Tidal prioritizes high-fidelity audio and artist payments with HiFi+ at $14.99/month, while Amazon Music offers better value integration with Prime membership at $14.99/month for standard quality or $9.99 for Prime members. Tidal has superior sound quality; Amazon Music has broader ecosystem benefits.
Tidal vs Amazon Music — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Premium music streaming with HiFi lossless audio and artist-focused payment model
Amazon's music streaming service offering lossless audio, integrated Prime benefits, and smart home optimization.
Lossless Audio Quality. Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard). Artist Payout per Stream. Music Library Size. Video Content Included. Spatial Audio Support. Free Trial Duration
Choose Tidal if you're an audiophile who values lossless audio quality, supports artist payments, and doesn't mind paying premium prices for superior sound—best for high-end headphone users and music enthusiasts. Choose Amazon Music if you prioritize value, already have Prime membership (reducing cost to $9.99), want video content integration, and prefer convenience over audio specifications—best for casual listeners and Amazon ecosystem users.
Tidal: Good (Spotlight Program) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Multi-platform (limited partners) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Basic sharing | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Integrated music videos | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 320 (MQA Hi-Res) | Amazon Music: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Premium Tier)
Tidal: Yes (HiFi tier) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Estimated 5-10 | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: $0.007-$0.013 | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Lossless HiFi + MQA | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Limited/Ad-based | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 24-bit/192 kHz (via MQA) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 9216 kbps (Dolby Atmos) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Not available | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: iOS, Android, Web, Desktop, Windows | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Limited visibility | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 16-bit / 44.1kHz (HiFi tier) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Over 100 million | Amazon Music: 100+ million
Tidal: Yes (HiFi+ tier) | Amazon Music: Ultra tier only
Tidal: Streaming only | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Modern, streamlined design | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Excellent across platforms | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: HiRes FLAC (9216 kbps) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 90+ million | Amazon Music: 100+ million
Tidal: Yes, all tiers | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 320 (MQA lossless equivalent) | Amazon Music: 256 kbps (standard tier)
Tidal: Yes (HiFi on all tiers) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Yes (all subscribers) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Standard interface | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Artist-first model (higher payouts) | Amazon Music: N/A
Monthly Subscription Price (Standard Tier)
Tidal: $10.99/month (Premium) or $14.99/month (HiFi Plus) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: $120/year (HiFi Plus annual discount) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: Yes (16-bit/44.1kHz minimum) | Amazon Music: N/A
Tidal: 100+ million | Amazon Music: 100+ million
Tidal: Yes, available on all paid tiers | Amazon Music: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Tier)
Tidal: $14.99 | Amazon Music: $14.99 (or $9.99 with Prime)
Tidal: 3 million | Amazon Music: 100+ million (including Prime)
Tidal: 10,000 (HiFi+) | Amazon Music: Unlimited (with limits per device)
Tidal: Limited (Rising videos only) | Amazon Music: Extensive (4K videos, concerts, Wondery docs)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: $10.99 (free with Prime)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 100,000 songs
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 100+ Alexa devices
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Not available
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Yes (ad-supported with Prime)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, web, 500+ devices
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 850 kbps spatial audio
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: All Alexa devices (100+ million)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: $139-179 (6 accounts with Prime)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 30 days (rotational for Prime members)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Yes (Ultra HD tier)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Alexa (200M+ Echo devices)
Annual Prime/YouTube Premium Bundle Cost
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: $119 (Prime includes music + shipping + Prime Video)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: $5.99/month (with Prime) or $10.99 (standalone)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 100+ million songs
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 10+ million tracks
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Music videos only
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 8,000+ Alexa-compatible devices
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: $14.99/month (6 accounts via Prime)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 320 kbps (MP3) with Unlimited tier
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Ultra tier only ($14.99/month extra)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 10 years (since 2016)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Free with Prime
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 3,730 (Ultra HD)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Limited selection
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: 100 songs per device
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: $11.99 (or $2.99 with Prime)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Included with Prime ($14.99/mo)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Lossless 16-bit/44.1kHz (1,411 kbps equivalent)
Tidal: N/A | Amazon Music: Echo device owners only
How to choose between Tidal and Amazon Music
Tidal vs Amazon Music — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Tidal vs Amazon Music. Contains 108 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Tidal vs Amazon Music — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Tidal vs Amazon Music.
Can you hear the difference between Tidal HiFi+ and Amazon Music standard?
Yes, on quality equipment. Tidal HiFi+ delivers 320 kbps lossless audio vs Amazon's standard 256 kbps AAC. Audiophiles with high-end headphones ($300+) or quality speakers will notice clearer mids, tighter bass, and more detail. Casual listeners with AirPods or phone speakers likely won't perceive meaningful difference in blind tests.
Is Amazon Music Ultra HD worth the extra cost?
Only if you have the equipment to benefit. Amazon Music Ultra HD costs $14.99/month but only covers ~20% of their catalog with high bitrate. Most casual users should stick to standard tier. However, if you own high-end DAC equipment and primarily listen to mastered albums, it provides value comparable to Tidal HiFi+.
Tidal pays significantly more—$0.01284 per stream vs Amazon's $0.00402, roughly 3.2x higher. This is by design; Tidal was founded to prioritize artist compensation. However, total payouts depend on overall streams. A Tidal artist with fewer listeners may earn less than an Amazon artist with larger audience, but per-stream, Tidal is substantially better for musicians.
Should I switch if I already have Amazon Prime?
Probably not, unless audio quality is essential. Amazon Music at $9.99 for Prime members offers 33% savings vs Tidal at $14.99 monthly. You get decent audio quality, video content, and seamless Alexa integration. Switch to Tidal only if you own high-end audio gear and prioritize lossless quality over cost and convenience.
Does Tidal have exclusive music Amazon doesn't?
Tidal has exclusive content from major artists (like Jay-Z, Beyoncé early releases), but Amazon Music quickly matches most exclusives. Both have 100+ million tracks with roughly 95% catalog overlap. Exclusivity content on Tidal is temporary (usually 2-3 weeks) rather than permanent, so it's not a long-term differentiator.
How to Choose Between Tidal and Amazon Music
Lossless Audio Quality: Tidal has HiFi+ with MQA lossless (320 kbps equivalent), while Amazon Music has Standard AAC (256 kbps) or Ultra HD (3,730 kbps for select tracks).
Consider: Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard): Tidal has $14.99/month, while Amazon Music has $14.99/month (or $9.99 with Prime).
Artist Payout per Stream: Tidal has $0.01284 average, while Amazon Music has $0.00402 average.
Music Library Size: Tidal has 100+ million tracks, while Amazon Music has 100+ million tracks.
Video Content Included: Tidal has Limited (Tidal Rising videos), while Amazon Music has Extensive (Music videos, concerts, Wondery content).
Spatial Audio Support: Tidal has Yes (Dolby Atmos on HiFi+), while Amazon Music has Yes (Dolby Atmos on select devices).
Free Trial Duration: Tidal has 1 month free, while Amazon Music has 30 days free (or 3 months with Prime).