If You're Bored of Waiting for Spotify HiFi, Try These 5 Hi-Res Audio Alternatives (2024)

Spotify excited its users with the announcement of lossless music streaming, known as HiFi, in 2021. But since then, a series of delays mean we're still waiting for its release. So, if you're fed up waiting for Spotify HiFi, check out these high-resolution alternatives.

1 Apple Music

Apple Music has some of the best music streaming quality you'll find anywhere online, and it's one of the reasons I left Spotify to join Apple Music earlier in 2024. Sound quality varies from 44 kHz to 192 kHz. Some songs are optimized for Dolby Atmos, and from a user experience standpoint, the interface is clean and easy to navigate.

When you sign up for Apple Music, you'll have access to 100 million+ songs—including many popular artists. Like Spotify, you can create your own playlists (but admittedly, searching for other user-created playlists isn't as easy as on Spotify).

Pros:

• Good playlist customization
• User-friendly library and easy-to-organize music

Cons:

• Problems with the app can arise (for example, I encountered a glitch where I couldn't play songs that weren't downloaded when connected to Wi-Fi)
• Poor discoverability for new tracks

Apple Music Pricing

Apple Music has a handful of pricing tiers, which cost the following:

2 TIDAL

TIDAL has over five million users and more than 100 million songs. You can listen to Dolby Atmos, FLAC, and other lossless formats. Like Spotify Premium, you get editorial playlists, ad-free listening, and unlimited skips.

When using TIDAL, you'll also find over 300,000 videos covering several genres, including K-Pop, hip-hop, and rock.

If you want to try TIDAL before subscribing, you can get a free 30-day trial. You can also check out our review on what TIDAL is, and whether it's worth using.

Pros:

• Songs and videos are clearly divided
• Lower market availability than Spotify (61 countries compared to 180+)

Cons:

• Syncing can sometimes be a challenge

TIDAL Pricing

Pricing for TIDAL is as follows:

3 Amazon Music

Amazon Music launched in 2007 and now has over 80 million users. You can browse 100 million songs and listen to your tracks in HD (850 kbps average bitrate) and Ultra HD (3,730 kbps average bitrate). Amazon Music's HD and Ultra HD music is available on multiple devices, including iOS, Android, and a number of speakers.

Amazon Music gives you an overview on the homepage of different albums and playlists that might interest you, including a list of the 100 most played songs. You can get the most out of Amazon Music HD in several ways, such as getting good-quality headphones and a solid multi-room system.

Pros:

• HD and Ultra HD music options
• Simple homepage with lots of playlist recommendations
• Discount for Amazon Prime customers

Cons:

• Device availability for HD and Ultra HD music isn't universal

Amazon Music Pricing

Amazon Music costs less if you're a Prime user. Here's a breakdown of the service's pricing:

4 Deezer

Deezer supports music playback up to 1,411 kbps and has FLAC playback. 90 million+ songs exist on the platform, and you'll find more than 30,000 radio stations. You can listen to both music and podcasts on the Deezer app, and it's also possible to make collaborative playlists with others.

One fun Deezer feature is that you can see how compatible other people's music tastes are with yours. You can also discover new songs in multiple categories and moods, such as motivation, rock, and chill. You can maximize your experience with these Deezer tips and tricks.

Pros:

• Available in 185+ countries
• Fun social features that are comparable to Spotify

Cons:

• Deezer has content limits (10,000 favorite tracks, 2,000 playlists, and 2,000 songs in playlists)

Deezer Pricing

Deezer's pricing is as follows:

5 Qobuz

Qobuz has FLAC streaming up to 9,216 bbps and a 24-bit/192kHz sample rate. The company claims that it has the "best Hi-Res catalog in the world", and there are over 100 million songs available on the platform. You can also download various albums from artists like AC/DC, Neil Young, and more.

When you download albums from Qobuz, you'll pay just for the digital download. Prices vary depending on the album you purchase, but if you want unlimited high-quality streaming, you're better off getting a subscription instead. In addition to the tracks available on Qobuz, you'll also find original editorial content. Both subscriptions—Studio and Sublime—support offline listening.

Pros:

• Two subscription tiers are available
• Buy individual albums if you'd prefer

Cons:

• Only available in 26 countries

Qobuz Pricing

If you want to get a Studio or Sublime subscription, you'll pay the following for individual plans.

While Spotify is the most popular music streaming service in the world, it's also not your only choice. From Apple Music to Qobuz, you'll find plenty of interesting alternatives. Try each of these and use their free trial periods to make a better-fitting choice for your needs.