Three (and more) ways to sync

Method	What	Cost	∑$/yr	Own Music	mp3 – other players	Syncing/ Sharing Ecosystem
(Apple) ‘#1’	Computer-Based	$0 (own time)	$0	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	‘Vertical’; Syncing, from Computer, downwards
(Apple) ‘#2’	Apple’s iTunes Match service	$25/yr/person ❌ No family	$25	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	‘Horizontal’, Syncing, across individual’s devices, but one’s computer is central, via Apple cloud services
(Apple) ‘#3’	Apple’s Apple Music service	$11/mo/person $17/mo/family	$132 $204	✅ Yes *	❌ No	‘Horizontal’, Streaming from Apple cloud, including owns music, to any devices configured to use one’s account
(Spotify)	Spotify streaming services	$0/free ads-plan $13/mo/person $22/mo/family	$0 $156 $264	❌ No	❌ No	‘Horizontal’ Streaming from Spotify cloud, to any devices configured to use one’s account

*) DO read up on how handled, implications. (E.g. Apple Music DO use/have DRM (Digital Rights Management) on media whereas iTunes Match does NOT.)

(Apple) Computer-Based (Method ‘#1’)

To get music onto	‘Top, in food chain’ ‘Level 1’	Next ‘Level 2’	Next ‘Level 3’	Comments
‘1’) Apple iPod, iPhone	Computer where music (files) reside	iPhone, synced from computer, connected by cable to computer.	(N/A)	iPhone/device shows up as a device in Finder and Music App, use those to sync media onto phone/device
‘2’) Apple Watch	-“-	-“-	Apple Watch, synced from iPhone, wirelessly, via app on iPhone
‘3’ Other players, e.g. Shokz Often mp3 is good, even possibly only, format.	-“-	The device connected (e.g.) via cable to computer.	(N/A)	Details depend on device, if shows up as device in computer’s file system or require special software.

(Apple) Cloud-Based (Methods ‘#2’ and ‘#3’)

From search.brave.com/search?q=apple+music+v+itunes+match:

iTunes Match is a cloud storage service for personal music libraries, distinct from the Apple Music streaming subscription. It costs $24.99 per year and allows users to sync up to 100,000 songs from their local collection to iCloud, making them accessible across all devices.

Subscribe to iTunes Match – support.apple.com/en-us/108935

apple.com/apple-music/

Key Differences

Feature	Apple Music	iTunes Match
Primary Function	Streaming new music from Apple’s catalog	Syncing/Backing up your personal music library
Ownership	No ownership; access ends with subscription	You retain ownership of matched/uploaded files
DRM Protection	Yes (DRM-protected M4P files)	No (DRM-free 256 kbps AAC or original uploads)
Pricing (US)	$10.99/month (Individual)	$24.99/year
Music Access	Entire Apple Music library + personal uploads	Only your personal library (matched or uploaded)
Offline Listening	Available only while subscribed	Files remain playable after cancellation
Catalog Size	100+ million songs	Up to 100,000 personal songs

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Apple Music if you want to discover new music, listen to curated playlists and radio stations, and do not mind paying a monthly fee for streaming access. It includes the features of iTunes Match but adds DRM to your personal uploads, meaning you lose access to them if you cancel.
Choose iTunes Match if you primarily want to access your own music collection (from CDs or other sources) across multiple devices without managing local files. It allows you to keep your music files permanently and DRM-free, even after you cancel the subscription.

You do not need both services unless you want the convenience of Apple’s streaming catalog alongside permanent ownership of your personal library backups. Apple Music effectively includes iTunes Match functionality, but the trade-off is the loss of permanent ownership for the music you add from your own library.