Tidal review
Updated October 1, 2026 · LootCue Editorial Team · Facts checked October 1, 2026
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Our verdict
Tidal suits listeners who care more about sound quality and having music offline than about the monthly figure, especially Android and iPhone owners and eligible students. Tidal Individual costs $11.99 a month, with a reduced rate for eligible students and offline downloads on Android and iOS.
Key facts
- Best for
- Top audio quality with offline downloads on Android and iOS.
- Plan price per month
- $11.99 (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Offline downloads
- Yes (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Student discount
- Yes (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Markets
- NG, ZA, UG, HK, IL, MY, SG, TH, AE, AL, AD, AT, BA, BE, BG, HR, CY, CZ, DK, EE, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IS, IE, IT, LV, LI, LT, LU, MT, MC, ME, NL, MK, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SK, SI, ES, SE, CH, GB, CA, DO, JM, MX, PR, US, AR, BR, CL, CO, PE, AU, NZ (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Legal entity
- TIDAL Music AS (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre, Email, Chat, Community (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
- Audio quality
- Standard, Lossless, Hi res, Spatial
- Official website
- tidal.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- Sound quality reaches the top tiers Tidal publishes on the subscription a reader already pays for, so fidelity is not a reason to buy a second plan.
- Offline downloads are listed for the Android app and the iOS app, which covers the phone platforms most listeners carry.
- Eligible students can take a reduced rate, which is the only discount Tidal describes.
- Billing details come from TIDAL Music AS, the same company that runs the service, so subscription questions stay in one place.
Cons
- Entry cost is $11.99 a month for Tidal Individual, and the reduced student rate is the only saving Tidal sets out.
- The lower rate is limited to eligible students, so everyone else stays on $11.99 a month.
- Support runs through help centre, email, chat and more, with no phone line listed for readers who would rather speak to someone.
Who it suits
- Listeners who want the highest audio quality in the same subscription as ordinary playback.
- Android and iPhone owners who want their library with them when a connection is not.
- Eligible students who want a reduced rate on the same service.
Who should look elsewhere
- Listeners whose country is not among the 61 countries including Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda Tidal publishes for signup.
- Readers who are not eligible students and want a monthly bill under $11.99.
Core features
The things Tidal documents prominently are both practical on a phone. Offline downloads are part of the service and are listed for the Android app and the iOS app, so a saved library keeps playing when a connection is poor or mobile data is not worth spending. Eligible students can take a reduced rate instead of the standard price, which trims the bill for anyone able to show they qualify. Neither sits as an extra bolt-on: downloads come with the paid plan, and the student rate changes the price rather than the service. Readers who weigh entry and renewal figures can therefore hold the plan price steady and treat the reduced rate as the exception that can lower it.
The company behind it
Tidal is operated by TIDAL Music AS, the entity named on its own support pages, and that same company publishes the subscription types, plan names and prices a reader checks before signing up. Support sits with the operation rather than being handed elsewhere, and Tidal points readers toward the channels it publishes, including a virtual assistant that answers around the clock and a space where members answer each other. Readers who want a written trail on anything to do with billing can get it from the same source that sets out the plans, which keeps plan changes and payment questions together.
How Tidal compares
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Starforged
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Star Stable
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Enlisted
Inn.games EU
Humbrol GB
GGPick
Woodestic
Perfect World RU
Norns
Vertexhub
Where Tidal is available
- Available
- Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked October 1, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does Tidal cost each month?+
Tidal Individual is the plan most readers will price up, and it comes to $11.99 a month. That figure covers the full set of audio options Tidal publishes rather than a trimmed tier, so nothing extra has to be added for better sound. Eligible students can pick up a lower rate on the same service.
Does Tidal give a student discount?+
It does. Tidal lists a reduced rate for eligible students, and that is the only discount among the subscription types it publishes. Anyone who can show they qualify pays less for the same downloads and the same audio options, while everyone else remains on $11.99 a month.
Can I download music for offline listening?+
Yes. Offline downloads are part of the service, and Tidal lists them for the Android app and the iOS app. They come with the paid plan rather than as a paid extra, so a subscriber on Tidal Individual at $11.99 a month has them from the start.
Who runs Tidal?+
Tidal is operated by TIDAL Music AS, the entity named on its own support pages. That same company publishes the subscription types, plan names and prices, so the organisation a reader pays is the one that answers billing questions and handles changes to a plan.
Which devices does Tidal work on?+
Tidal's support pages name the Android app and the iOS app when they describe offline downloads, so a saved library is documented on the platforms most readers carry. Subscriptions sit with Tidal Individual at $11.99 a month, and the same plan price applies across those apps.
Who does Tidal suit?+
It fits listeners who put sound quality first, carry an Android phone or an iPhone, and want their library with them when a connection is not. Eligible students also pay a lower rate on the same plan, which is $11.99 a month before the reduction.
Sources
- support.tidal.com/hc/en-us checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Chat with our virtual assistant 24/7; Submit a request; TIDAL Support”
- support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003662825-Subscrip... checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Plan price per month, Student discount
“Tidal Individual: $11.99 USD/month”
- support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/202453191-Where-Tidal... checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Markets
“(c) 2026 TIDAL Music AS”
- support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/categories/200514272-Explore-T... checked October 1, 2026
Backs: Audio quality, Offline downloads
“Audio Quality: Exclusive Mode, Audio Format Updates, HiRes FLAC audio, Change sound quality level, Dolby Atmos”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked October 1, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free trial length.