Qobuz review
Updated October 1, 2026 · LootCue Editorial Team · Facts checked October 1, 2026
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Our verdict
Qobuz suits listeners who put sound quality first and can pay up front, since it plays hi-res streams with no free tier to lean on. The Studio plan costs £10.83 a month and a 30-day free trial lets you hear it before you commit.
Key facts
- Best for
- Listeners who want hi-res playback on a paid-only plan with a free trial.
- Plan price per month
- £10.83 (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Free trial length
- 30 days (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Free tier
- No (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Offline downloads
- Yes (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Student discount
- Yes (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Markets
- AR, AU, AT, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IT, JP, LU, MX, NL, NZ, NO, PT, SE, US (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Legal entity
- XANDRIE SA (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Headquarters
- France (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Founded
- 2008 (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Audio quality
- Standard, Lossless, Hi res
- Official website
- qobuz.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- Google Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- Playback spans standard, lossless and hi-res, so the higher quality files are included rather than held back for an upgrade.
- A 30-day free trial gives you proper time with the service before any payment.
- Downloads work offline, so your library travels with you beyond a connection.
- A student discount is available, which trims the cost while you are studying.
Cons
- There is no free tier, so the trial is the only way to hear the service before you pay.
- The Studio rate of £10.83 a month comes with an annual, non-refundable commitment paid as a single upfront payment, so a short stay leaves you paying for time you will not use.
- Support runs on email, chat, help centre and more, so every question is answered in writing rather than by phone.
Who it suits
- You listen at home on decent speakers or headphones and want the higher quality files inside the subscription rather than as an extra.
- You can commit to an annual term and use the 30-day trial to check the sound first, since there is no free tier to sit on.
- You are studying and can use the student discount, or you share an account and want the family or duo plan.
Who should look elsewhere
- You want a free tier to sample on, because Qobuz has none.
- You want to pay month to month and walk away easily, since the Studio rate carries an annual non-refundable commitment.
How it compares on our data
Most people arrive at a streaming service with the same two questions: what it costs when you join, and what it costs when the plan comes round again. Two other checks sit right beside those, the audio formats the service plays back and how long the free trial lasts. The comparison sets the plan price, the audio formats and the trial length against the other services on the list, so you can weigh entry cost and renewal cost before you commit.
Core features
The feature list is short because everything sits inside the subscription. Downloads work offline, so imported music plays back on a device without an active internet connection for a period of time after, which covers trains, flights and patchy rural signal. There is no free tier at all, so the trial is the only free way in, and it runs for 30 days. A student discount is available for anyone who can show they are in education, alongside subscriptions built for a single listener, a pair and a family. Sound runs from standard through lossless to hi-res across the service, so the plan names mostly decide who listens, not what they can hear.
What you get free
There is no free tier here, so nothing plays without a subscription. The free route is the 30-day trial, which gives you a full month across the service before any payment starts. That is long enough to notice whether the sound suits your setup and your habits, rather than judging the service from a couple of songs on a phone speaker. When the trial ends the paid plan takes over, so decide in advance whether you want to keep it or let it lapse.
The company behind it
Qobuz is run by XANDRIE SA, which is headquartered in France and formed the company in 2008. Both details come from the legal notices, so the operator behind your subscription is named rather than left vague. Customer service is reached by email, chat and a help centre, all listed in the terms. That means most questions are handled in writing, which suits anyone who would rather keep a record of the answer than chase a phone call.
How Qobuz compares
8.4 vs 9.3Plarium
8.4 vs 9.2- 8.4 vs 9.3
8.4 vs 9.3
8.4 vs 9.2
8.4 vs 9.2
8.4 vs 9.2
8.4 vs 9.0
8.4 vs 8.9
Starforged
Crossout
Star Stable
War Thunder
Enlisted
Inn.games EU
Humbrol GB
GGPick
Woodestic
Perfect World RU
Norns
Vertexhub
Where Qobuz is available
- Available
- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does Qobuz cost in the UK?+
The Studio plan is £10.83 a month, and that rate is tied to an annual, non-refundable commitment paid as a single upfront payment rather than month to month. A month to month subscription is also offered, at a higher rate, so your bill depends on which term you pick at checkout.
Is there a free trial?+
Yes. Qobuz offers a 30-day free trial, which is a full month of listening before any payment is taken. It is the only free route in, because there is no free tier to sit on while you decide, so it is worth setting a reminder for the day the trial ends.
What audio quality does Qobuz stream?+
Qobuz plays back standard, lossless and hi res inside one subscription, so the higher quality files are not held back for an upgrade you have to pay extra for. That is the core of the pitch: the sound is the product, and you are not asked to move up a tier in order to hear the better files.
Can I download music to listen offline?+
Yes, downloads work offline as part of the subscription, including during the 30-day trial. Imported music plays back without an active internet connection for a period of time after you add it to a device, which covers a commute, a flight or a stretch of poor signal. The files sit on the device, so a connection matters only when you are adding or updating them.
What plans can I buy?+
Qobuz sells Solo, Duo and Family subscriptions, plus a student option for anyone who can show they are in education. Solo covers a single listener, while Duo and Family are aimed at sharing. The Studio plan sits alongside them, and it is the plan priced at £10.83 a month on an annual commitment.
Which countries can I use Qobuz in?+
Qobuz operates across 26 countries including Argentina, Australia and Austria, so the service is open in many countries rather than a single market. The legal notices for your own country set out the terms that apply to you, so read those before you sign up and check the offers shown for your market rather than assuming another country's prices apply.
Who runs Qobuz?+
Qobuz is operated by XANDRIE SA, a company headquartered in France and formed in 2008. Both details appear in the legal notices alongside the terms, so the company behind your payment is a named legal entity rather than an anonymous storefront. Written support routes are listed in the same documents if you need them later.
Does Qobuz put adverts in the music?+
No. The paid subscriptions are described as an online music listening service without advertisements, so there are no spots between tracks and no interruptions while an album plays. The trade is that you pay rather than sit through ads, and the 30-day trial shows you the uninterrupted experience before you commit.
Sources
- qobuz.com/gb-en/about checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Founded, Markets
“When we formed Qobuz in 2008”
- qobuz.com/gb-en/audio-quality checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Free trial length
“Try Qobuz now for a month, completely free.”
- qobuz.com/gb-en/legal/mentions checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity
“XANDRIE SA publishes the website QOBUZ.COM”
- qobuz.com/gb-en/legal/terms checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Free tier, Offline downloads, Support channels
“QOBUZ streaming offers are paid subscription offers to online music listening service without advertisements”
- qobuz.com/gb-en/music/streaming/offers checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Audio quality, Plan price per month, Student discount
“Studio quality streaming (Lossless, FLAC 24-Bit up to 192 kHz)”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked October 1, 2026. We did not open an account.
Qobuz
Listeners who want hi-res playback on a paid-only plan with a free trial.