Source-backed analysis8
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
8 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Shazam Review
Free Apple-owned app that identifies the song playing around you in seconds
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- iOS
- Android
- macOS
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Shazam suits anyone who often wonders what song is playing: it is free, recognises songs even offline and holds 4.9/5 on the US App Store from 8.9 million ratings. The trade-offs are that it does one job, the App Store page notes advertising, and many Trustpilot reviewers say accuracy has slipped on less mainstream music.
Best for: People who want to name a song heard in a shop, film or a TikTok, Instagram or YouTube video
Skip it if: People who want full-length playback: Shazam only identifies songs; playing them needs Apple Music, Spotify or another service
Pros
- Free, and per Google Play it recognises songs offline, with headphones or inside other apps
- Very high ratings: 4.9/5 on the App Store (8.9M ratings) and 4.8/5 on Google Play (12.3M reviews)
- Opens songs in Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and Deezer; adds synced lyrics, nearby concerts and charts
Cons
- Trustpilot shows only 1.5/5 from 154 reviews, with many saying accuracy is poor on classical, international and non-mainstream music (an unclaimed profile that does not invite reviews, so it may be skewed)
- The App Store page notes the app contains advertising
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Per Apple, recognition requests use a random identifier, not linked to your Apple Account by default
Cons
- It only identifies and recommends; full playback means switching to another music service
Best for
- iPhone users who want quick recognition from Control Center or Siri without opening the app
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
What Shazam is
Shazam is a music-recognition app: you tap a button, it listens to what is playing and tells you the song and artist. According to the company page, the service began in 2002 when users dialled "2580" and received a text with the song title; in 2008 Shazam was among the first apps in the App Store. Per Wikipedia, Apple completed its acquisition of Shazam on 24 September 2018. Google Play lists the developer as Apple Inc.
How it works and key features
Per the company page, the app creates a digital fingerprint of the audio and matches it against a database of millions of tracks, returning the song, artist, lyrics, video, artist biography and concert tickets. The Google Play description adds recognition while offline, with headphones or from other apps such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, plus a widget, Auto Shazam and charts. On Apple devices, Apple's support page explains how to add a Recognize Music button to Control Center without installing the Shazam app.
Pricing and value
The app is free; the US App Store page lists no in-app purchases but notes advertising. To hear full songs you open them in Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music or Deezer, on that service's terms. For a free app rated 4.8 to 4.9 out of 5 by millions on both stores, the value is very high relative to its scope.
More analysis
Who it fits, and the alternatives
Shazam fits people who need to name songs quickly. Spotify, YouTube Music or Apple Music are for full-length listening and complement it rather than replace it. The caveat is Trustpilot at 1.5/5 with many remarks about slipping accuracy, though Shazam does not invite reviews on that profile.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Miễn phí
PersonalFree
The app is free; the US App Store page lists no in-app purchases but notes advertising. Full songs are played by opening them in another music service such as Apple Music or Spotify.
- Free plan limits
- Neither the App Store nor Google Play lists in-app purchases; song recognition, the library, lyrics and concert recommendations are all free to use.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
Not applicable: Shazam is free and the pages reviewed list no charges.
Privacy
Apple's privacy page for Shazam Music Recognition says the app sends a song's audio fingerprint and your IP address to Apple to recognise the song and detect fraud. By default, requests are tied to a random, device-generated identifier that is not linked to your Apple Account. Apple stores the songs you identify to show your history; if you are signed in to an Apple Account with two-factor authentication, the history syncs through iCloud and can be turned off in Settings. Sharing location is optional and is used to show where you identified a song and improve the service. Apple shares de-identified, aggregated data (songs identified, approximate location) with labels and artists. Music Detection on Apple Watch runs entirely on-device and does not record or save audio. The shazam.com/privacy page lets you download or delete your data if you have a Shazam account. On Android, Google Play lists microphone, location, notifications and screen sharing as optional permissions; the app works without them, though some features may be unavailable.
Shazam alternatives
7.8/10Spotify
Music and podcasts with a free tier; Premium at $12.99/month in the US
7.6/10Apple Music
Apple's music streaming service: 100M+ songs, lossless and Spatial Audio
Frequently asked questions
Is Shazam free?
Yes. The app is free; the US App Store page lists no in-app purchases but notes advertising.
Does Shazam work offline?
Yes. The Google Play description says the app can recognise songs offline, with headphones or from another app.
Does Shazam listen to me all the time?
Apple's privacy page says the app sends the song's audio fingerprint to Apple when you request recognition. Per Google Play, microphone access is optional; if you turn on Auto Shazam, it keeps identifying songs even after you leave the app. Music Detection on Apple Watch, if enabled, runs on-device and does not record or save audio.
Who owns Shazam?
Apple. Per Wikipedia, Apple announced the purchase in December 2017 at a reported 400 million USD and completed it on 24 September 2018.
Review evidence & sources8
Scores
- Ease of use
- 9.0
- Features
- 7.5
- Value for money
- 9.0
- Performance
- 7.0
- Support
- 6.0
- Privacy & security
- 7.5
Why this score
One-tap recognition, with a widget, Control Center and Siri on iPhone; 4.9/5 on the App Store and 4.8/5 on Google Play from tens of millions of ratings.
Why this score
Offline recognition, Auto Shazam, lyrics, concerts, charts and links to many music services. Narrow scope: no full-length playback.
Why this score
Entirely free with no in-app purchases on the US App Store; the only drawback is the advertising noted on the App Store page.
Why this score
No independent accuracy data. Store ratings are high, but both Trustpilot and Google Play reviewers complain of wrong results or misses on less mainstream music and quiet background audio.
Why this score
Apple publishes a Shazam user guide, music-recognition help and a data-management page, and Google Play points to AppleCare support. No dedicated Shazam support channel was found in the pages reviewed.
Why this score
Apple's policy is clear: random identifier, optional location, de-identified shared data, Watch Music Detection stores no audio, and data can be downloaded and deleted. Marked down because audio fingerprints and IP are sent to Apple, and the App Store notes advertising.
What users say
- App Store (United States)4.9/5 · 8,900,000
- Google Play (United States)4.8/5 · 12,300,000
- Trustpilot1.5/5 · 154
Sources
- Vendor-providedShazam company pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedShazam & PrivacyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedApple: Shazam Music Recognition & PrivacyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedApple Support: use Shazam Music Recognition on Apple devicesNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (US)Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 10, 2026
- Community-reportedWikipedia: Shazam (music app)Nov 10, 2026
- review-siteTrustpilot: shazam.comNov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Apple
- Headquarters
- United States
- Launched
- 2002
- Category
- Entertainment
Capabilities
- Works offline
- Public API
- Mobile app
- Integrations
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
- macOS
Interface languages
- English
- Japanese
- Chinese
- Spanish
- French
- Korean
- German
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Indonesian
Integrations
- Apple Music
- Spotify
- YouTube Music
- Amazon Music
- Deezer
- Snapchat
- TikTok
- Siri
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Feature.Apple announces ShazamKit for Apple platforms and Android.
- Company.Apple completes the acquisition of Shazam.
- Company.Apple announces the acquisition of Shazam for a reported 400 million USD.
Full change history (6)
- Launch.Shazam launches on Android.
- Launch.The iPhone app debuts with Apple's App Store.
- Launch.The service launches in the UK as "2580": users dial the number and receive a text with the song title.
About the author
Reviews & comments
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