07.2017
Streaming Music, but where?
Try it
Spotify: 1 Month/Free OR 3 Months/99ct
Apple Music: 3 Months/Free
Tidal: 1 Month/Free
Spotify
Price (/month)
Free: 0.00
Premium: 9.99
Premium Family (5):14.99
Student: 4.99
Exclusives
Your Mix Of The Week - Playlist
Apple Music
Price (/month)
Individual: 9.99
Family (6): 14.99
Student: 4.99
Exclusives
My New Music Mix - Playlist
My Favorites Mix - Playlist
Optimized for Apple Products
TIDAL
Price (/month)
Premium: 9.99
HiFi: 19.99
Family Premium: 14.99
Family HiFi: 29.99
Student Premium: 4.99
Student HiFi: 9.99
Military Premium: 5.99
Military HiFi: 11.99
Exclusives
Hifi-Streaming,
HQ Videos,
Tidal Rising
Exclusives
I really love the Algorithm behind Spotify's "Your Mix of The Week". The songs really fit my needs and every week, I can find some new titles for my playlists.
Apple's New Music Mix is pretty decent (maybe not as good, but still) and the Favorites Mix, also helps you to not listen to the same Playlists over and over.
Tidal gives you HiFi Music Quality. And you can really hear the difference. But does it do the difference? Not really. For my ears, the normal quality is good enough. I would rather pay more for HiFi Headphones. Tidal Rising is a great platform to find new Bands. It can be really fun to listen to these different styles, but in the end it's not really crucial to me.
Design & Functionality
Black on White is so old! Tidal and Spotify do look sooo good.
I found Spotify the most intuitive. Tidal sometimes looks a little overkill. Apple Music on iTunes is super confusing.
I find new Songs for my Playlist, by listening to "Similar Artists" Music. The best functionality:
1. Spotify (popularity bar, all titles on one page, Similar Artists)
2. Apple Music (Similar Artists)
3. Tidal
Compatibility vs. Prestige
Compatibility. Since most people use Spotify and transfering playlists is a pain..., it's the easiest to share music on Spotify.
I tested Apple Music on different devices and I gotta admit, that it's really good on the iPhone / iPad.
Prestige. Is the choice of the service like choosing your car or the brand of your handbag? Probably not.
But if it was: For me, Spotify would be a reliable and solid Porsche, Apple Music the special but not perfect BMW i8. Tidal an edgy Lamborghini - Money Money Money ☺.
Conclusion
Spotify wins! It gives you solid performance for your money, looks great and it's the easiest way to share music with your friends.
Second place goes to both, Apple Music and Tidal.
Tidal looks great, but sometimes I miss some basics in the App. If you look for the best Audio Quality and have the money to spend, go for it.
Apple Music is sometimes confusing and unfortunately not as sexy as the other contenders. For Android users the app is horrible. Apple doesn't even try to keep the software up to date. It looks bad and is incredibly slow on Android and on Windows.
But if you have an iPhone or an iPad, I must admit that it's beautifully integrated into the OS. If you are not as much into sharing music, this is definitely your choice.