Rhapsody vs Tidal: Step-by-step Comparison

This article is all about Rhapsody vs. Tidal as these two music giants have been locking the horns for a long time now. There are so many options that are available for the users that it becomes at times too rough for the users to decide which service they should go for.

The star-studded launch of Tidal was something that provided a way for the artists to get this service to the next level. While the fact of the matter is that the Rhapsody was the first on-demand music service that provided unlimited access to the users.

The best part is that both the services have their base of loyal subscribers and therefore the comparison can only be done based on the technical grounds. They have their advantages and compete with each other at very minor levels. This makes sure that the best services are provided to the user.

Tidal vs. Rhapsody is one of the most talked-about the comparison. The article will make sure that you get the best and in-depth comparison so that your ambiguities are cleared with perfection.

rhapsody vs tidal

How Services Originated?

Launched as Napster, it is one of the best and the most used services that have been on the market for a long time now. It was started back in 2001 when this idea of online music stream was not popular and then later on it was rebranded as Rhapsody. The service has been building up its catalog with the latest songs and more are added daily and therefore it is one of the best and the most used services.

The Tidal on the other hand has been launched in 2009 and it was used originally known as WiMP. The best part is that it was rebranded as the first artist-owned music service under the command of Jay Z. This rebranding has made sure that the fan base of the service increases with time.

Tracks and Subscribers

Here Tidal takes the lead by a huge margin and this is all because there are 48+ million songs on the platform. The best part is that it not only takes on board the new releases but the old songs are also added to the library constantly to make sure that all the market segments are captured. The new releases are added to the library every Friday.

Rhapsody also has a substantial customer base. There are 3.5+ million active customers that have been on the platform for a long time now. When it comes to songs the services lag behind Tidal and it has 42 million songs as of now for its customers to enjoy.

The Experience

The services in this regard also differ a lot and it means that the best and the most advanced outcome are provided by both. When it comes to Rhapsody, it lets you connect to the music that you love along with the artists. The recommended playlists are the best and this forms the backbone of Rhapsody.

The same curated areas are also offered by Tidal but in a different manner. There are genre buttons that can be pressed to make sure that the best and the most advanced outcome is generated for you. The recommended albums as well as the artists are also displayed to make sure that your music experience is taken to the next level.

The devices that are supported by these services are iPhone, Android, Kindle, and Windows OS based and this is a similarity between these services. Many software programs can be used to make sure that the songs are downloaded and played when you are offline. Taken Tidal as an example, you can use DRmare Tidal Music Converter to download and convert Tidal music and playlists to MP3, FLAC, and other files for offline playback on all devices.

Audio Quality

There are 2 types of subscribers that are on the Tidal. The premium services subscribers are provided with the 320 Kbps AAC audio quality. The Tidal HiFi that costs about $19.99 per month makes sure that even higher quality audio is provided to the users. The bit rate of Rhapsody is certainly low and it lies at 192Kbps which is not compatible with Tidal at all.

The Charges

This is something that has been at the forefront of Tidal as they want to capture all the market segments. The service offers 4 rates which means that they want their paid subscribers to get a step ahead as compared to the other services.

The first subscription rate of Tidal is premium which is $14.99 per month and the Tidal HiFi costs you about $29.99 per month which makes it one of the affordable services.

tidal hifi vs premium


For the students, the Tidal premium service costs you about $4.99 and the Tidal HiFi costs you about $9.99 per month. The standard membership of the Tidal premium is $9.99 and the HiFi costs about $19.99 per month. The Tidal premium for the military costs about $5.99 and the Tidal HiFi, the cost is about $11.99 per month. There are a 30 days free trial policy that will let you explore the service. For Tidal service, you can also use some ways to get 6 months free trial.

Rhapsody also offers an unlimited trial for the 30 days but for that, you need to enter your credit card details. Once the trial is over you need to make sure that you either go for Un-radio which costs about $4.99 per month and the premium service costs you about $9.99 per month. The premium services of both services make sure that you enjoy unlimited ad-free music.

Support that Matters

The world is coming close with online payments and this is something that the Tidal has considered a lot. It completely supports Apple Pay and other services that will make sure that you get the best outcome with ease when it comes to the payment.

Both services also offer debit and credit card payment offers which make sure that everyone tends to get the service. Rhapsody also offers parental control and flags the explicit content immediately. Tidal does not offer the parental feature at all.

In Conclusion

Whether it is Rhapsody vs. Tidal sound quality or any other service characteristic both have their ups and downs. Tidal has superior sound quality and Rhapsody does not come even close to it. The Rhapsody makes sure that you get parental control and the interface that is simple to use.

Rhapsody is affordable and it also makes sure that you get the maximum by paying the minimum price. Both services have their upsides and for the same reason, you get to find them both as per your standards.

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