The Ultimate iTunes Alternatives for Windows & Mac (TOP 10 LIST)

Every iTunes alternative is unique, and there are so many of them. The good news is that I've already picked the best ones for you. Keep reading.

It seems like iTunes is the worst piece of software Apple has ever created. Don’t get me wrong—when it first appeared in 2001, it was an excellent piece of software.

Unfortunately, as time passed, Apple kept adding stuff, and iTunes turned out to be very bulky. Glitchy, laggy, crashy, non-intuitive (totally against Apple’s approach), and cluttered—all perfectly describe what iTunes is today.

All of that created a huge incentive for third-party developers to create their own iTunes alternatives. Here is a video review of the best iTunes alternatives for Windows and Mac.

Honestly, I’ve never met a person who actually likes it. It can be “usable,” but certainly not enjoyable. It’s pretty much the same as existence, but not actual life, for any human being.

Many studies state that iTunes is one of the biggest drawbacks of switching from Android to iOS. The question is: Why doesn’t Apple work on it to make it better? Do they want to miss out on a large number of people?

Because of iTunes's suckish experience, many third-party developers saw a huge gap they could fill. And they did it. Instead of building the same overloaded iTunes alternative, most of them decided to focus on the most important features and leave all the extra stuff behind.

That’s how we developed our simple and powerful drag-and-drop approach, which totally blew up the whole industry.

AltTunes with WALTR PRO Combo

The Softorino team developed both apps, and they can do miracles when used together. AltTunes allows you to create backups, export files and media from your Apple device, and provide comprehensive data about your device. Check out what it is capable of in the video below!

WALTR PRO, on the other hand, is the most convenient tool for transferring any file from a computer to an iPhone. It automatically converts unfamiliar Apple file formats into compatible ones and stores them directly in your device's native apps. Apple Music for songs, Photos for photos and videos, Apple TV for movies and such.

Both apps are available through a single Universal License solution. For as much as $3,33 per month, you'll receive access to both apps and gain full control over the media between your computer and Apple device. 

AltTunes - Backup iPhone and transfer files from it to PC

AltTunes provides the most vital features that previously only iTunes could provide. Creating and managing backups is now much easier, as well as exporting any kind of content from your Apple device to your computer. 

When the first Backup finishes you will be able to:

• Create new and manage existing backups
• Move your documents and files
• Transfer your contacts directly
• High-class app management solution
• Transfer Safari data like bookmarks, reading lists, and history
• Export customized ringtones from iPhone
• Export and manage your eBooks, PDFs
• Access and export calendars
• Export call history and voicemail
• Transfer notes and voice memos
• iOS Advanced Management (USB or Wi-Fi connectivity, manage pairing, etc.)

This major list of features are now much easier to use thanks to comprehensive interface and export speed of AltTunes.

WALTR PRO - Transfer anything from PC to iPhone

It is the only iTunes alternative that lets you drag and drop any music, video, or ringtone, regardless of its format, to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without iTunes.

We at Softorino know that most people who use iTunes do so to transfer media content (movies, music, books, etc.) from their Macs onto their iOS devices.

This task isn’t easy when you must pass through format barriers, iTunes sync, and occasional errors — all created by Apple. Therefore, Softorino has decided to create the most efficient & effortless way of passing any media to any Apple Device. That’s how WALTR was created.

All files are automatically transferred into iOS native TV and music apps without syncing them via iTunes or using any third-party iOS media players.

Notable Features

Let’s start with ACR (Automatic Content Recognition). This technology allows WALTR PRO to fill out all the missing data (artwork, description, actors/singers, etc.) for any file you transfer through it. The app automatically pulls up all this info, so you don’t have to do it manually beforehand.

Secondly, automatic Wi-Fi frees you from using cables when connecting your iOS device to your computer. While using WALTR PRO, all your surrounding devices will be connected automatically for a wireless transfer of any files you have. The first device connection may require cable, but after this, you can fully rely on your local Wi-Fi network.

Music Player — iTunes Alternative

VOX

Honestly, this is my player of choice for Mac. There’s just nothing like it out there for all of us — macOS users, no other iTunes alternative is as smooth when it comes to music playback.

It reminds me of those good old days when I just tried Winamp for the first time ever…

It’s simple, elegant, powerful and so damn good! It can handle pretty much any audio format you throw at it. And when I say it — I mean it.

Coppertino — the company behind VOX, positions it as a premium Mac music player for hi-res audio playback. This is due to its support of not only mainstream MP3s but also the lossless audio formats so beloved by audiophiles, such as FLAC, ALAC, APE, and others.

Additionally, it offers some neat integrations with SoundCloud for seamless music streaming, unlimited cloud music storage (LOOP) for $15.99/month, and access to a handpicked library of literally 30000+ radio stations for a single payment of $9.99.

The bottom line: when it comes to the casual, lightweight music listening experience, VOX is definitely one of the best iTunes alternatives for macOS out there. Moreover, I am a big fan of their vision for UI/UX, which makes it really stand out from the crowd. It’s beautiful & functional — it is all I need.

Swinsian

Swinsian combines music playback and management on macOS. It has most of the features that iTunes is simply missing, which are crucial for a pleasant audio experience and make it a wonderful iTunes alternative. Plus, it cuts everything extra, so it’s not as bulky and overloaded as iTunes.

Suppose you are looking for an iTunes replacement that can manage and playback your music on macOS, and you are a veteran user of legacy non-iOS iPods. In that case, Swinsian can substitute iTunes entirely for you.

If you are an iDevice user (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch), you will still need to run iTunes to sync tracks, movies, ebooks, or applications and make backups.

Probably, the biggest advantage of Swinsian over iTunes is its speed & stability. You can easily have a library of 3TB+ of music in various formats (MP3, AAC, ALAC, WAV, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, AIFF, Opus, AC3, APE WavPack, MusePack, and WMA) and the app will handle them like nothing. On the other hand, iTunes will most likely crash or just loop hiccuping.

The bottom line: If you are looking for a media player and audio manager that can handle all of your music, and you don’t need to sync your iOS devices with it, Swinsian is a solid choice. It is very sleek and convenient.

Fidelia

The first thing that will totally shock you right after you launch Fidelia for the first time is — its size. The interface of this high-resolution music player is HUMONGOUS! Trust me on this one. It literally looks like a giant music amplifier on your desktop.

Nevertheless, the sound quality with which it reproduces any kind of audio format is superb—simply crystal clear. I was completely blown away from the very first second.

Fidelia is a good alternative to iTunes because it can handle lossless music on a new level. The developers of this app have put a lot of effort into creating it, and they have more than 10+ years of experience in music software development.

What makes this iTunes alternative great is the amount of control you have over your playback. You can adjust it to exactly the way you want it to sound. It’s magnificent. It offers a variety of customizations for a true audiophile experience.

The bottom line: Fidelia is not for everyone. It’s for those people who wanna go further & aren’t satisfied with a “normal & regular” sound quality. This app is an outstanding piece of music software for those who know what they want from their sound.

Clementine

Clementine is a nice, old-school-styled open-source iTunes alternative. It’s packed with features and is a truly robust iTunes replacement. This app is good at music playback and management.

Besides searching and playing your locally stored music, this great software allows you to do so many things that iTunes simply can’t. You can even listen to radio from Spotify, Grooveshark, SomaFM, Magnatune, Jamendo, SKY.fm, Digitally Imported, JAZZRADIO.com, SoundCloud, Icecast, and Subsonic servers.

Moreover, you can play your own songs from the cloud: Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. You will really enjoy this integration if you currently store any of your music in the cloud. Basically, it does everything you expect it to do.

The best thing that Clementine offers is a truly rich experience while being an alternative to iTunes. It is the only cross-platform app here that works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. I really like that it works like a charm and does everything that I need it to do. It can’t manage my iPhone’s media, but there are way better apps for that.

The bottom line: Clementine is an incredible piece of software & it’s full of useful features for casual music playback. I was really pleased with the app.

Price: Free (Open Source). Compatible with: macOS, Windows & Linux.

Video Player — iTunes Alternative

VLC

VLC needs no introduction. It’s my personal #1 choice for video playback on my Mac, and it is definitely a fantastic iTunes alternative for movies. It’s simply a beast of video player software that eats (plays) pretty much anything you throw at it.

It is the best video player on any desktop operating system, not just MacOS since it is multi-platform.

Sure thing it supports any video file you can think of, subtitles, multiple audio tracks: MPEG (ES, PS, TS, PVA, MP3), AVI, ASF / WMV / WMA, MP4 / MOV / 3GP, OGG / OGM / Annodex, Matroska (MKV), Real, WAV (including DTS), Raw Audio: DTS, AAC, AC3/A52, Raw DV, FLAC, FLV (Flash), MXF, Nut, Standard MIDI / SMF, Creative™ Voice and more.

Needless to say, VLC has been developed by a huge community of software engineers, and it’s nearly impossible to find a single bug, lag, or crash in it. It works very smoothly, and because Apple’s native QuickTime players do not support quite a long list of video formats — it makes VLC a must-app on any Mac.

The bottom line: VLC is a magnificent video player and a wonderful iTunes alternative for smooth, universal playback. I highly recommend everyone install it. It will make your life a lot easier and way happier while watching movies with it.

Price: Free (Open Source).Compatible with: macOS, Windows & Linux.

Data Recovery App — iTunes Alternative

SynciOS Data Recovery

This app is great at recovering all kinds of stuff & files from your iOS devices. This software lets you preview all the files and pick the ones you need to recover.

It can retrieve your pictures and texts from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, private contacts, reminders, bookmarks, notes, calendars, videos, call history, voicemail, and much more.

It easily restores lost data that you’ve already deleted, or that was caused by device damage, an iOS upgrade, or any other reason. SynciOS is a lifesaver. It’s extremely useful in all of these really painful accidents. Honestly, I couldn’t find any other software that did it so well.

SynciOS app offers three different ways of recovering sensitive data from your iPhone. You can scan it from your iOS device, recover your files and information by extracting an iTunes backup, or restore it from your iCloud backup.

The bottom line: iTunes is terrific if you have a backup of your iPhone, but what if you don’t? That’s precisely when this snappy recovery app comes into play and does it well, making it the best iTunes alternative for restoring all kinds of data.

iOS Manager — iTunes Alternative

iMazing

If you are looking for a perfect file management app that can replace clumsy iTunes — you will fall in love with iMazing from the very first second you use it because it is a magnificent iTunes alternative.

When it comes to Apple device management — it is as good as it can get.

This app is simply packed with features. You can easily transfer all kinds of files between your iOS device and your computer and vice versa. Plus, its interface is really gorgeous.

It’s funny, but I honestly enjoy using it a lot. And I don’t remember the last time I felt like this while using iTunes.

What I really enjoy in iMazing is that I do not have to go over syncing my iPhone with the computer every time I need to connect it. Due to the fact that I have over 100Gb of stuff in there, sometimes it can take around 15 min, which is pretty annoying.

It just transfers all kinds of media in-and-out without having to sync the whole iTunes library.

The bottom line: iMazing is a great iOS management app that can easily remove this function from iTunes. It can help you manage your apps, photos, books, contacts, music, etc. Its robust interface makes it a very good iTunes alternative that is pleasant to use.

AnyTrans

This iOS management app takes a completely different approach from the previous one. It offers you a few circles, each representing a shortcut. I found “Clone Device” and “Merge Device” to be pretty cool, especially when migrating from an older iPhone to a newer one.

Also, a pretty nice thing that AnyTrans offers as a good iTunes alternative is its ease of export from an iPhone to Mac or Windows.

This is especially useful when you need to remove something from your device as quickly as possible. Plus, it can rebuild your iTunes library in case your computer crashes or you just got a new one.

Moreover, AnyTrans offers iCloud support. The app lets you use multiple accounts, so you can distribute your files among them free of charge.

It also smartly resumes failed downloads, so you don’t waste time on them. Plus, it comes with a built-in iCloud interface, making it more convenient.

The bottom line: AnyTrans is a nice iOS manager. It does what you expect it to do pretty unusually (those circles above). Moreover, it offers many features that are simply missing in iTunes, making AnyTrans a decent iTunes alternative that might come in handy.

In conclusion

As you can see from this article — there are a lot of different iTunes replacements out there. Each of them is unique in its way. Some software developers try to push as many features as possible and almost entirely replace iTunes, while others only focus on some truly important features.

Which approach is better? It comes down to personal preference. I enjoy more “one-purpose” apps because they aren’t overpacked with stuff and fly quickly.

What’s more, they offer a much better experience. I am truly in love with WALTR 2 because it’s a great iTunes alternative for its ease of use and effectiveness.

Also, I enjoy VOX, and it’s my go-to music player when I want to play music locally. It’s especially cool when listening to high-definition music files such as FLAC.

Summing up, all the above apps are great at what they do. And more importantly, they do it better than iTunes — and that’s the catch.

Every single one of them brings something new to the table, something that Apple wasn’t really thinking about while developing iTunes. And this little detail that Apple missed — totally changes our user experience.