Is TIDAL’s Music Streaming Subscription Worth It?

TIDAL is a global music streaming platform that seeks to bring fans “closer to artists through unique experiences and the highest sound quality,” according to the company’s website. With TIDAL, you get access to over 80 million songs and superior sound quality that rivals that of Spotify. TIDAL also offers uniquely curated playlists by experts and direct-to-artist royalty payouts for streamed content, which creates a more ethical consumption of media that benefits the artists and contributors behind the music.

On the surface, TIDAL feels familiar — a paid subscription to millions of songs at your fingertips. But is TIDAL worth subscribing to? What makes it different from the rest of the competition? We break down the details for you.

How Much Does a TIDAL Subscription Cost?

TIDAL’s prices for the most basic packages are comparable to other popular ad-free streaming services. While the base service is completely free to stream, paying for a premium subscription unlocks the full video streaming library and a richer, more dynamic listening and viewing experience.

TIDAL (Free)

Tidal Free gives users access to TIDAL’s 80 million song catalog with “limited ad interruptions.”

• “Good Sound Quality” (up to 160 kbps)
• Access to 80+ million songs
• Limited ad interruptions
• Expertly curated playlists

TIDAL HiFi ($9.99/month)

With the HiFi tier, you can unlock unique lossless audio, videos and an ad-free experience. Lossless audio means there is no loss of audio quality when the music files are transmitted over the internet — resulting in suburb sound quality.

You also get the following features:

• HiFi Quality Sound (1411kbps – lossless audio)
• Access to 80+ million songs and 350,000+ videos
• Ad-free listening
• Offline listening
• Track and share your listening habits
• Expertly curated playlists

TIDAL HiFi Plus ($19.99/month)

HiFi Plus is the ultimate way to experience TIDAL. With all of the perks of the HiFi package along with direct-to-artist payouts from your subscription fee, plus additional exclusive content and features:

• Master Quality Audio (up to 9216kbps, studio-quality audio)
• Access to 80+ million songs and 350,000+ videos
• Ad-free listening
• Offline listening
• Track and share your listening habits
• Expertly curated playlists
• TIDAL HiFi Plus allocates up to 10% of your monthly subscription towards your most-streamed artist

Does TIDAL Offer Discounts?

Yes, TIDAL does offer a variety of discounts to students, military members and first responders.

• Students: TIDAL offers a 50% discount on the HiFi and HiFi Plus subscriptions for high school and college students.
• Military: TIDAL offers a 40% discount to all who are serving or have served in the U.S. Military.
• First Responders: Active and retired EMS, EMT, firefighters and police officers can score a 40% discount on the music streaming subscription.

You can also get a Family Plan that allows up to 6 users at a time, as well as profanity-free streaming for kids, with plans starting at $14.99.

What Can You Listen To On TIDAL?

TIDAL has a massive library of content, with over 80 million songs; 350,000 music videos, interviews, extras and a slew of talk shows that provide an expansive, intimate streaming experience for users.

Here’s a sample of popular artists that are available to stream on TIDAL right now:

• Adele
• Alicia Keys
• Beyoncé
• Taylor Swift
• Rihanna
• BTS
• Lil Nas X
• Cardi B
• Drake
• Doja Cat
• J Balvin
• JAY-Z
• Billie Eilish
• Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak)
• H.E.R.
• Abba
• Coldplay
• The Weeknd
• Lizzo
• Kacey Musgraves
• SZA
• Kayne West
• Usher
• Nicki Minaj

Does TIDAL Have a Free Trial?

TIDAL offers a 30-day free trial of the HiFi and HiFi Plus services — giving you access to a vast music and video library with an ad-free, interactive listening experience.

You can also check out TIDAL’s Free Tier, which gives you access to a deep music catalog with limited ad interruptions before opting to pay for the paid options.

The Pros and Cons of TIDAL

There are quite a few pros and cons to consider before deciding to pay for a subscription.

Pros:

Music Videos

TIDAL offers a collection of over 350,000 music videos, interviews with artists and exclusive content for their HiFi and HiFi Plus members. You can explore their extensive library or stream a specifically curated playlist of music videos and extras based on what you’re listening to.

Directly Supporting Artists

TIDAL’s Direct Artist Payout component is an innovative way for fans to directly support their most streamed artists with a HiFi Plus membership. The company allocates up to 10% of monthly subscriptions to “each subscriber’s most-listened-to artist for the month.” TIDAL claims that this is a “fairer” way to distribute royalties to artists and contributors.

Chic and Efficient

TIDAL has a clean aesthetic and an interface that is easy to navigate — seamlessly intertwining video and audio streaming. The platform has vibrant colors, crisp typography and stunning photos.

Cons:

Price

TIDAL’s HiFi subscription is comparable in price to other streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. While the lossless HiFi Plus boasts supreme audio quality, it might be difficult for some to justify paying almost $20 each month.

Limited Podcasts

For podcast listeners, it’s important to note that TIDAL’s podcast library is lacking. Some artists, like Jay-Z, have a talk show, and there are talk radio shows, like “Rap Radar” that discuss recent industry news. However, Apple Music and Spotify both feature a more diverse selection of podcasts outside of the smaller, niche podcasts that TIDAL features.

How Does TIDAL Compare to Other Streaming Services?

Pricing

TIDAL’s pricing for an ad-free, personalized listening is comparable with most audio streaming services; however, their premium subscription is twice that of other platforms:

• TIDAL HiFi: $9.99/monthly
• TIDAL HiFi Plus: $19.99/monthly
• Spotify: $9.99/monthly
• Apple Music: $9.99/monthly

Quality

TIDAL promises a more enriched audio experience – and it delivers on that. With high-quality HiFi and Master streaming experiences — featuring richer bass and enhanced vocals — music on TIDAL sounds incredible. “Master” quality reflects a detailed, 3-dimensional, studio-like sound quality.

Similarly, Spotify has various audio filters that can improve playback quality – and allows users to customize their streaming experience with an equalizer.

Ease of use

Like other streaming services, TIDAL is fairly intuitive, providing playlists for you to jumpstart your music library. New users start off with an initial screening that helps customize their experience, and the streaming has a mobile app that makes it easier for you to listen or watch on the go.

Is TIDAL Worth Paying For?

If you’re already subscribed to Spotify or another streaming service, adding TIDAL to your subscriptions might feel redundant and not worth the extra cost. Other platforms like Spotify and Apple music offer similar prices for access to their large music libraries (which include podcasts and exclusive content).

If you’re currently in the market for a more ethical, uniquely personalized listening experience, TIDAL is worth it. TIDAL offers superb audio quality, a personalized mixed media approach to music streaming, and seamless integration of music videos for just $9.99/month. With that price, you can also enjoy ad-free listening of over 80 million songs and watch 350,000+ music videos, as well as receive playlists expertly curated for you. Not to mention, their direct-to-artist payments make it the more ethical choice among streaming options.

Check for any Tidal coupons for existing or new users on our Tidal coupon page.

Consider starting your free trial, and subscribing to TIDAL. Your ears will thank you.