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Software · head to head

Bandcamp vs Tidal

Bandcamp logo

Bandcamp

Software

An artist-first music platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tidal logo

Tidal

Software

High fidelity music streaming

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bandcamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bandcamp the vendor's own About page as captured by the Internet Archive on 20 November 2021 stated that when a fan buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82 percent of the money goes to the artist or label, with the remainder covering Bandcamp's revenue share and payment processor fees; this is an average figure rather than a fixed per-sale rate and the capture is several years old; Tidal tIDAL has no permanently free listening tier; after a 30-day trial a paid subscription is required
  • They diverge on capability: Bandcamp covers Music streaming, Tidal covers HiFi streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bandcamp and Tidal actually diverge.

Attributes where Bandcamp and Tidal differ
AttributeBandcampTidal
Starting priceFree$10.99/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded20082014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Bandcamp

  • Music streaming
  • Downloads
  • Artist support
  • Merchandise
  • Community
  • Social media
  • Payment processing
  • Artist tools

Only in Tidal

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Bandcamp

  • Artist discoverynot Tidal
  • Music supportnot Tidal

Tidal

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

Where each one falls short

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

Bandcamp

  • The vendor's own About page as captured by the Internet Archive on 20 November 2021 stated that when a fan buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82 percent of the money goes to the artist or label, with the remainder covering Bandcamp's revenue share and payment processor fees; this is an average figure rather than a fixed per-sale rate and the capture is several years old

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

Bandcamp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited listening
    • Artist support

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 Bandcamp if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want downloads.
Bandcamp 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 Bandcamp or Tidal better?
Neither clearly leads. Bandcamp starts at Free and Tidal at $10.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bandcamp or Tidal?
Bandcamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bandcamp and $10.99/month for Tidal.
Does Bandcamp or Tidal run on more platforms?
Bandcamp runs on Web, Ios, Android. Tidal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Bandcamp for free?
Yes. Bandcamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tidal starts at $10.99/month.
What is Bandcamp best used for?
Bandcamp is most often used for artist discovery, music support. Of those, artist discovery and music support are not what Tidal is typically brought in for.
What can Bandcamp do that Tidal cannot?
Bandcamp covers Music streaming, Downloads, Artist support, Merchandise. Tidal covers HiFi streaming, Master quality, Music videos, Exclusive content. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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Related pages

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