Qobuz — Hi-Res lossless music streaming service positioned as more artist-friendly than Spotify, starting at $12.99/month with no separate hi-res upsell tier.
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
Qobuz screenshots & video
Qobuz in 20 seconds
Best for: audiophiles who want Hi-Res lossless streaming plus the option to permanently own downloads
Pricing: $12.99/month, or $129.99/year (about $10.83/month) billed annually with a 1-month free trial; no permanent free tier.
- Qobuz's Studio plan costs $12.99/month or $129.99/year (about $10.83/month effective).
- Every plan streams in Hi-Res (24-bit) or CD-quality lossless audio, not gated behind a premium tier.
- Qobuz operates a permanent download store for buying tracks and albums without a subscription.
- The catalog covers more than 100 million tracks.
- Qobuz publishes its average per-stream payout rate to artists.
Limitations: Smaller catalog than Spotify or Apple Music.; No permanent free, ad-supported tier.; Weaker algorithmic discovery and social features than larger competitors.
Top alternatives: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer — full list
What is Qobuz?
Qobuz is a music streaming and download service that streams every track in Hi-Res (24-bit) or CD-quality lossless audio by default, rather than treating high fidelity as a premium add-on the way some competitors do. Beyond streaming, Qobuz operates a permanent download store where users can buy individual tracks or full albums outright without an active subscription, appealing to listeners who want to own files rather than rent access. The service emphasizes editorial curation — human-written reviews, liner notes, interviews, and long-form "Panoramas" articles — over the algorithmic recommendation engines that dominate Spotify and Apple Music. Qobuz also publishes its average pay-per-stream rate to artists as part of a broader artist-friendly positioning, distinguishing it from streaming services criticized for low per-stream payouts. It's accessible through a web player, and its catalog exceeds 100 million tracks, smaller than Spotify's or Apple Music's but focused on audio quality and editorial depth over sheer volume.
Qobuz is a French music streaming and download service built around Hi-Res (24-bit) and CD-quality lossless audio at every subscription tier, rather than gating high-fidelity streaming behind a separate upsell. The Studio streaming plan costs $12.99/month, or $129.99/year (about $10.83/month) billed annually with a 1-month free trial; Qobuz also sells individual track and album downloads permanently, without requiring a subscription. Its catalog covers more than 100 million tracks, with human-curated playlists, reviews, and editorial content, and Qobuz publishes average per-stream payouts to artists as part of its artist-first positioning. Sublime, Duo, and Family plans are also offered, though their current exact prices aren't published as static page content.
Standout feature: Every plan streams in Hi-Res (24-bit) or CD-quality lossless audio at no extra cost, plus a permanent download store for buying tracks and albums outright.
Biggest weakness: Qobuz's catalog and social/algorithmic discovery features trail far behind Spotify and Apple Music; its Sublime, Duo, and Family multi-user or discounted plans aren't published as static, comparable pricing on the site, so shoppers evaluating those options have to click through account-creation flows to see exact numbers.
Pros
- Hi-Res and CD-quality lossless streaming included on every tier, not sold as a premium upsell.
- Permanent download store lets users buy and own tracks or albums without an active subscription.
- Publishes average per-stream artist payouts as part of its artist-friendly positioning.
- Human-curated playlists, reviews, and editorial content instead of purely algorithmic recommendations.
Cons
- Smaller music catalog than Spotify or Apple Music.
- No permanent free, ad-supported tier — only a 1-month free trial.
- Weaker social features and personalized discovery than algorithm-driven competitors.
Qobuz pricing
From $12.99/mo · verified from the vendor's pricing page
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio (Monthly) | $12.99/mo | Month-to-month streaming plan; Hi-Res and CD-quality lossless streaming across the full 100M+ track catalog. |
| Studio (Annual) | $129.99/yr | Billed once annually (about $10.83/month effective); includes a 1-month free trial; same Hi-Res/lossless streaming as the monthly plan. |
What reviewers say
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