Qobuz vs SoundCloud
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Qobuz is the better app overall, scoring 8.3 to 7.6. Qobuz wins on 5 of the 5 scores, SoundCloud on 0.
Audiophiles and album listeners with good headphones or a hi-fi system
Fans of electronic, hip-hop and underground music, and the artists making it
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Qobuz | SoundCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Music & Podcasts | Music & Podcasts |
| Category rank | #7 of 10 | #10 of 10 |
| Developer | Xandrie SA | SoundCloud |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Windows | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Qobuz better than SoundCloud?
Qobuz is the better app overall, scoring 8.3 to 7.6. Qobuz wins on 5 of the 5 scores, SoundCloud on 0.
Which is cheaper, Qobuz or SoundCloud?
Qobuz: Studio Solo is $12.99 a month, or $10.83 a month billed yearly; students pay $4.99. SoundCloud: Free with ads; Go and Go+ plans remove ads and add offline listening. On value for money, Qobuz scores higher.
Do Qobuz and SoundCloud work on the same devices?
Only Qobuz runs on Mac, Windows.
Which is more private, Qobuz or SoundCloud?
Qobuz scores higher on privacy (7.0/10). App Store label lists contact info and identifiers as used to track you, plus email, device ID and usage data linked to you for marketing and analytics.
Strengths and weaknesses
Qobuz
- Hi-res lossless audio on every plan
- Rich credits, reviews and liner notes
- Buy downloads you keep forever
- No free tier, only a trial
- Catalog can be thin for lesser-known artists
- App Store label lists tracking identifiers
Qobuz is the streaming service for people who care how music sounds and who made it. Every plan streams lossless FLAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz, and the app is packed with credits, reviews, digital booklets and editorial writing. You can also buy hi-res downloads to keep. Qobuz Connect controls hi-fi gear from brands like Naim and Denon. There's no free tier, and some listeners find the catalog thin for lesser-known artists.
Full Qobuz review
SoundCloud
- Huge library of mixes, remixes and new artists
- Free listening with a usable mobile app
- Creators can upload and share directly
- Ads and cross-app tracking on the free tier
- Cluttered interface and patchy recommendations
- Dec 2025 breach exposed many users' email addresses
SoundCloud is where you hear music before it reaches the big platforms: bedroom producers, DJ mixes, unofficial remixes and new artists uploading directly. The free tier is generous, and a late-2025 homepage refresh made it easier to find what your friends and favorite artists like. The catch is a cluttered app, ads, tracking and a December 2025 security breach. Get it for underground and electronic music.
Full SoundCloud review
