Tidal — A hi-fi music streaming service majority-owned by Block Inc., offering lossless and Dolby Atmos audio on a single unified plan with no free ad-supported tier.
By Noahlast updated
Tidal screenshots & video
Tidal in 20 seconds
Best for: audiophiles who want lossless or Dolby Atmos audio without needing a separate premium tier
Pricing: No free tier; Individual runs about $15.49/month and Family about $26.99/month per Apple's App Store listing.
- Tidal streams its full catalog in CD-quality FLAC, Hi-Res PCM, and Dolby Atmos for every subscriber.
- Tidal is majority-owned by Block Inc. (Jack Dorsey's payments company).
- In April 2024, Tidal merged its HiFi and HiFi Plus tiers into a single unified plan and discontinued its free ad-supported tier.
- Apple's App Store lists Individual at $15.49/month and Family (up to 6 accounts) at $26.99/month.
Limitations: No free or ad-supported listening option exists at all.; Pricing here is sourced from Apple's App Store rather than Tidal's own site, which was unreachable.
Top alternatives: Spotify, Apple Music, Qobuz — full list
What is Tidal?
Tidal is a music streaming service that puts CD-quality FLAC, Hi-Res lossless PCM, and Dolby Atmos spatial audio in front of every subscriber, rather than reserving high-fidelity formats for a separate premium tier the way some competitors historically did. Majority-owned by Block Inc. since 2021 (Jack Dorsey's payments company, formerly Square), Tidal simplified its lineup in April 2024 by merging its old two-tier HiFi/HiFi Plus structure into a single plan at the higher audio quality, and discontinued its ad-supported free tier at the same time — there is no way to use Tidal without paying. Catalog and personalization features (playlists, radio, offline downloads) are comparable to Spotify and Apple Music; the differentiation is audio fidelity by default and Tidal's "direct artist payouts" reporting, which shows subscribers and artists how streaming royalties are calculated. Platform coverage spans Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and web, plus CarPlay, Android Auto, Tesla's built-in interface, and select smart TVs and AV receivers that support Dolby Atmos passthrough.
Tidal is a music streaming service, majority-owned by Block Inc. (Jack Dorsey's payments company), that streams its full catalog in CD-quality FLAC, Hi-Res lossless PCM, and Dolby Atmos spatial audio to every subscriber rather than gating high-fidelity audio behind a separate premium tier. Since merging its old HiFi and HiFi Plus plans into one unified plan in April 2024, Tidal has offered no free ad-supported option; per Apple's App Store listing, an Individual plan runs $15.49/month and Family (up to 6 accounts) $26.99/month, both with a 30-day free trial. The service runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and web, with support for CarPlay, Android Auto, Tesla, and connected TVs. Tidal differentiates on artist-payout transparency, publishing direct-to-fan royalty data it argues pays artists more fairly per stream than Spotify.
Standout feature: Every subscriber gets lossless FLAC, Hi-Res PCM, and Dolby Atmos by default, with no cheaper, lower-fidelity tier to accidentally end up on.
Biggest weakness: No free or ad-supported tier exists at all; new listeners must either pay from day one or use the 30-day trial, unlike Spotify and Apple Music/YouTube Music, which offer ongoing free listening options. Tidal's own site also blocked automated access to its pricing pages, so exact web/Android pricing (which can differ from the Apple App Store price used here) should be double-checked at signup.
Pros
- Lossless FLAC, Hi-Res PCM, and Dolby Atmos audio included for every subscriber, not gated behind a pricier tier.
- Direct-to-fan royalty reporting gives more visibility into artist payouts than most competitors publish.
- Broad platform support including CarPlay, Android Auto, Tesla, and Dolby Atmos-capable smart TVs and receivers.
- Family plan covers up to 6 accounts under one subscription.
Cons
- No free or ad-supported listening tier; every user must pay after the 30-day trial.
- Smaller catalog and personalization/discovery algorithm generally considered less refined than Spotify's.
- Pricing confirmed here comes from Apple's App Store listing, which can run higher than direct web or Android sign-up pricing.
Tidal pricing
From $15.49/mo
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $15.49/mo | Priced via Apple App Store in-app purchase; 30-day free trial for new subscribers. Lossless/Hi-Res/Dolby Atmos audio included, no separate high-fidelity tier. |
| Family | $26.99/mo | Priced via Apple App Store in-app purchase; up to 6 accounts. |
What reviewers say
No third-party review scores on file yet.