Shazam is the better app overall, scoring 8.6 to 8.4. Shazam wins on 4 of the 5 scores, TIDAL on 1.
Music lovers who often hear a song and want to know what it is
Audiophiles with good headphones or hi-fi gear who want hi-res streaming
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Shazam | TIDAL |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Music & Podcasts | Music & Podcasts |
| Category rank | #5 of 8 | #6 of 8 |
| Developer | Apple | TIDAL |
| Pricing | Free | Subscription |
| Usable for free | Yes | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | — | ✓ |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Shazam
- Fast, accurate recognition even in noisy places
- Free with no ads
- Built into iPhone Control Center and the Mac
- Not a full music player
- Some features work best with Apple Music
Shazam does one thing better than anything else: it tells you what song is playing. Tap the button and it usually names the track within seconds, then shows lyrics and links to Apple Music or Spotify. Auto Shazam can keep listening in the background, and offline matches are saved until you're back online. It's free with no ads. Just don't expect a full music player.
Full Shazam review
TIDAL
- Hi-res and Dolby Atmos included, no pricier tier
- Credits make it easy to explore producers and writers
- No ads and less data-driven than free rivals
- No meaningful free tier
- Weaker recommendations and no podcasts
TIDAL is built for listeners who care about audio quality. Its plans include hi-res FLAC and Dolby Atmos, and detailed songwriter and producer credits make it easy to follow the people behind the music. The apps are clean, and TIDAL Connect works with plenty of hi-fi gear. Recommendations trail Spotify's, and there are no podcasts. Get it if sound quality comes first.
Full TIDAL review
