TIDAL vs Kugou Music

TIDAL9.2Visit KMKugou Music8.3Visit

Higher score TIDAL #2 in Music Streaming Software 9.2/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit TIDAL

vs

KM Kugou Music #10 in Music Streaming Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Kugou Music

• TIDAL fits best

  Hi-res listeners and DJ workflows

• Kugou Music fits best

  Feature-rich streaming and karaoke content

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Side by side

Feature	TIDAL 9.2/10 Visit ↗	KMKugou Music 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.3
Ranking	#2 in Music Streaming Software	#10 in Music Streaming Software
Best for	Hi-res listeners and DJ workflows	Feature-rich streaming and karaoke content
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	30 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Tickets, Docs	Email, Docs
Integrations	16 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features TIDAL 4/4 · Kugou Music 2/4
Offline listening	✓	✓
Lossless audio	✓	✓
Family plan	✓ (best)	—
Student plan	✓ (best)	—
Specs
Maximum audio quality	Hi-res	Hi-res
Supported platforms	web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Apple Watch, Chromecast, CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Our review
Pros	HiRes FLAC playback up to 24-bit, 192 kHz Offline listening, Dolby Atmos, and ad-free playback Deep integrations across devices, cars, and DJ software	Lossless and hi-res playback with song downloads Song, humming and local-song recognition tools Karaoke, livestreaming, audiobooks and spoken content
Cons	No free plan DJ access requires compatible DJ software Some DJ features are limited to select partners	No family or student plan is listed China-region pricing is shown in Chinese yuan Kugou Play web service has stopped and directs users to desktop
Our verdict	TIDAL is a paid music-streaming service for listeners who prioritize lossless and high-resolution audio. Its catalog combines lossless FLAC, HiRes FLAC up to 24-bit, 192 kHz, Dolby Atmos content, ad-free playback, offline listening,… Read the review →	Kugou Music is a Chinese music streaming and digital audio service for listeners who want broad discovery and playback options across Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Its core experience covers music search, charts, playlists, albums,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• TIDAL — where it wins

  • HiRes FLAC playback up to 24-bit, 192 kHz
  • Offline listening, Dolby Atmos, and ad-free playback
  • Deep integrations across devices, cars, and DJ software

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan
  • DJ access requires compatible DJ software
  • Some DJ features are limited to select partners

• Kugou Music — where it wins

  • Lossless and hi-res playback with song downloads
  • Song, humming and local-song recognition tools
  • Karaoke, livestreaming, audiobooks and spoken content

  Where it doesn't

  • No family or student plan is listed
  • China-region pricing is shown in Chinese yuan
  • Kugou Play web service has stopped and directs users to desktop

• TIDAL9.2/10 · 30-day trial

  A strong fit for hi-res listeners and DJs who do not need a free tier.

  Visit TIDALFull verdict →
• KMKugou Music8.3/10 · Free plan

  A broad music service with hi-res playback, recognition tools and offline listening.

  Visit Kugou MusicFull verdict →