Streaming platforms have taken over the music world. Thanks to services like Spotify or Tidal, we always have access to tens of millions of songs at our fingertips using a tablet, smartphone or laptop. If you’re wondering which platform is better, check out Spotify vs. Tidal and decide what works best for you.
Both Tidal and Spotify were created in Scandinavia. Spotify was founded in Sweden in 2006. Tidal launched in October 2014 thanks to the Swedish-Norwegian group Aspiro. A year later, the group was taken over by American rapper Jay-Z. Tidal debuted in 2015 and has been focusing on providing the highest quality of music played from the very beginning.
What does Spotify offer? Both platforms, while serving the same purpose, differ from each other in several respects. Spotify gives users the choice between accessing the site for free or a Premium version that includes the full range of features:
1. playing any songs on demand;
2. unlimited pass;
3. offline listening;
4. no advertising.
Especially the last advantage should be appreciated by music lovers. The free version of Spotify, despite its affordability, can “stuff” every playlist with a huge amount of advertising, making it difficult to listen to songs.
The choice between Spotify Free and Spotify Premium does not affect the number of tracks available, and the library has about 70 million tracks.
How does Tidal work? This Norwegian music streaming service has invested in the highest audio quality from the very beginning. In addition to music tracks, users can use video materials – music videos and concert recordings in HD.
Unlike Spotify, creating an account on Tidal involves purchasing a subscription, preceded by a one-month trial period. Thanks to this, you have up to a month to check if the application suits your taste. Last but not least, you can choose from two plans that differ in the quality of the music played: Tidal Premium and Tidal HiFi. The number of songs in Tidal at the moment is also about 70 million.
Tidal offers listeners HiFi streaming that minimizes the loss in quality of the songs being played. With this solution, the quality of the songs you listen to is comparable to that of CDs.
The maximum bitrate in Tidal Premium is 320 kbps, and in Tidal HiFi it is 1411 kbps.
When it comes to sound quality on Spotify, it falls short of the competition on Tidal. Unless you are a music lover who cares about perfection in every sound, you will completely accept the sound in this application. By the end of 2021, Spotify was also due to implement a HiFi service, with those plans pushed back to 2022. Most likely, a new subscription plan will be introduced that will allow you to enjoy the maximum quality.
Both websites use algorithms that analyze user preferences. It is thanks to them that the application suggests songs that you might like.
Spotify offers an interesting solution called Discover This Week. Thanks to this service, every Monday you get a package of songs, selected based on what you like to listen to. If you like looking for lesser known artists, check out this week’s playlists that will do it for you. An interesting solution in this regard is the “Family Mix”, which brings together the music of all members of the Spotify Premium Family plan.
Tidal also analyzes your musical tastes and presents you with the effects in daily playlists called “My Daily Discovery”. In such a collection, you will listen to both works you already know and new ones adapted to your preferences.
An interesting solution in this regard is the “Family Mix”, which brings together the music of all members of the Spotify Premium Family plan.
Tidal also analyzes your musical tastes and presents you with the effects in daily playlists called “My Daily Discovery”. In such a collection, you will listen to both works you already know and new ones adapted to your preferences.
