So, you’re finally doing it. You’re ditching the green circle for the red one. Maybe it’s the YouTube Premium bundle that got you, or maybe you’re just tired of Spotify’s UI changes that seem to happen every three weeks. Whatever the reason, the dread of losing a decade’s worth of carefully curated "Sad Girl Autumn" or "Gym Hype" lists is real. Transferring a Spotify to YouTube Music playlist isn't exactly a one-click native feature, which is honestly annoying in 2026. You’d think these billion-dollar companies would have a "handshake" protocol by now, but nope. They want to make it as hard as possible for you to leave.
It's a hostage situation. Your data is the ransom.
Let’s get one thing straight: doing this manually is a death sentence for your free time. If you have a playlist with 500 songs, searching for each one, verifying it’s the right album version (and not some weird live cover from a 2012 festival), and clicking "Add to Playlist" 500 times is a special kind of hell. You need a bridge.
Why the "Manual" Way is a Trap
I've seen people try to just keep both apps open on a split screen. Don't do that. You’ll miss tracks. You’ll grab the "Remastered 2009" version when you actually wanted the original mix. Plus, YouTube Music’s search algorithm is heavily influenced by YouTube's video side. If you aren't careful, you’ll end up adding a fan-made lyric video with terrible audio quality to your library instead of the official high-bitrate studio track.
The real issue is metadata. Spotify uses Ogg Vorbis; YouTube Music uses AAC/OPUS. When you move a Spotify to YouTube Music playlist, you aren't actually moving files. You are moving a list of instructions. If those instructions are slightly off, the bridge collapses.
The Third-Party Saviors (and their Catch)
Most people land on tools like TuneMyMusic or Soundiiz. They’re the gold standard for a reason. They essentially act as an automated bot that reads your Spotify API, identifies the ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) of each song, and then pings the YouTube Music API to find the match.
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TuneMyMusic is usually the go-to because the UI is dead simple. You log in to both, select your playlists, and hit go. It’s free for up to 500 tracks. If you’re a music hoarder with a "Liked Songs" library of 4,000 tracks, you’re going to have to cough up the five bucks for a month of premium. Honestly? It's worth it just to save the eight hours of manual labor.
Soundiiz is the "power user" version. It looks a bit more like a spreadsheet, which is intimidating to some, but it’s better for bulk management. It lets you sync playlists. This means if you add a song to Spotify, it magically appears on YouTube Music a few minutes later. It’s great if you’re in that "transition phase" where you haven't fully committed to the breakup yet.
The YouTube Music "Video" Problem
Here is what most people get wrong about moving a Spotify to YouTube Music playlist: the video toggle. YouTube Music is basically a reskinned version of YouTube. This is its greatest strength and its most annoying quirk.
When you transfer a playlist, these tools sometimes find the "Official Music Video" instead of the "Official Audio."
Why does it matter?
Intro dialogue.
Nothing ruins a workout more than a three-minute cinematic intro with actors talking before the beat drops.
When you finish a transfer, you have to check your settings. In the YouTube Music app, go to Settings > Data Saving and toggle on "Don't play music videos." This forces the app to prioritize the actual album track over the 4K music video version. It saves your data and your sanity.
What about FreeFlyer and Open Source Options?
If you’re tech-savvy and hate the idea of giving a third-party app access to your accounts (which is valid), there are GitHub projects like spotify-to-ytmusic. These are Python scripts. They work perfectly, they're free, and they don't store your data on a random server in Europe.
But, you have to know how to use a terminal. You have to set up a Google Cloud project to get an API key. It’s a lot of work for a one-time move. If you’re a developer, go for it. If you just want to listen to your 90s Grunge mix while you fold laundry, stick to the web-based converters.
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The Cleanup: Expect a 5% Error Rate
No tool is perfect. Metadata is messy. Sometimes a song exists on Spotify but is region-locked on YouTube, or it’s an "Appears On" track that doesn't have a direct equivalent.
When you move your Spotify to YouTube Music playlist, you should expect about 5 songs out of every 100 to be wrong. Usually, it’s a "Live" version instead of the studio one. Or, if you listen to obscure indie bands or local artists, the song might not be on YouTube Music at all.
- Step 1: Run the transfer.
- Step 2: Sort your new YouTube playlist by "Artist."
- Step 3: Scan for duplicates. Sometimes the bot gets confused and adds a song twice if it finds two slightly different versions.
- Step 4: Look for the "Video" icon. If you see a thumbnail that looks like a fan-made video, delete it and search for the official one.
Is YouTube Music Actually Better?
Since we're talking about the hassle of moving, is it even worth it?
If you’re a fan of live recordings, unreleased b-sides, or video game soundtracks that never got an official release, YouTube Music wins by a landslide. You can add literally any video on YouTube to your music library. That remix your cousin made in 2014 that’s only on his YouTube channel? You can put that right next to Taylor Swift in your playlist. Spotify can't do that without a very annoying "Local Files" sync process that breaks every time you update your phone.
However, Spotify’s "Connect" feature—where you can control your desktop music from your phone—is still miles ahead. YouTube Music’s casting is... fine. It’s just fine. It’s not seamless. You’ll feel that friction immediately.
Privacy and Permissions
One last thing: Once you’re done with the transfer, revoke the permissions.
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If you used a tool like TuneMyMusic or Soundiiz, you gave them "Read/Write" access to your accounts. That’s how they did the job. But you don't want that access hanging around forever. Go into your Google Account security settings and your Spotify "Apps" settings and disconnect them. It’s just good digital hygiene.
Moving Forward with Your Music
Don't overthink it. The longer you wait, the bigger your Spotify library grows, and the more painful the move becomes. Pick a tool, pay the $5 if you have to, and get it over with.
Next Steps for a Smooth Migration:
Start by cleaning up your Spotify playlists. Delete the stuff you don't actually listen to anymore. There’s no point in migrating digital clutter. Once that’s done, choose your bridge—use a web tool for speed or a Python script for privacy. After the transfer hits 100%, immediately go into the YouTube Music settings to "Limit Mobile Data Usage" and "Don't Play Music Videos." This ensures you're actually getting the high-quality audio versions of your songs rather than a low-res rip of a 2007 music video. Finally, spend ten minutes scanning your most important playlists for "mismatches" where the bot grabbed a live version instead of the studio track. Once the sync is verified, revoke those third-party app permissions to lock down your accounts. You’re now officially free of the Spotify ecosystem. Enjoy the extra storage and the YouTube Premium perks. It’s a different world over here.