Softwr

Software · head to head

Tidal vs REAPER

Tidal logo

Tidal

Software

High fidelity music streaming

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
R

REAPER

Software

Full digital audio workstation with a 60 day evaluation and a USD 60 personal licence

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Tidal tIDAL has no permanently free listening tier; after a 30-day trial a paid subscription is required; REAPER the USD 60 discounted licence requires that yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD 20,000, above which the commercial licence at USD 225 applies

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tidal and REAPER actually diverge.

Attributes where Tidal and REAPER differ
AttributeTidalREAPER
Starting price$10.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Tidal

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

Only in REAPER

Nothing recorded that Tidal does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Tidal

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

REAPER

  • Music productionnot Tidal
  • Audio recordingnot Tidal
  • Audio editingnot Tidal
  • Post productionnot Tidal
  • Podcast editingnot Tidal

Where each one falls short

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

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

REAPER

  • The USD 60 discounted licence requires that yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD 20,000, above which the commercial licence at USD 225 applies
  • The commercial licence at USD 225 is nearly four times the discounted one for identical software, since the price is set by who is using it rather than by what it does
  • The evaluation lasts 60 days, after which continued use requires a purchased licence
  • Sold as a paid licence with no free tier beyond the evaluation period

Pricing, plan by plan

Tidal

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

REAPER

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the REAPER review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Tidal if

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

Choose REAPER if

  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
REAPER review

Questions people ask

Is Tidal or REAPER better?
Neither clearly leads. Tidal starts at $10.99/month and REAPER at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tidal or REAPER?
Tidal starts at $10.99/month and REAPER at On request.
Does Tidal or REAPER run on more platforms?
Tidal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. REAPER runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
What is Tidal best used for?
Tidal is most often used for streaming music in hires lossless up to 24-bit 192 khz and dolby atmos, offline listening to a personal library, casting lossless audio to supported hi-fi hardware over tidal connect. Of those, streaming music in hires lossless up to 24-bit 192 khz and dolby atmos and offline listening to a personal library are not what REAPER is typically brought in for.
What can Tidal do that REAPER cannot?
Tidal covers HiFi streaming, Master quality, Music videos, Exclusive content.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Tidal

More on REAPER

Keep looking

Other head to heads