Apple MusicandTidalare the trendy , coolheaded cats of the music cyclosis service market place , both supporting medicine artists by impart photograph to their music , and by hear to put them at the pith of the experience .
Both have Brobdingnagian libraries of music and interchangeable feature of speech stage set , so if you ’re looking for a young music cyclosis service or just want to bang the departure between Apple Music and Tidal before you lay down your firmly - earned hard cash , here are the primary differences between the two pour services .
Pricing
Apple Music cost $ 10.99 / £ 10.99 / € 10.99 a calendar month for an item-by-item rank , or $ 5.99 / £ 5.99 / € 5.99 a calendar month for students . The service also offer a $ 16.99 / £ 16.99 / € 16.99 a calendar month family unit plan for up to six the great unwashed and an all - in - one subscription to multiple Apple Robert William Service start at $ 16.95 / £ 16.95 / € 16.95 a month withApple One .
There ’s no free version of Apple Music but there is a one - month gratis trial for new users , and with certain Apple devices it ’s also potential to get six - month free subscription . For those looking to preserve some cash there is the Voice architectural plan for $ 4.99 / £ 4.99 / € 4.99 a calendar month that plays music through the Siri articulation helper only . There are plenty of choice in getting a subscription to Apple Music .
Tidal does n’t offer as many plans and takes a unlike advance by splitting its pricing into two independent tier up : Hi - Fi and Hi - Fi Plus .
Hi - Fi be $ 9.99 / £ 9.99 / € 9.99 a month and offers the total library up to candle quality and advertizing - liberal . Hi - Fi Plus rent that a stone’s throw further with access to gamy - Ra sound recording , MQAandspatial audiofor the price of £ 19.99 / £ 19.99 / € 19.99 a calendar month .
New users get the fortune of a one - calendar month free run , there ’s a Family Plan that costs $ 14.99 / £ 14.99 / € 14.99 a month , as well as a Student Plan which offers 50 % off Hi - Fi and Hi - Fi Plus subscription . The last one is likely US - only .
Interface
In terms of appearance , Apple Music uses a clean , white user interface that feel very much within the Apple esthetic . principal sections in the app include ‘ Listen Now ’ for recently played music and recommendations , ‘ Browse ’ , ‘ Library ’ , ‘ hunting ’ and a separate ‘ Radio ’ button to get at the various wireless station the armed service extend .
Tidal , at least in a visual sense , is the opposite with its black background . Depending on how you feel about white or black background knowledge , you may find it easier to record text on Tidal , but both work efficaciously .
Tidal separates its content into five tab key : Home , Videos , Search , My Activity and My Collection . Like Apple Music , they ’re settle at the bottom of the page .
Otherwise they ’re similar enough in the content they bid with curated substance , personalized playlists , raw euphony , top 100 charts , and so on . If there ’s a specific point of deviation to note , it ’s that Apple propose voice integration with specific playlists that are designed to lick with Siri .
Features
Both Tidal and Apple Music claim to offer over 100 million tracks in their library , and both are quite similar in term of the bit - rates they offer on their platforms .
Tidal can offer euphony in quality up to 24 - bit/192kHz ( or as it describes it , 9216 kbps ) , and Apple Music matches that with its Hi - Res Lossless subroutine library . The main difference here is that Apple ’s higher quality music is available within one subscription , whereas with Tidal you have to compensate extra to get higher caliber audio with its Hi - Fi Plus tier .
Apple Music has live wireless station with its Music 1 station ( formerly Beats ) . Tidal does n’t have any radio station , but it does offer alive session that let user deal music with each other .
Both extend spatial audio , with Apple denounce its reading asSpatial Audio with Dolby Atmos . Tidal also supportsDolby Atmos , as well asSony 360 Reality Audio , which bring forth a similar effect with its ‘ 3-D ’ audio .
To continue the similarities , both also feature panoptic video content on their platforms ; Tidal has video recording playlists and record album experiences that come with commentary from the artist , and you’re able to watch live sessions too . Apple Music goes even further with a 24/7 video post on certain gimmick , lyrical video , television interviews , Apple Music Sessions Content and Apple Music Live , which showcases exclusive performances on the divine service .
Neither inspection and repair has podcasts integrate into its offering , though Apple does have its own freestanding Podcasts apps for exploiter to peruse .
Platform support
In terminus of platform support , the achiever is Tidal , but if you ’re within the iOS ecosystem Apple Music is the more convenient selection .
Tidal is supported on iOS , Android , Mac and Windows platforms , along with a vane instrumentalist . Tidal Connect enables playback on a numeral of hi - fi systems from Bluesound , Devialet , KEF , Moon by SimAudio and more . you could connect to machine withAirPlay 2 , boob tube are patronage with Roku , Chromecast , Vizio , Fire TV , Samsung TV , Android TV , and Apple TV .
you could find it in cars such as Tesla , Mercedes Benz and Apple CarPlay , it ’s back up by DJ software in Denon DJ and DEX 3 , along with Apple Watch and Samsung Dex wearables , and you could pullulate via Alexa ( although this seems to be only uncommitted in the US ) . For more platforms , head to this tie .
Apple Music is , of course of instruction , support on iOS twist such as iPad , iPhone , CarPlay andHomePod . you may well out to other devices via AirPlay , and it ’s also on gambling console table such as thePlayStation 5and Xbox , smart TVs and twist from Samsung , LG and Roku ; and the app is compatible with Android , personal computer ( via iTunes ) , Sonos , Amazon Echo , and Google Nest .
Verdict
In damage of the library and features , Apple Music and Tidal would appear to be equally matched . They both endure standard candle quality , Hi - reticuloendothelial system lossless , and spacial audio ; and both service place the emphasis on supporting the euphony artist .
Apple is the flashy of the two by a considerable amount , but you also have to factor in that Apple Music ’s platform compatibility is n’t as spacious . You ’re scram the safe integrating within the iOS ecosystem .
Both deliver a high quality experience and we witness it backbreaking to separate the two . If you ’re an iOS drug user then Apple Music is probably the better pick , but for everyone else , Tidal is an excellent alternative as long as you ’re willing to give more for higher quality audio .