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Both Qobuz and Tidal stand out among the other music streaming services for their excellent audio quality. But when it comes to the genres of their libraries, features, etc., Qobuz and Tidal are very different. To help you choose a better Hi-Res music streaming service that suits you, this article will show you a comparison between Qobuz and Tidal in 6 aspects, including pricing, sound quality, music library, UI, and compatible devices. Just read on to explore more details.
Qobuz is a French commercial Hi-Res music streaming and download service company founded in 2007. Qobuz boasts the world's largest Hi-Res lossless music library, offering over 100 million tracks with a strong emphasis on audio quality, including Hi-Res and CD quality. On Qobuz, users can access music-related content such as reviews and artist features. In addition, as a highlight of Qobuz, it is highly compatible with high-end Hi-Res equipment such as Cabasse, Sony, and Yamaha. As of 2024, Qobuz has provided services in 26 countries and regions.
Tidal was founded by the Norwegian public company Aspiro in 2014. Tidal has more than 110 million songs and provides high-quality sound effects such as lossless audio, Hi-Res FLAC, and Dolby Atmos. On Tidal, users can watch 650,000 high-quality videos and access a rich collection of podcasts, exclusive music content, artist interviews, and more. Additionally, Tidal is compatible with a variety of DJ software, making it widely used for DJing and live performances. Tidal currently operates in 61 countries and has more than 5 million subscribers.
Qobuz now offers two subscription plans, including Qobuz Studio and Qobuz Sublime. Each plan includes a Solo plan, a Duo plan, and a Family plan respectively. There is no difference in the audio quality offered by either plan and all allow you to download Qobuz music. The difference is that Qobuz Sublime has an added feature of purchasing music. With Qobuz Sublime, you can purchase Qobuz Hi-Res music tracks at a discount of up to 60%.
| Solo | Duo | Family (up to 6 members) |
Student (up to 2 years) |
|
| Qobuz Studio | $10.83/month | $14.99/month (For a 12-month non-refundable subscription) |
$17.99/month | $4.99/month |
| Qobuz Sublime | $14.99/month | $14.99/month (For a 12-month non-refundable subscription) |
$17.99/month | No offer |
In April 2024, Tidal merged Tidal HiFi and HiFi Plus into a single plan called TIDAL. The TIDAL plan enables users to stream music without ads and download Tidal Music. In addition, the TIDAL plan newly adds a DJ extension ($9.00/month) to help users integrate Tidal with their DJ programs for music creation. The TIDAL also has Tidal Family and Tidal Student plans. Different plans provide the same audio quality, including Lossless, Hi-Res FLAC, Dolby Atmos, and Sony 360 Reality Audio. In particular, the Tidal Family plan has a special feature – creating playlists for kids.
| Individual | Family (up to 6 members) |
Student | |
| TIDAL | $10.99/month $19.99/month plus DJ Extension |
$16.99/month | $5.49/month $9/month plus DJ Extension |
From the above two tables, Qobuz has one more subscription choice for two people with a great deal. Qobuz Duo is definitely the best option for two people who like Hi-Res music. The other plans of Qobuz and Tidal are not much different in price. You can continue to look at the comparison of their other aspects and consider whether the more expensive plan is worth it or not. Besides, both services offer a 30-day free trial, so you can explore them thoroughly before subscribing.
Tips: Now that Tidal is no longer offering a free version, you need to switch to a paid TIDAL subscription to continue enjoying Tidal's services after the trial period. If you don't want to subscribe to TIDAL, but still want to keep your own Tidal playlists, you'd better use NoteBurner Tidal Music Converter to download Tidal music to computer during the trial period. Click the button below to try it out!
Simply put, Qobuz and Tidal both offer lossless audio. Each service comes with four audio quality settings on the desktop and mobile apps. You can find out directly from the table below. It is worth mentioning that Tidal's once-famous Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) format has gradually been changed to the Hi-Res FLAC format. This new format focuses more on authentic and uncompressed sound quality. In addition, Tidal employs technologies like Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio to stream immersive tracks.
| Audio quality setting | Qobuz | Tidal |
| Normal | N/A | 160 kbps (AAC) |
| High / MP3 | 320 kbps (MP3) | 320 kbps (AAC) |
| HiFi / CD | 16-bit / 44.1 kHz | 16-bit / 44.1 kHz |
| Hi-Res | 24-bit / up to 96 kHz | N/A |
| Master / Hi-Res | 24-bit / up to 192 kHz | 24-bit / up to 192 kHz |
It's important to note that the quality of Hi-Res audio depends heavily on the device, such as speakers and headphones. If these devices are not compatible with Hi-Res audio, you may not fully experience the high-quality audio you expected.
From the above table, Qobuz's lowest quality setting is the same as Tidal's, with both services offering a maximum setting of 24-bit / up to 192 kHz. Better yet, Tidal also supports Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio. If you prefer Atmos and Sony 360, Tidal is certainly a better option for you.
Convert your Tidal music to WAV in 5 easy steps using NoteBurner Tidal Music Converter, also for a better listening experience across devices.
In terms of music library size, Qobuz has more than 100 million songs, while Tidal provides more than 110 million tracks, plus 650,000 music videos, and some selected music-related podcasts.
At Qobuz, you can browse 12 music genres, including Classical, Soundtracks, and Blues/Country/Folk, etc. You can also enjoy Qobuz playlists handpicked by the editors, created by artists, or made public by other users. Unlike Tidal, Qobuz only provides music tracks. Therefore, you won't find extra content like music videos, audiobooks, podcasts, and live radio here. However, Qobuz excels in editing. You can keep up with industry news, watch video interviews, and read articles about audio equipment in the "Qobuz Magazine" section.
Hosting 25 music genres, Tidal encompasses a wide range of genres such as Country, Metal, Comedy, and Soundtracks. However, it still stands out with its extensive catalog of hip-hop, R&B, and mainstream pop music. In addition, Tidal offers exclusive content from artists such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Kanye West. If you click on "Tidal Rising" you can start exploring content from emerging artists from around the world again. You can also browse a wide range of playlists, curated by Tidal editors or other users, depending on your mood or activity.
Tidal has the advantage here thanks to its various content extras. However, they only play an important part if you're keen on music videos, interviews, concerts, podcasts, and similar content. If you're only here for the music, think about which music genre is more in line with your musical tastes and make your choice.
Note: Depending on the license and the location of the user, some songs in the Qobuz library may suddenly become unavailable. When this happens, you will see them marked as unavailable. To avoid such awful moments, you can download your favorite Qobuz music to your computer in advance.
NoteBurner Music One is the best choice to help you download music from Qobuz to MP3, FLAC, WAV, and other formats with original audio quality kept. In addition to Qobuz, NoteBurner Music One also supports downloading music from Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube Music, SoundCloud, YouTube, Deezer, etc. In any case, install NoteBurner on your computer using the button below.
Open Qobuz and you will find Qobuz is clean and simple, focusing on album covers and metadata. From the Qobuz homepage, you can easily navigate "New Releases" (access new content), "Taste of Qobuz" (enjoy featured playlists and recommendations), and "Press Awards" ( play albums receiving high ratings from awards or publications). In addition, Qobuz has a free feature for all subscribers: Qobuz Club. At Qobuz Club, you can browse exclusive articles, interviews, and reviews; enjoy playlists curated by music professionals; share your own playlists, reviews, and musical tastes with the community; and get information about exclusive events and special offers available to club members.
Relatively speaking, with dynamic visuals, Tidal is more modern and vibrant. Its "My Mix" and "Explore" functions apply algorithms to create personalized playlists and recommend new albums for you based on your listening habits. If you are interested in emerging artists, just navigate to "Tidal Rising". Additionally, you can enjoy live-streaming events from artists and DJs on Tidal Live, including concerts, DJ performances, and exclusive events. You can also participate in live chat and discussions during live events, interact with other fans, and share your thoughts and experiences about the live show.
Both Qobuz and Tidal offer rich music content and personalized recommendations. Both services encourage you to interact with other users and share your playlists and reviews freely. If you prefer a clean interface and professional music recommendations, Qobuz may be more suitable for you. If you prefer a dynamic visual experience and personalized music recommendations, especially with a focus on up-and-coming artists, Tidal will be a better choice.
In order to avoid discovering that your device does not support Tidal or Qobuz after you subscribing , let's first check out Tidal Supported Devices and Qobuz Supported Devices. Both Qobuz and Tidal support iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS devices as well as web players, etc. Tidal supports more smart TVs and streaming devices than Qobuz, while Qobuz supports more home audio systems than Tidal. Additionally, Tidal integrates with many DJ programs, while Qobuz does not. You can refer to the following table for more details.
| Devices | Qobuz | Tidal |
| Smart TVs / Streaming Devices |
Samsung TV, Chromecast, etc. | Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, etc. |
| Home Audio Systems | Sonos, Bluesound, Devialet, Roon, Naim, KEF, Linn, AVM, Advance acoustic, Astell&Kern, Cabasse, etc. (115 brands) | Sonos, Bluesound, Roon, Naim, Astell&Kern, NAD Electronics, Denon, Yamaha, etc. (85 brands) |
| Wearables | No | Apple Watch, Samsung Gear |
| DJ | No | Denon DJ, djay Pro, Pioneer DJ, Serato, edjing, Virtual DJ, DJUCED, DEX 3 |
| Others | Web player | Web player, Amazon Alexa |
| Mobile / Tablets | iOS (iPhone/iPad), Android | |
| Computers | Windows, macOS | |
| Automotive Systems | Android Auto, Apple CarPlay | |
The above sections gave you a detailed insight into Qobuz and Tidal. In this section, you will visualize their main features and differences through an overview table.
| Qobuz | Tidal | |
| Launch Time | 2007 | 2014 |
| Available Countries/Regions | 26 | 61 |
| Subscription Price |
Studio: $10.83/month (individual) $14.99/month (duo) $17.99/month (family) $4.99/month (student) Sublime: $14.99/month (individual) $14.99/month (duo) $17.99/month (family) |
TIDAL: $10.99/month (individual) $19.99/month (with DJ extension) $16.99/month (family) $5.49/month (student) $9/month (with DJ extension) |
| Sound Quality | 320 kbps (MP3) 16-bit / 44.1 kHz 24-bit / up to 96 kHz 24-bit / up to 192 kHz |
160 kbps (AAC) 320 kbps (AAC) 16-bit / 44.1 kHz 24-bit / up to 192 kHz |
| Music Library & Catalog | Over 100 million tracks (12 genres) | Over 110 million tracks (25 genres), 650,000 music videos, podcasts, etc. |
| Supported Devices | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, BluOS (Bluesound, NAD, Dali), MusicCast (Yamaha), Sonos, Cabasse, Electrocompaniet, KEF, Naim, etc. | iOS and Android devices, smart TV & streamers, Android Auto, desktop, Audio, wearables, Chromecast, Roku, Vizio, CarPlay, Tesla, Amazon Alexa, Mercedes-Benz, etc. |
| Free Trial | 30 days | 30 days (60 days for $2) |
Now you know how to make a choice between Tidal and Qobuz. All in all, both Qobuz and Tidal offer excellent Hi-Res music streaming experiences, but they cater to slightly different preferences. If you focus on music tracks and editing content like Qobuz, or if you are pursuing service and compatibility with high-end audio equipment, Qobuz is an excellent choice. If you enjoy a larger music library, exclusive content such as music videos and podcasts, and often use DJ software integration, your first choice is Tidal.
In addition, if you want to download Qobuz music for offline or download Tidal music to MP3, there is no reason not to choose NoteBurner.
Note: The free trial version of NoteBurner Music One is limited to convert the first 1 minute of each song. You can buy the full version to unlock the limitation.
