Tidal just rolled all of its premium hi-res streaming features into one affordable plan

Tidal streaming on smartphone with B&W Px7 S2e headphones
(Image credit: Future)
Recent updates

March 13: Article updated to clarify 'lossless audio' (16-bit/44.1kHz CD-quality) and 'hi-res audio' (24-bit/96kHz to 24-bit/192kHz) definition.

Tidal is set to streamline its subscription plans by combining its lossless audio and hi-res tiers into one new ad-free individual plan for just $10.99 / £10.99 / AU$12.99 per month. This is big news for lovers of hi-res audio like myself and will also include full access to Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio content. The change will bring Tidal's prices in line with Apple Music and Amazon Music.  

The new plan will simply be called Tidal when it rolls out on April 10. It will combine Tidal's current HiFi and HiFi Plus tiers, which will cease to exist beyond that date.

As a paid subscriber to several of the best music streaming services, I regularly listen to Tidal's HiFi (CD-quality lossless audio) tier. I'm signed up for the $10.99 per month individual subscription (although I confess, I've being overpaying since I foolishly reinstated my Tidal subscription via iPhone) and have already received a notification to my email account telling me about the changes to my Tidal subscription. The price remains the same as my current subscription, and there's an option to cancel my subscription should I wish.

The new Tidal plan means I'll get access to Tidal's entire library of hi-res music files for no extra cost.

When it arrives, the new Tidal plan means I'll get access to Tidal's entire library of hi-res music files for no extra cost. Previously, I would have needed to sign up to Tidal's costly $20 per month HiFi Plus plan to access its hi-res music content, so this is great news for hi-res music fans everywhere and follows the company's simplification of its streaming offering that began last year.

Tidal drops MQA in favor of FLAC

The Tidal official logo

(Image credit: Tidal)

Tidal has been known for its hi-res MQA format. At the time it launched, MQA enabled hi-res audio files containing large amounts of data to be 'packed' in such a way that they could easily be streamed from music servers over digital networks with limited bandwidth and 'unpacked' by compatible MQA playback devices in our homes.

As digital networks and infrastructure have improved though, Tidal began phasing out its MQA format support, and in June 2023 started making its hi-res library available in FLAC format.

Tidal HiFi: from $10.99

Tidal HiFi: from $10.99
Tidal is one of the most innovative streaming services available. Its HiFi tier is the one to subscribe to right now, as you'll get full access to its library of more than 100 million tracks in CD-quality lossless audio straight off the bat. From April 10, you'll then get access to Tidal's hi-res content (up to 24-bit/192kHz), and Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio immersive content at no extra cost.

Tidal's current price plans

Tidal Connect lifestyle image

(Image credit: Simaudio)
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PlanTidal HiFiTidal HiFi Plus
Individual$10.99 / £10.99 / AU$12.99$19.99/ £19.99 / AU$23.99
Family (up to 6 accounts)$16.99 / £16.99 / AU$19.99$29.99 / £29.99 / AU$35.99
Student$4.99 / £4.99 / AU$5.99$9.99 / £9.99 / AU$11.99

What you'll get with the new $11 Tidal plan

1. Full access to Tidal's hi-res library: Tidal's music library claims over 110 million tracks in lossless audio and hi-res FLAC. It adds around 200,000 new hi-res tracks every week. 

2. Spatial audio content: Two other features bundled with this new Tidal package are 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos spatial audio integration.

3. Offline listening: Tidal tracks and videos can be downloaded to your phone for offline listening, in any streaming quality. 

4. Content exclusives: The amount of exclusive content is among the biggest of any of the best streaming services, and consists of concerts, curated mixes, discovery radio stations, podcasts, and shows.

5: The best content curation: Algorithm-generated recommendations are personalized to your music and video mixes that favor users' listening habits, while my Daily Discovery is a solid tool for finding new artists and songs.

As Tidal streamlines its subscription plan to more closely match market rivals, Spotify is the only streaming service without a lossless, hi-res, or spatial audio streaming tier. I look forward to discovering more at the Spotify Stream On 2024 that's rumored to be happening later this month. 

More from Tom's Guide

Lee Dunkley
Audio Editor

After 2.5 years as Tom's Guide's audio editor, Lee has joined the passionate audio experts at audiograde.uk where he writes about luxury audio and Hi-Fi. As a former editor of the U.K.'s Hi-Fi Choice magazine, Lee is passionate about all kinds of audio tech and has been providing sound advice to enable consumers to make informed buying decisions since he joined Which? magazine as a product tester in the 1990s. Lee covers all things audio for Tom's Guide, including headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars and loves to connect and share the mindfulness benefits that listening to music in the very best quality can bring.

  • LetsRide_IL
    Unfortunately there are still dozens of MQA tracks on Tidal. Many of them only 16/44.1. The reason they're dropping the price was to cover up them charging a premium for fake HiRes. I will only resubscribe once all MQA tracks are purged from the platform.
    Reply
  • Chemist83
    I don't see the new subscription plan. Is it for a certain country?
    Reply
  • sonicmustard
    We understand that the new Tidal plan with premium features will appear on April 10.
    Reply