Which Should You Attend: Glastonbury or Coachella? We Investigate.

The battle of the festivals 🎉

Even if you were living under a rock, you’d know how large and well-known both Coachella and Glastonbury are as festivals.

Both have distinct characteristics that draw thousands of people in every year to watch a variety of artists. And to party with their mates in the desert/farm grounds.

While no one in the Student Edge team has ever gone to (sorry we don’t have thousands of dollars to spare 🥲) we have scoured the internet to find out what people have said about both festivals.

 

 

 

 

 

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Musical acts.

There isn’t much that sets Coachella and Glastonbury apart in terms of music acts.

You could argue that Coachella has more acts because it’s set across two weekends whereas Glastonbury is only five days. But Glastonbury actually have more stages (more on that later).

In terms of the type of artists who perform at both? It’s a pretty mixed bag.

If this past year is any indication, you could be seeing artists like Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, Charli XCX, The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, Raye and Gracie Abrams at either.

Both have similar big names while also including some smaller artists from around the world.

Charli XCX for example performed at both in 2025.

The vibes and liveability.

@continental.coxon What is camping like at Glasonbury? #glastonbury #glastonburyfestival #glastonbury2024 ♬ Rogers: Carry on Camping - suite: Goings-On!! - The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra & Gavin Sutherland

@y0ungtunech Car camping is not for the weak I tell ya. #pov #fyp #foryoupage #coachella #carcamping #coachellacarcamping #notfortheweak #coachellaweekend2 #coachellaweekend1 ♬ original sound - POV Lab

If you just looked at the pictures from both festivals, you could probably understand how the vibe differs at both.

While Coachella is more polished and sanitised, Glastonbury could be considered grubby and down to earth.

One user on reddit described Coachella as the ‘Disneyland of festivals’. And that’s probably because it is a lot like staying at a Disneyworld hotel.

At Coachella, the toilets are clean and there’s a lot of spaces to stay. If you wanted to fork out more money you could even stay at a hotel and shower every day.

Whereas with Glastonbury, once you arrive to the area where the festival is being held, you’re there to stay. Your accommodation is a much less glamourous tent. And while you don’t have to line up again like you do at Coachella, you do need to carry everything you own with you.

 We’ve also heard the toilets are mostly drop toilets so do what you will with that  🫠

And given that UK weather is unpredictable, if it rains it rains. So, prepare to get wet.

If your goal is to be clean and comfortable then you should go to Coachella. If you don’t mind getting down in the dirt (quite literally), then hit up Glasto. But both also have more luxurious options of staying like glamping.

Crowd control and accessibility.

@sar.kamp I DON’T CARE I LOVE IT #charlixcx @Charli XCX #coachella ♬ original sound - sarah k 🍒🦋✨

While the musical artists at Coachella and Glastonbury are similar, the number of stages and areas where they all perform are different.

It’s easier to know what’s happening at Coachella because there are only four to five stages. Whereas at Glasto, there could be at least 20 if not more.

And there’s no curfew – expect to go see someone playing at 1am in the morning.

Reddit also seems to say that the geographical size of Coachella is tiny compared to Glastonbury. Which could mean Glastonbury is harder to navigate.

History and cultural relevance.

While the history of the two events doesn’t really matter if you’re looking to go to either, it does help to know.

Glastonbury was established in 1970 (one day after the death of Jimi Hendrix). And some of the acts who performed in the early Glasto days included David Bowie, Van Morrison, Oasis and Radiohead.

Coachella, a slightly newer festival, was launched in 1999. And some of its early performers include Björk, The Whitestripes and M.I.A.

@independent

Drone footage reveals how big Glastonbury Festival really is. The footage filmed in 2022 shows the sheer size of Britain's biggest music festival. This year’s edition takes place between Wednesday 25 June to Monday 30 June and will be headlined by The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.

♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

Really it comes down to choice between Coachella and Glastonbury. While it would be great to attend both, it’s quite expensive.

So if you had to pick one we would say go for the one which has the best lineup of artists you want to see and also consider what you want out of a festival and how comfortable you’d be attending.

Maybe we’ll see you in your best festival gear at one of these soon 😉