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Head-to-head · Music Streaming Software

TIDAL vs Melon

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score TIDAL #2 in Music Streaming Software 9.2/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit TIDAL
Melon #15 in Music Streaming Software 7.8/10 Paid ✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Melon

TIDAL leads on 2 checks, Melon on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreTIDAL · 9.2/10
  • Free trialonly TIDAL
  • Most featuresTIDAL · 4 of 4

TIDAL scores higher on our rubric for music streaming software: 9.2 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #15.

TIDAL offers family plan; Melon doesn't. TIDAL offers student plan; Melon doesn't.

TIDAL is the better fit for hi-res listeners and DJ workflows. Melon is the better fit for lossless streaming with downloads and charts.

  • TIDAL fits best

    Hi-res listeners and DJ workflows

  • Melon fits best

    Lossless streaming with downloads and charts

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature TIDAL 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Melon 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 7.8
Ranking #2 in Music Streaming Software #15 in Music Streaming Software
Best for Hi-res listeners and DJ workflows Lossless streaming with downloads and charts
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price — —
Free plan — Not checked yet
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support Tickets, Docs Email, Phone, Docs
Integrations 16 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features TIDAL 4/4 · Melon 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 web, 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
  • FLAC lossless listening and downloads on selected plans
  • Offline playback on an authenticated mobile device
  • Charts, recommendations, playlists, and synchronized playback
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
  • Offline playback is limited to an authenticated mobile device
  • Content availability depends on rights-holder agreements
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 →

Melon is a paid music streaming service operated by Kakao Entertainment. It combines on-demand listening with music videos, curated playlists, charts, personalized recommendations, and selected downloadable content. The service supports…

Read the review →
  1. TIDALMusic Streaming Software 9.230-day trial
  2. MelonMusic Streaming Software 7.8Paid

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
  • Melon — where it wins

    • FLAC lossless listening and downloads on selected plans
    • Offline playback on an authenticated mobile device
    • Charts, recommendations, playlists, and synchronized playback

    Where it doesn't

    • No family or student plan is listed
    • Offline playback is limited to an authenticated mobile device
    • Content availability depends on rights-holder agreements

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update