Tidal Price Cuts: What You Pay Now

Yes, Tidal has lowered its music streaming prices. As of 2024, Tidal’s individual HiFi plan costs $9.99 per month (same as before), but the company has restructured its tiers, making the $10.99 HiFi Plus plan a thing of the past and introducing a cheaper $4.99 per month option for students. This article explains the current pricing, what changed, and how to decide if Tidal is worth it for you.

Background: Why Tidal Changed Its Pricing

Tidal launched in 2014 as a high-fidelity streaming service, positioning itself as a premium alternative to Spotify and Apple Music. For years, it charged $19.99 per month for its top tier, which included lossless audio and exclusive content. In 2021, Tidal introduced a two-tier system: HiFi at $9.99 and HiFi Plus at $19.99. The 2023–2024 restructuring simplified things: the HiFi Plus tier was discontinued, and the $19.99 price point was eliminated entirely. Now, the main paid plan is simply called “HiFi” at $9.99, and a new $4.99 student plan was added. This move was part of Tidal’s strategy to compete more directly with Spotify and Apple Music, which both charge $10.99 and $10.99 respectively for individual plans (as of 2024).

Current Tidal Plans and Prices

As of mid-2024, Tidal offers the following plans in the US (prices may vary slightly by region):

• Tidal Free: $0 per month – ad-supported, limited skips, and capped audio quality (128 kbps AAC).
• Tidal HiFi: $9.99 per month – ad-free, unlimited skips, and lossless audio (16-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC).
• Tidal HiFi Plus: $19.99 per month – this tier was discontinued for new subscribers in 2023; existing subscribers were migrated to HiFi.
• Tidal Student: $4.99 per month – same features as HiFi, but requires a verified student email (.edu) and is available only to enrolled students.
• Tidal Family: $14.99 per month – up to six accounts, each with HiFi features.

Note that Tidal also offers a military discount (50% off HiFi) and a first-responder discount (30% off) in some regions. These are not widely advertised but can be found on Tidal’s website.

How the Price Cut Affects You

The main change is the elimination of the $19.99 tier. If you were a HiFi Plus subscriber, you now get the same features for $9.99 – that’s a 50% price cut. However, you may have lost some perks that were exclusive to Plus, such as direct artist payouts and access to Tidal’s “Live” events. Tidal has not officially confirmed whether these perks are still available to former Plus subscribers, but as of 2024, they are not offered on any current plan. For new users, the price cut means you can get lossless audio for the same price as Spotify Premium, which is a significant value proposition.

Comparison: Tidal vs. Spotify vs. Apple Music

Here’s how Tidal’s pricing stacks up against its main competitors (individual plans, US, 2024):

• Tidal HiFi: $9.99 – lossless FLAC, ad-free, unlimited skips.
• Spotify Premium: $10.99 – lossless (coming soon, but not yet widely available), ad-free, unlimited skips.
• Apple Music: $10.99 – lossless (ALAC), ad-free, unlimited skips.
• Amazon Music Unlimited: $9.99 (for Prime members) – lossless, ad-free, unlimited skips.

Tidal is now the cheapest option for lossless audio among the major services. However, Spotify and Apple Music have larger catalogs and more robust social features. Tidal’s user interface is also less intuitive for some users, and its discovery algorithms are generally considered weaker than Spotify’s. So the price cut makes Tidal more competitive, but it still lags in other areas.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common misconception is that Tidal’s $9.99 plan is the same as the old $9.99 HiFi plan. Actually, the old HiFi plan was $9.99, but it had a lower audio quality (16-bit/44.1 kHz) compared to the Plus tier (which went up to 24-bit/192 kHz). Now, the $9.99 plan includes the higher quality that was previously reserved for Plus. Another issue: Tidal’s “MQA” format is being phased out. MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) was a proprietary format used for high-resolution audio. Tidal has been moving to FLAC, which is more widely supported. If you have a device that only supports MQA, you may experience compatibility issues, but most modern devices support FLAC.

How to Choose the Right Plan

Here are factors to consider when picking a Tidal plan:

• Budget: If you’re a student, the $4.99 plan is a no-brainer if you qualify.
• Audio quality: If you have high-end headphones or a DAC, the HiFi plan is worth it. If you listen on earbuds, the free tier might be sufficient.
• Family: If you have multiple people in your household, the Family plan at $14.99 is cheaper than five individual plans ($49.95).
• Perks: If you care about direct artist payouts, note that Tidal’s old Plus tier gave a larger share to artists. That is no longer available, so if that was your reason for subscribing, you may want to reconsider.

Alternatives to Tidal

If Tidal’s price cut still doesn’t convince you, here are alternatives:

• Spotify: Best for discovery and playlists, but lossless is not yet widely available.
• Apple Music: Good value if you’re in the Apple ecosystem, with lossless audio included.
• Amazon Music: Cheaper for Prime members, and includes lossless.
• Qobuz: A niche service that offers high-resolution audio and pays artists well, but has a smaller catalog.
• Deezer: Offers lossless audio and a similar price point, but less popular in the US.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tidal still more expensive than Spotify?

No, Tidal HiFi is $9.99, which is $1 less than Spotify Premium’s $10.99. However, Spotify’s price includes access to its larger catalog and better recommendations, so the extra dollar may be worth it for some.

Does the $4.99 student plan include lossless audio?

Yes, the student plan includes all the features of the HiFi plan, including lossless FLAC audio. You just need to verify your student status with a .edu email or through a third-party verification service.

What happened to Tidal HiFi Plus?

HiFi Plus was discontinued in 2023. Existing subscribers were moved to the standard HiFi plan at $9.99, which now includes the same audio quality. Some exclusive perks like direct artist payouts were discontinued.

Can I get Tidal for free?

Yes, Tidal offers a free, ad-supported tier with limited features. You can also get a 30-day free trial of HiFi, which is a good way to test the service before paying.

Does Tidal pay artists more than other services?

Tidal has historically claimed to pay artists more per stream than Spotify, but this is not officially confirmed and varies by plan and region. The HiFi Plus tier had a higher payout, but that tier is gone. As of 2024, Tidal’s payout per stream is roughly similar to Apple Music, but lower than Qobuz.

Related

• Google Messages vs Apple & Samsung: 5 New Features
• Best Games April: Top Picks & Buying Guide
• Sling TV Returns to Roots With 20 Select Bundle