Do you remember when we used to download music from sketchy websites or even record it off the TV just to be able to stream it offline? Thankfully, all that changed when Spotify launched in 2008. It delivered exactly what people needed: fast, legal, and on-demand music streaming without piracy.
Today, Spotify is one of the leading music streaming apps worldwide, with over 678 million users, including 268 million subscribers. It’s packed with features like personalized playlists, offline listening, and even podcasts. No wonder it made $44.58 billion in revenue in 2024 alone. And that success has sparked a big idea for many entrepreneurs and creators: “What if I build a native app like Spotify, but for my audience or my brand?”
But Here’s The Problem
Building a native music streaming app like Spotify isn’t easy or cheap at all. Creating a full Spotify clone app with all its powerful features requires technical knowledge and advanced coding skills. But what if you are not a developer and you don’t have any coding skills?
In that case, You’d have to hire an entire team of mobile engineers, backend developers, and designers, which could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars and many months of development just to launch the app.
The Real Question Is: How to build a native Spotify-like music app without coding and on a budget?
In this article, I’ll tell you exactly how you can build a music streaming app like Spotify for less than $100 using nandbox AI-powered native app builder without writing a single line of code, in addition to:
- What Spotify is and why so many businesses and creators want to clone it
- What features make Spotify successful (and how to replicate them in your app)
- How much does it cost to build a native app like Spotify in 2025
- How you can create your own Spotify clone music app for less than $100 using nandbox
What Is Spotify, And Why Does Everyone Want to Clone It?
Do you know that Spotify didn’t launch just to stream music?
Back in the early 2000s, there were no legal platforms for streaming music. People had to come up with their own ways to stream music, often illegal ones like downloading MP3s from sketchy websites. However, all users really wanted was a free, legal, and fast way to stream music. That’s exactly what Spotify was built for.
In 2006, the two Swedish entrepreneurs Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon saw that gap and decided to come up with a solution, and Spotify was the answer to it.
Spotify was then launched in 2008 with two models: a free ad-supported plan and a premium subscription plan without ads. It offered instant and fast access to millions of music tracks and songs legally. And most importantly, without downloading a single MP3 file or heading to sites like MP3Skull (not gonna lie, that used to be my go-to back in the day).
Today, Spotify is one of the largest music streaming platforms on the Apple Play Store and Google Play Store, with over 600 million active users worldwide. This inspired many entrepreneurs and businesses to create their own music streaming app like Spotify. So, why do so many people want to create a native music app like Spotify and what do they gain?
Why Do People Want to Build an App Like Spotify
If you’re an artist, podcaster, entrepreneur, or just someone who’s passionate about music, you’ve probably thought about building your own music streaming app. So let’s discover what benefits you’d get with a Spotify clone app.
1. Huge Audience Potential
Building a native app like Spotify will help you reach a global audience, no matter what their taste in music is or even their region. You can also target any niche community like indie fans, meditation music, or regional artists, as well.
2. Monetization Features
You can gain revenue by offering a freemium model with ads or premium subscriptions. You can also include in-app purchases, exclusive content, or even partner with sponsors to monetize your platform. That way, you can gain predictable, scalable monthly revenue.
3. Full Control Over Branding and Experience
Instead of just uploading music as an artist, having your own Spotify-like app can help you personalize the app’s branding and experience based on your needs. This can help with brand recognition and exposure.
4. Social and Community Features
You can add features like fan groups, chat, and playlist sharing to make your app feel more like a social network for music lovers, not just a player.
What Features Made Spotify Successful and How to Replicate Them in Your Spotify Clone App?
Now that we’ve covered why so many creators and entrepreneurs want to build a native app like Spotify, let’s break down the key features that made it a global success.
The truth is, Spotify’s success isn’t just about music streaming. There are plenty of apps out there that stream music, but they never reached Spotify’s level. So what made Spotify stand out?
Spotify offers an exceptional user experience as well as powerful, engaging features, not just a regular music player. These features are a must-have, and they’re the reason why Spotify is the leading music streaming app in 2025.
The good news? You can replicate all of these powerful features without writing a single line of code using nandbox no-code app builder.
Spotify Features, Why They Matter, and How You Can Easily Add Them Using nandbox
| Feature | Why It Matters | Available in nandbox? |
| Built-in Music Player | Core of any music streaming app. Lets users stream audio within the app. | Yes, nandbox offers a built-in music player with controls like play/pause and much more. |
| Continuous Playback | Keeps music playing even when users switch tabs or lock their phones. | Yes, nandbox offer a continuous playback feature. |
| Online and Offline Listening | Allow users to stream music online and without internet access. | Yes, nandbox offers both on-demand music streaming and a download feature. |
| Personalized Playlists | Keeps users engaged by recommending music that matches their taste. | Yes, nandbox offers personalized AI-powered music recommendations and playlists. |
| Music Library and Playlists | Give users access to millions of music tracks and songs of different genres. | Yes, nandbox offers both a music library and playlists. |
| User Profiles and Login | Important to save user activity, playlists, and preferences. | Yes, nandbox offers a user profile system and multiple login options. |
| Search and Filters | Allow users to find songs and artists easily. | Yes, nandbox provides advanced search and filtration tools where users can search by song, artist, or genre. |
| Push Notifications | Keeps users engaged with alerts for new content or updates | Yes, nandbox offers unlimited branded push notifications. |
| Multi-platform Support | Allows you to reach users on both iOS and Android. | Yes, 100% native iOS and Android apps. |
| Monetization Features | Allows creators or businesses to offer ads, premium content or subscriptions. | Yes, nandbox offers multiple monetization features such as ads, subscriptions, and in-app purchases. |
As you can see, all these powerful features are offered by nandbox for both iOS and Android.
The Development Cost of Building an App Like Spotify in 2025
If you’ve made it this far, then you’re clearly serious about launching your own music streaming app like Spotify. But the sad truth is, building a native app like Spotify the traditional way is expensive and requires several months just to launch the app.
To create a Spotify clone app from scratch, you’d need to hire:
- iOS and Android developers
- UI/UX designers
- Backend engineers (for audio streaming, storage, user accounts, etc.)
- DevOps for hosting and scaling
- QA testers
And that’s just to launch the app. For post-launch, you’ll still be paying for bug fixes, feature updates, server costs, streaming infrastructure, maintenance, hosting and more.
So here’s a breakdown of how much it costs to build a native app like Spotify in 2025, based on app complexity and feature depth:
| App Type | Features | Development Cost | Timeline |
| Basic Spotify-Style App | Music player (play/pause), user login, profile, basic playlists, simple UI | $25,000 – $60,000 | 3-4 months |
| Moderate Complexity App | + Offline listening, playlist creation, push notifications, freemium monetization, AI-powered recommendations | $80,000 – $150,000 | 5-8 months |
| Full-Featured Spotify Clone | + Real-time streaming, social features, native iOS and Android apps, scalable backend and analytics | $400,000 – $1M+ | 9-14+ months |
Of course, this kind of budget isn’t realistic at all for small businesses, indie creators, or any entrepreneur trying to launch a Spotify clone app on a budget.
So how can you actually build a music streaming app like Spotify on a budget in 2025?
The short answer: nandbox AI-powered no-code app builder.
The Smarter Solution: How to Build a Music Streaming App Like Spotify Under $100 With nandbox
I know this might seem unrealistic after seeing how expensive it is to build a native Spotify-style app, but believe me, with nandbox, it’s true.
nandbox is a powerful no-code native app builder that lets anyone, even with zero coding and technical experience, create their own fully functional, enterprise-level native app in just a few minutes, all for less than $100 per month.
That includes
- A native iOS and Android music app
- Built-in music player with play/pause and continuous playback
- Support for playlists, offline listening, and AI-powered recommendations
- User login, push notifications, monetization, and more
With nandbox, you can build a music streaming app all on your own without hiring developers or designers. So how does nandbox make all that possible? Let’s find out.
No Code Needed
nandbox helps anyone build a fully featured, 100% native iOS and Android app without writing a single line of code, all in a matter of minutes.
Pre-Made Templates
nandbox offers powerful industry-specific pre-made app templates that can further help you build your dream app in no time.
Pre-Built Native Features
With nandbox, you can easily add any feature that normally takes months to develop with just a single click. For your music app, you can add a player, playlists, AI tools, monetization features and many more. all on your own.
Drag-and-Drop Builder
nandbox offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that allows you to add any feature you want in seconds. All you have to do is drag any pre-made feature and drop it into your app interface, and that’s it.
AI-powered App Building
Can you believe you can now build a fully functional native app just by chatting with an AI? With nandbox, it’s a reality.
nandbox is the only AI-powered native app builder on the market. All you have to do is describe your idea in plain language, and your app will instantly be generated complete with backend logic, app structure, features, and a ready-to-launch interface. Just type what you want, and let nandbox AI tools do the rest for you.
These AI tools include
Unique Features That nandbox Offers That Spotify Doesn’t (And How They Can Make Your App Stand Out)
What if I told you that with nandbox, you won’t just build a Spotify clone app? You can actually create a better version with powerful features that even Spotify doesn’t offer. These features can help your app stand out in today’s competitive market. Who knows? Your app could become the next leading music streaming app.
Let’s explore the unique features you can add to your music streaming app using nandbox’s no-code builder:
1. Booking With Built-in Calendar
nandbox allows you to add a smart booking system with a built-in calendar. That way, users can book concerts, live shows, and events directly from your app.
2. In-app Store With Secure Payment Gateways
You can easily add a fully functional store with secure payment methods, such as cash, credit cards, debit cards, Stripe, and PayPal, to your Spotify-like app. Users can then buy merch, tickets, exclusive content and much more, all within the app.
3. Channels and Newsfeed
You can create news feeds and channels to keep your users updated about the latest music releases, events, artists updates and more.
4. Built-in Messenger
Spotify doesn’t allow direct messaging between users, but you can. You can easily add 1-on-1 chats, group chats, or even artist-fan groups. That way, your app will offer a true social experience, not just a music player.
5. Video Streaming Support
Unlike Spotify, nandbox lets you upload full-length videos, music clips, or behind-the-scenes footage so users can stream videos directly inside your app. This feature is great for artists, content creators, or anyone who wants to offer more than just audio.
6. User-Generated Content (UGC)
With nandbox, you can give your users the power to upload their own audio or video content. Whether it’s indie artists sharing tracks or fans uploading remixes. That way, you can create a creator-first community.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Build a Native App Like Spotify for Less Than $100 With nandbox
With nandbox, you can build a fully native app, complete with configuration, themes, colors, features, and everything, in just six steps without writing a single line of code.
Step 1. Choose a Pre-Made Template
First, head to nandbox.com and choose from an extensive library of pre-made templates, which can help you create your app in minutes.
Step 2. Sign up at nandbox
Now you can sign up for your free trial; no credit card is required.
Step 3. Music Library
How to Add Tracks
- Go to Admin Menu → Content Manager → Contents
- Select the Audio type.
- Upload your audio file, give it a title, description, and cover image.
- Click “Create” to save it.
How to Display Music Tracks in The App
- Head to App Navigation → Add List & Search component and click Setup.
- Under Data Binding & Query Setup, set the Data Source to “Content.”
- Click Create Query to preview your music list in real time.
- Customize the list style and theme to match your app branding.
Step 4. Search and Discovery
To enable search and filtration tools, follow these steps:
- Add a Search Bar from the List & Search component tab.
- Go to Query Builder and set the query type to Multi-Match.
- Select the fields you want users to search by: name, description, or both.
- Click Create Query to confirm the search works in real time.
Step 5. App Preview
You can preview all the changes you’ve made while building your app, including both light and dark modes, using nandbox App Simulator. However, to see the real app experience, you’ll have to build and install the app first.
Step 6. Build and Publish
Once you’ve finished setting up your Spotify-style app, it’s time to build, test, and publish.
Now, you can download your app and test it on your device right away.
- Your app will already include built-in Play/Pause controls
- Your app will support continuous playback, even when users switch tabs or lock their screen
- And your music library, search, and branding are all live
Congrats! You’re now ready to publish your app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Wrapping it Up
As you can see, building an app like Spotify sounds like a massive, expensive project, especially using the traditional way.
But not anymore.
With nandbox AI-powered app builder, you don’t need any coding skills, a tech team, or a big budget. You can build a fully native, fully functional music streaming app with all the powerful features, playlists, AI recommendations, search, and more, all for less than $100.
And the best part? It’s actually yours.
You get to customize the branding, choose the features, connect with your audience, and monetize it the way you want, something you’ll never get from just uploading your content to Spotify.
So whether you’re a musician, content creator, or entrepreneur, now’s your chance to build your own platform instead of just using someone else’s. What are you waiting for? Start building your app today!
FAQs: How to Build a Native App Like Spotify in 2025
Can I build a music app like Spotify without Coding?
Yes, with platforms like nandbox no-code app builder, you can create a Spotify-style app entirely on your own with no developers, no coding, and no technical background required.
How much does it cost to build a Spotify clone app in 2025?
A fully custom Spotify clone app can cost anywhere between $80,000 and $1 million. But with nandbox, you can build a Spotify-style app for less than $100 per month using their no-code platform.
How long does it take to build a music streaming app from scratch?
Traditional development takes 5 to 12+ months, depending on complexity. With nandbox, you can launch your app in 1–2 weeks, thanks to its drag-and-drop builder and pre-built components.
How do music apps like Spotify make money?
Spotify and similar apps monetize through premium subscriptions, ad-supported free plans, in-app purchases, exclusive content, and sponsorships. You can implement all of these with nandbox’s monetization tools.
Which is the best no-code platform to build a music app in 2025?
nandbox is one of the only no-code platforms That offers native iOS and Android apps, with features like audio playback, a download feature, AI tools, and real-time preview. This makes it ideal for music apps.
What are the must-have features for a music streaming app like Spotify?
Essential features include a music player, offline listening, user playlists, search and filtering, AI recommendations, user profiles, and monetization options like subscriptions or in-app purchases; all are available in nandbox.
Is it legal to create a Spotify clone app?
Yes, it’s legal to build a Spotify-style app as long as you’re not copying Spotify’s branding or violating music licensing laws. You’ll need legal rights to stream or distribute any music you upload.
