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Entertainment · head to head

Apple Music vs Tidal

Apple Music logo

Apple Music

Entertainment

All the ways you love music. All in one place.

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tidal logo

Tidal

Music & Audio Apps

High fidelity music streaming

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month; Tidal tIDAL has no permanently free listening tier; after a 30-day trial a paid subscription is required
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, Tidal covers HiFi streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Music and Tidal actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Music and Tidal differ
AttributeApple MusicTidal
PlatformsIos, Macos, Windows, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
CategoryEntertainmentMusic & Audio Apps
Founded20152014

Identical on both: starting price ($10.99/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Music

  • Music streaming
  • Offline downloads
  • Spatial Audio
  • Lossless audio
  • Curated playlists
  • Radio stations
  • Music discovery
  • Cross-device sync

Only in Tidal

  • HiFi streaming
  • Master quality
  • Music videos
  • Exclusive content
  • High-end audio systems
  • Smart speakers
  • Download protection
  • Account security

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Music

  • Music listeningnot Tidal
  • Music discoverynot Tidal
  • Playlist creationnot Tidal
  • Offline listeningnot Tidal
  • Family entertainmentnot Tidal

Tidal

  • Streaming music in HiRes lossless up to 24-bit 192 kHz and Dolby Atmosnot Apple Music
  • Offline listening to a personal librarynot Apple Music
  • Casting lossless audio to supported hi-fi hardware over TIDAL Connectnot Apple Music

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Music

  • Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month

Tidal

  • TIDAL has no permanently free listening tier; after a 30-day trial a paid subscription is required
  • The subscription renews automatically on a monthly basis
  • Lossless quality on external hardware needs TIDAL Connect and a supported device
  • The iOS app requires iOS 17 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Music

$10.99/month
  • Individual$10.99/month
    • 100+ million songs
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads
  • Family$16.99/month
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

Tidal

$10.99/month
  • HiFi$10.99/month
    • Lossless audio
    • Downloads
  • HiFi Plus$19.99/month
    • Master quality
    • Direct artist payouts

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Music if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline downloads.
Apple Music review

Choose Tidal if

  • You need hifi streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want master quality.
Tidal review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Music or Tidal better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and Tidal at $10.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Music or Tidal?
Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and Tidal at $10.99/month.
Does Apple Music or Tidal run on more platforms?
Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. Tidal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
What is Apple Music best used for?
Apple Music is most often used for music listening, music discovery, playlist creation, offline listening. Of those, music listening and music discovery are not what Tidal is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Music do that Tidal cannot?
Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. Tidal covers HiFi streaming, Master quality, Music videos, Exclusive content. Both handle Ios support.
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