Today, I’ll help you choose whether Spotify or Tidal should become your next go-to music streaming service. So in case, you’re looking to start streaming music, but don’t know which service is best for you. You’ve used both Tidal and Spotify but can’t seem to stick to one. Then this post is for you.

Some of the things we’ll look at include.

• Price
• Music quality
• and a lot more,

Let’s get down to it. First, we’ll look at the price.

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ALSO READ: Spotify Plus is a new low-cost subscription tier

Price

Yes, Streaming music comes at a cost. So, you’ll want to make sure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Let’s take a look at Spotify and Tidal’s pricing plans. P.S: prices correct at time of writing article, and all prices are in Ugandan shillings.

Spotify has a free, ad-supported plan.

Well, from the table, it’s clear that both Spotify and Tidal’s premium plans are tied at 10,000 shillings per month. But, that doesn’t make it a tie just yet. That’s because Spotify does have a free, ad-supported plan. So, for absolutely no money, you can still listen to music on Spotify.

However, you’ll have to put up with a few things on the free plan such as 30-second ads every 30 minutes. You’re only allowed to skip a maximum of six tracks every hour of play. And all songs plus playlists will play in a shuffle except a few in-demand playlists.

Offline downloads are also a no-no. And you won’t get extreme audio quality for streams. But, it is free. And well, it doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

Tidal has Subscription Inclusive Of streaming data

Tidal has no free plan. So yeah, come here with some money on your hands. What it does have, however, is a subscription with streaming data. This it is able to provide, due to a partnership with MTN Uganda. 

So, for a little extra cash, you’ll be able to also get data for streaming. And the best part? This data is basically unlimited. So you can use as much data as you want for streaming on the tidal app.

It’s easier to pay for Tidal.

When it comes down to paying for a premium subscription, Tidal is as easy as it gets. All you need is an MTN sim card with a mobile money account. Simply dial *165*66# and follow the prompts.

On the other hand, paying for a Spotify premium account requires you to have a VISA card linked to your bank account. You then simply log into Spotify’s web portal and follow the steps. While this is accessible, many Ugandans will agree that using mobile money is faster and simply more convenient.

So, who wins when it comes to price?

Well, it’s a tie for this round. Tidal may not have a free plan, but its ease of pay and subscription with streaming data is evenly matched with Spotify’s free, ad-supported plan.

Well, it’s a tie for this round. Tidal may not have a free plan, but its ease of pay and subscription with streaming data is evenly matched with Spotify’s free, ad-supported plan.

Winner ↠ Tie.

Next up, we’ll look at music quality.

Music Quality

Okay, where are all my audiophiles at? This section is for you. Let’s look at which service has better music quality.

Here’s a detailed breakdown.

Spotify’s extreme/very high streams are good enough.

Okay, let’s face it if you do not care much for the best music quality for streaming, then Spotify’s high quality ( best for free users ) and extreme/very high quality ( best for premium users ), will be good enough for you.

Tidal’s Hi-Fi and Master Quality Audio is Pure Magic.

However, if you simply want the best music quality there is for streaming, then Tidal will make you very happy.

 While it costs much more than Tidal premium, Tidal’s Hi-Fi tier has streams with 1411 kbps (FLAC), a lossless audio quality that is even better than CD quality. That, plus over 25 million tracks with Master Quality Audio ( said to be as the artist recorded ), makes Tidal the ultimate music streamer of choice for anyone who takes music quality seriously.

Well, who has the best music Quality?

Tidal easily sweeps this round. Spotify’s extreme quality is great, but if you want the best there is in music quality when streaming music, and you do have the best music equipment to play it, just go right ahead and buy Tidal’s Hi-Fi premium plan.

Winner ↠ Tidal.

Other Services Aside From Music Streaming

In this section, we’ll look at other in-app services aside from only streaming music that are provided by either Spotify or tidal. We’ll only look at services that we believe enrich your overall music listening experience.

Here is a breakdown of the services we’re talking about.

Spotify is great if you love Podcasts.

Yes, if you love listening to Podcasts, then Spotify is for you. Their catalog has podcasts on almost every topic under the sun. Whether you’re looking for personal development, motivation, comedy, or the latest news, there’s a podcast for it on Spotify.

Tidal has services that will enrich your entire music life.

So, Tidal isn’t that great with podcasts. But, it doesn’t have to. That’s because it is loaded with other services that every music lover out there will enjoy, and find helpful. On Tidal, you’ll find music videos of the latest songs already added in video playlists so you don’t have to visit Youtube every time you’re craving some visuals.

With concert videos such as MadeinAmerica and Tidal X, you’ll be able to experience some of the world’s biggest artists live in concert. Podcasts such as car test and Rap Radar bring you closer to the artist with in-depth and fun interviews. Concert videos are available to nonsubscribers too though.

One thing that really sets Tidal aside is exclusive album drops and videos. This is when an artist releases an album for streaming exclusively on one platform for a set period of time before it is made available on other platforms. Big names such as Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Beyonce have all had exclusive album releases on Tidal.

Right now, Tidal’s still the only place to stream Beyonce’s Lemonade. Tidal also has exclusive rights to some of Prince’s albums. That plus a bunch of exclusive artist videos and backstage access to concerts keeps Tidal at the top for exclusive music content.

And in case you ever want to grab tickets to your favorite concerts, Tidal offers quick and easy ways to pay for it through Ticketmaster. They even give out free concert tickets to lucky users to go attend some of their concerts like Tidal X. 

So, which service makes your overall music life better?

Well, I’d say Tidal. While Spotify is unbeatable when it comes to Podcasts, Tidal has a whole host of other services that make it feel more like a VIP club for music enthusiasts.

Winner ↠ Tidal.

Noteworthy mentions

In this section, we’ll look at other noteworthy mentions that are easy to overlook but may make a huge difference for most people. These aren’t necessarily huge things but together, they do add up quite a bit.

Tidal has Playlists curated specifically for Uganda.

If you’re a die-hard fan of Ugandan music, then Tidal is your best option. That’s because Tidal has playlists curated specifically for the Ugandan music scene. You’ll easily find everything from Sheebah, Winnie Nwagi, Eddy Kenzo, and all your favorite Ugandan artists on playlists such as Top 100 Uganda, Rising Uganda, and others.

Spotify on the other hand will satisfy those who want internationally curated playlists. Their playlists such as Today’s Top Hits have the biggest songs currently on the planet. Spotify however, doesn’t have a playlist curated specifically for Uganda at the moment. But you can always check out playlists such as MadeInUg which has the latest Ugandan music.

Spotify has the most relevant Music Discovery Feature.

One of the perks of streaming music is that you get mixes curated daily specifically for you. These daily mixes are based on your listening history. Simply put, the platform makes playlists with your favorite songs and a few other tracks that they think you might like. Thus, you’re able to discover new favorite songs or artists to widen your listening scope.

You do get daily mixes on both Tidal and Spotify, and with these, you’ll be happy. But, Spotify has a playlist called Discover Weekly that’ll shock you. Not in a bad way but in its way of suggesting songs like it knows you personally. 

So in case you want better song recommendations, Spotify will work great for you. Simply put, Spotify curates the best playlists overall.

Finally coming up, is my verdict.

What’s My Verdict?

So then, what’s my verdict? Which streaming service do I think you should go with? Well, Tidal it is. Spotify’s free plan is great if you’re really pressed for cash. But when it comes to premium, Tidal’s blend of high music quality streams, exclusive content, and ease of pay give it the edge over Spotify. 

So, now over to you. Which service do you choose? Does Spotify’s free plan suit you? Or maybe you love that Tidal has streaming data included with the subscription? 

Whatever your thoughts are on this article, let me know in the comments down below.

This Article was a Guest Post written by Daniel Ohmehjee. Daniel is a network engineering student and loves content marketing.