iTunes used to be the place where iPhone and iPod users synced their music and files across devices, updated and backed up, and did a lot more. However, with macOS Catalina, Apple finally declared end-of-life for iTunes on Mac, and replaced it with Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV — one dedicated app for each of the main use cases for iTunes. As for managing your iPhone, iPad, and iPod, you can now use Finder to do all of it easily. However, if you loved using iTunes on your Mac, and are looking for apps like iTunes, here are the 17 best iTunes alternatives you can use in 2022.
When you are trying to replace a multitasking software like iTunes, you’ve got to be a little more choosy. We have included a section here that can help you figure out what kind of iTunes alternatives you need. If you want to skip it, you can use the table of content below to skip directly to our app list.
- Which iTunes Alternatives Should You Choose?WALTR PROMusicBeeVox: MP3 & FLAC Music PlayerWinX MediaTransDearMob iPhone ManagerMusiqueSwinsianDr.foneFideliaPodTransPhoneRescueGihosoft iManagerMediaMonkeyCopyTransClementineAmarokTunesGoFrequently Asked Questions about iTunes Alternatives
Which iTunes Alternatives Should You Choose?
Though I can’t predict the longevity of iTunes for Windows, I can certainly assure you that the media library-cum iPhone/iPad manager is here to stay at least until Apple finds a better replacement for it on Windows.
Besides, even though Finder does a pretty good job of managing the iPhone, Apple’s versatile file manager still lacks quite a few essential features like the option to let users restore data selectively. As for the newly launch Music and Apple TV apps, they are too sophisticated to let you manage all of your tracks and videos with the desired flexibility.
My favorite iTunes replacement software is WALTR PRO. While this software comes with a considerable price, it is very convenient and powerful. You can also use the license for other apps from Softorino. With WALTR PRO, I can either connect my iPhone using cables or WiFi. Its WiFi connection is as fast as the native AirDrop and transfers music and pictures in seconds.
So, if I transfer a video, I will find it in the Videos app. This means that I don’t have to use any third-party software to listen to my songs or watch videos. Every file transferred through WALTR PRO is treated as a native file. For this feature alone, WALTR PRO is worth its price.
If you don’t want to manage files and just want a player that can help you manage your music and listen to it, MusicBee is one of the best software out there. MusicBee makes it easy to manage, find, and play music files on your computer at no cost. You can easily sync your music between your Windows PC, Android and iOS devices.
Not only that, but MusicBee also works with podcasts, web-radio stations, and even brings SoundCloud integration. Listening to music on MusicBee is fun, as not only it brings a very simple and intuitive UI but also brings tons of features that enhance your listening experience.
If you are a Mac user and looking for a simple yet feature-rich music player to replace Apple Music check out the Vox Media Player. One of the best things about this app is its support for multiple audio formats. Besides, the application is available for iPhone and Windows OS as well.
Not only the app supports the popular media format including MP3 and MP4 but it also supports other formats including FLAC, CUE, APE, and M4A among others.
I also love that Vox supports both Tunes and personal music libraries. Not only that, but the app also supports streaming music via SoundCloud, YouTube, and more than 30000+ internet radio stations.
4. WinX MediaTrans
If you are a Windows user who is looking for a true iTunes alternative that allows you to easily transfer music, photos, videos, and other files between your computer and iPhones and iPads, this is the software for you. The app brings features including automatic photo backup, music management with two-way music transfer, video transfer, book organizer, ringtone maker, and more.
What’s more, the app doesn’t even require you to install iTunes on your system and work independently. The software can also convert some of your files while transferring into Apple suitable formats. Moreover, you will also benefit from the “Remove DRM” option that lets you remove limiting licenses on digital media. If you need to manage media and files between your PC and iPhone, this is the app to get as it has got all the essential features to be rated as a great iTunes alternative for Windows.
Download: (Free trial, $39.95 for a lifetime license)
DearMob iPhone Manager is an all-in-one tool that lets you easily manage media and music, transfer files between your computer and iOS devices, create automatic backups, and encrypt your data for total protection. Basically, everything that you can do with iTunes, you can do with DearMob.
Not only can I transfer photos between devices, which by the way it’s super quick at, it also allows me to manage and delete pictures, manage albums, and both preview and convert HEIC photos.
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Musique is a music player for your Mac that doesn’t suck. Not only does the app bring a clean and simple to use UI but it’s also very nimble and features rich. My favorite feature of the app is its built-in lyrics finder which extracts the lyrics of any song that you are playing.
If you are looking for a simple and powerful music player as an iTunes substitute, this is the one to get, and since it’s free, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t check it out.
Note: If you are looking for more options you can check out our article on the best music players for Mac by clicking on the link. ProsConsNeat user-interfaceMay not extract lyrics consistentlyOrganizes music by artists and albumsCannot open individual music files outside the scanned music folderPowerful music playerDoes not support all common formatsBuilt-in lyrics finder
Another music player for Mac that I love is Swinsian. The app brings awesome features such as wide format support, folder watching, advanced tag editing, duplicate finder, smart playlist support, and more. The app is crazy fast and never lags no matter how big your library is. It also brings a highly customizable interface that can be changed according to your needs. In addition, the automatic sample rate switching ensures you get the highest possible quality from your music files.
I also love that The app lets you easily control the music playback using its mini window or the widget. If you are switching from iTunes, you will also appreciate that it allows you to import your whole music library from iTunes with just one click. Overall, I quite like this software and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a simple music player as an iTunes alternative.
Supported Platforms: macOS
iTunes had more use than music playback such as creating backups, permanently erasing data on your iPhone, and more, Dr.fone is the solution that you need. The app brings tons of features including the ability to create backups, restoring your iPhone, recovering deleted data from your iPhone, transferring files, messages, and contacts between your computer and iPhone, security erasing data, and more.
One of my more favorite features of this app is the ability to run repair scripts. The app easily repairs normal bugs and iOS problems such as “stuck at bootup”, “recovery mode looping”, and more. While this data recovery software costs a pretty penny, it is certainly useful for users who like to experiment with their iPhones.
Supported Platforms: macOS, Windows
If you love your music and want to listen to it at the highest possible quality, Fidelia is the app for you. For those who have never heard of this app before, Fidelia is basically a high-definition audio player for Mac. The app brings support for all contemporary audio file formats and an elegant interface that focuses exclusively on music.
The app provides users with the power and the freedom to organize, customize, and savor their digital music collection at the highest possible fidelity. It also brings a complete set of audio tools including equalizers, compressors, CanOpener headphone modeler, support for 64-bit audio unit plug-ins, and more. Basically, unlike iTunes which just gets the job done, Fidelia brings a player that is made for audiophiles.
ProsConsLets you listen to music in the top qualityThe library window seems to be clunkySupport for all contemporary audio file formatsUI can be more modernHigh-definition audio playerSupport for 64-bit audio unit plug-ins
Download: ($29.99)
We will end this list with a piece of software that allows you to easily transfer music between your desktop computer and iPod. The app is very easy to use allowing users to transfer music with just a couple of clicks. You don’t even need to have iTunes installed on this for it to work.
If you have newer iPods that bring a gorgeous retina screen, you will be happy to know that it also supports the management of other media files including videos, TV Shows, movies, iTunes U, and more. The app is a small and nifty application and very useful for iPod owners. Being available for free, it’s one of the best free iTunes alternatives you can get for your Mac and Windows.
ProsConsLightweight and snappier interfaceLacks powerful tools to manage videos and TV showsTransferring music between computer and iPod is a breeze Can be a little buggy at timesWorks independentlyCan manage other file types such as videos and TV shows as well
11. PhoneRescue
Times when you end up deleting important data accidentally or lose sensitive files due to complex issues like the black screen of death, a full-fledged data recovery software package like PhoneRescue has a role to play.
What gives this iMobie’s offering an edge over many other rivals including iTunes is the ability to recover 31 types of files including photos, videos, songs, docs, and more. Thus, it doesn’t matter what the situation and what sort of files fell prey to the unexpected issues, you can retrieve them without any pain.
12. Gihosoft iManager
Claiming to be the ultimate iPhone file manager, Gihosoft iManager has got all the bases covered to be a handy iTunes alternative for both macOS and Windows. With this tool at the disposal, you can comfortably manage and transfer your music, photos, videos, and docs from the computer to iPhone/iPad or vice versa.
Not just that, Gihosoft also works pretty well in terms of backing up files, allowing you to keep your data safe and restore it when needed. To ensure your personal information has an extra layer of safeguard, Gihosoft iManager also lets you encrypt your data just like iTunes.
13. MediaMonkey
I have specifically saved “MediaMonkey” for folks who manage a large music and video library. And if you are one of them, this might just be the iTunes alternative you have been waiting for.
With the support for several file formats including MP3, AAC (M4A), OGG, WMA, FLAC, ALAC, MPC, WAV, CDA, AVI, MP4, OGV, MPEG, WMV, M3U, and PLS, this iTunes rival is fully equipped to manage audio/video files. This app is an excellent media management tool, a tag manager, and a CD ripper/encoder. In addition, it can manage over 100,000 files effortlessly. Unlike Apple’s offering, it has a relatively clean interface that makes for hassle-free navigation.
14. CopyTrans
If I were to rank iTunes alternatives purely based on the efficiency of managing music, CopyTrans would be right at the top along with the best in the business. Yeah, you heard it right. Unlike iTunes, CopyTrans offers full-on customization so that you can customize your music library just the way you want.
For instance, you can edit track titles, album titles, music genre, artwork with ease. Moreover, the software also lets you fine-tune meta-tags, ratings, and even lyrics of songs so that your music library can look in perfect sync. No matter how carefully you manage songs, duplicate tracks tend to sneak into the library over time.
15. Clementine
Should you want to have an iTunes substitute that can let you organize your music library without any complexity, give a shot to Clementine. Inspired by Amarok 1.4, this multiplatform music player sports a pretty intuitive interface.
If you like to catch up with some cool radio programs, this feature might win you over right away. Unlike iTunes, Clementine is integrated with multiple cloud services including Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
Download: Free
There are multiple reasons why Amarok is considered to be a notable iTunes substitute. For starters, the software comes with a range of tools to enhance the music playing and management experience. Thanks to the web services integration, it offers better control over your music.
With the last.fm integration, you can listen to last.fim radio. Besides, you can remotely connect to the Ampache music server and search as well as playback media files.
TunesGo is an all-new iTunes alternative that you can use to transfer and back up your important data like photos, music, contacts, and more. Notably, it works independently and doesn’t require the help of iTunes.
One of my favorite features of TunesGo is the ability to create a backup of the entire photo library and sort images with custom filters. As someone who has to deal with a massive collection of images, I find its photos management tool very helpful. What’s more, it also allows me to delete multiple photos in batch for better management.
Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux
Q. What is a good replacement for iTunes?
Considering fast and efficient file management, WinX MediaTrans can stake the claim of being the best iTunes alternative for Windows. Though WALTR and MusicBee are good competitors too terms of file management.
Q. Can I not buy songs on iTunes anymore?
MusicBee is a good alternative to iTunes and you can use it to manage files, transfer, and listen to music.
Q. What is Apple’s replacement for iTunes?
That ends our list of the best iTunes alternatives that you can use to manage music and media on your iPhone and iPad. I have tried to include apps that can perform all the actions that you currently carry out using iTunes. Whether you need something just to play music or something that can completely replace iTunes for you, you will find an app here. Do check the list out and let us know your favorite iTunes alternatives.
