License
- GPL-3.0+
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 1.2.31 (October 3, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Supports playlist creation and management, including smart/dynamic playlists
- Provides search functionality for artists, albums, and tracks within the library
- Includes audio visualization and equalizer features
- Supports podcasts via local file playback or Subsonic streaming
What is different
- Strawberry plays local files or Subsonic streams; it does not stream from Spotify's official catalog
- No official Spotify account integration for account-specific playlists or social features
- Lacks Spotify's cloud-based cross-device library syncing and offline caching for paid users
- Requires users to provide their own music files or a compatible streaming backend
Opening your Spotify files
Strawberry cannot open or play Spotify's proprietary streaming streams directly. It does not support Spotify's offline cache files. However, it can import M3U/M3U8 playlist files if you export them from Spotify, though the links will only work if you have the local files or a compatible server. It cannot sync your Spotify library directly.
Switching from Spotify to Strawberry Music Player, step by step
- Export your Spotify playlists as M3U files from the desktop app
- Ensure your local music library is organized and tagged correctly
- Import the M3U playlists into Strawberry
- Configure Strawberry to point to your local music directory
- Set up a Subsonic server if you want streaming access to your library
Key features of Strawberry Music Player
- Supports most popular audio formats and CD playback
- Edit tags and retrieve metadata from MusicBrainz
- Fetch album art from Last.fm, Discogs, and Spotify
- Advanced audio output configuration for bit-perfect playback
- Smart and dynamic playlist management
- Built-in equalizer and audio analyzer
- Scrobbling support for Last.fm and ListenBrainz
- Transfer music to USB players and iPods
How to install Strawberry Music Player on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.strawberrymusicplayer.strawberrysudo apt install strawberrysudo apt install strawberrysudo dnf install strawberrysudo pacman -S strawberrysudo zypper install strawberryFrequently asked questions
Can I use my existing Spotify account with Strawberry?
No, Strawberry does not support official Spotify account login for streaming. It can fetch album art from Spotify, but it cannot play Spotify streams.
Does Strawberry support offline playback?
Yes, but only for files stored locally on your device. It does not download and cache Spotify tracks for offline listening.
Can I stream music from the internet using Strawberry?
Yes, Strawberry supports Subsonic-compatible servers and has unofficial streaming support for services like Tidal and Qobuz, but not Spotify.
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