In the world of digital music, there are countless platforms vying for your attention. Among them, Tidal and Beatport are worth mentioning. But Beatport vs Tidal, which one is the better choice for you? This article will break down the key differences between Beatport and Tidal, helping you make an informed decision. This review is especially useful for DJs.
Part 1. Beatport and Tidal: Overall Introduction
First, let's see somethings about Tidal and Beatport. You will know their development, target audience, key features, and pricing & plans.
🟢 What Is Beatport
Beatport was founded in 2004 with a focus on providing digital downloads for electronic music. It has since become a go-to platform for DJs and producers, offering a vast library of tracks and tools tailored specifically to the needs of the electronic music community.
Beatport primarily targets DJs, electronic music producers, and fans of electronic genres. If you're deeply into electronic music, Beatport is designed with you in mind.
🔑 Key Features
Specialized Electronic Music Library: Beatport boasts an extensive collection of electronic music, including sub-genres like house, techno, and trance.
High-Quality Audio Formats: Beatport offers tracks in formats such as WAV and AIFF, ensuring that DJs and producers have access to the highest quality audio files.
DJ Tools and Integration: Beatport allows seamless integration with popular DJ software like Serato and Traktor. DJs can access and mix tracks directly from Beatport's library.
🔑 Pricing and Subscription Plans
Beatport offers 3 subscription options, including Essential, Advanced and Professional. Their prices are respectively $9.99/month, $15.99/month and $29.99/month.
⭐ FYI: Beatport Official Website
🟢 What Is Tidal
Tidal was launched in 2014 with a focus on high-fidelity music streaming. It quickly gained attention for offering superior sound quality and exclusive content from some of the world's biggest artists. Although it is younger than Beatport, Tidal is a rising opponent to be reckoned with.
Tidal appeals to a broad audience of music lovers, particularly those who prioritize high-quality audio and exclusive content. Its music library is an appealing feature for DJs.
See More: Tidal vs Qobuz Review
🔑 Key Features
Diverse Music Library: Tidal offers a large number of music resources and a wide range of music styles.
High-Fidelity Quality Audio: Tidal offers HiRes quality tracks, providing audiophiles with access to lossless and high-resolution audio.
See More: How to Download Tidal HiRes Music
Exclusive Content and Curated Playlists: Tidal offers exclusive releases, behind-the-scenes content, and curated playlists that cater to different moods and genres.
See More: Best Tidal Audiophile Playlists Recommended
🔑 Pricing and Subscription Plans
Now, Tidal provides a TIDAL subscription. You can choose an Individual ($10.99/month), Family ($16.99/month) or Student ($4.99/month) plan. For a DJ, an add-on DJ extension ($9.00/month) is necessary.
Now, you may get a general idea of them. In the following parts, we will give you a specific Beatport vs Tidal comparison. Keep reading!
See More: Deezer vs Tidal
Part 2. Tidal vs Beatport: Audio Quality
Beatport provides 128kbps AAC files for its basic plan. 256 kbps AAC files are available for Beatport Professional users. These formats offer uncompressed, high-fidelity sound that meets the demands of industry professionals.
Tidal is known for its excellent audio quality. You can enjoy HiRes FLAC tracks on it. Of course, the normal FLAC and 320 kbps AAC are available. Tidal also supports Dolby Atmos, providing a more immersive listening experience.
See More: Tidal HiFi vs Master: Which One Is Better
Summary: As for Tidal vs Beatport sound quality, Tidal greatly outclasses Beatport. If you need a better quality of music, we suggest you choose Tidal.
Part 3. Beatport vs Tidal: Music Library
Beatport is a niche platform dedicated primarily to electronic music. It is particularly valuable for its exclusive electronic tracks, which are often hard to find elsewhere. These tracks are designed for professional use, with extended mixes and versions that are perfect for live performances and DJ sets.
In contrast, Tidal offers a much broader music library (110M+). It covers a wide array of genres such as pop, rock, hip-hop, classical, and jazz. This diversity makes Tidal appealing to a general audience with eclectic tastes. Whether you're looking for the latest mainstream hits or exploring indie artists, Tidal has something for everyone.
Summary: From this Beatport and Tidal comparison, you can easily know Tidal is the winner.
Part 4. Tidal vs Beatport: Pricing and Subscriptions
Tidal
All Tidal subscribers can access 110M ad-free tracks and offline playback. But you are only allowed to play Tidal music on Tidal-compatible platforms. To break this limit, you can try AudFree Tidal Music Converter.
New Tidal users can get a free trial. You can enjoy all features of your selected plan without cost. This is a good time to check if Tidal can meet your needs. Before the free trial ends, you need to unsubscribe from the plan manually.
See More: Several Ways to Get Tidal Free Trial 6/3/2 Months
If you want to mix them in your DJ software, you need to pay for the DJ extension additionally. The DJ extension is $9.00 per month. Besides, you and your family members can use a plan to enjoy Tidal music, which only costs $16.99 per month. With this subscription, up to 6 members can use Tidal at the same time at a cheaper price. If you are a student and meet the Tidal's requirement, you can just subscribe to the Tidal student plan. It costs $4.99/month.
See More: How to DJ with Tidal Offline/Online
Tidal Subscription | Individual | Student | Family |
---|---|---|---|
Tidal Pricing |
$10.99/month DJ Extension: $9.00/month |
$4.99/month | $16.99/month |
💥 Tips: Before your free trial ends, you can use AudFree Tidal Music Converter to download Tidal music. Then, you can play the downloaded Tidal songs without Tidal plans. Or, you can transfer downloads to other devices including DJ software even though it doesn't support Tidal.
Beatport
Unlike Tidal, Beatport offers 3 different subscriptions. It has Essential, Advanced, and Professional levels.
Essential: Priced at $9.99 per month, this entry-level plan provides streaming access to Beatport's vast electronic music catalog at 128kbps AAC quality. However, it does not support integration with DJ hardware and software, making it more suitable for casual listeners or those who do not need DJ-specific features.
Advanced: At $15.99 per month, the Advanced plan also streams at 128kbps AAC quality but includes integration with DJ hardware and software. This plan is ideal for DJs who want to stream music directly into their DJ software but do not require offline access.
Professional: The most comprehensive option, the Professional plan costs $29.99 per month. It includes 256kbps AAC streaming quality, full DJ hardware and software integration, and an offline locker that can store up to 1,000 tracks. This plan is perfect for professional DJs who need higher audio quality and the flexibility to work offline.
Beatport Subscription | Essential | Advanced | Professional |
---|---|---|---|
Beatport Pricing |
$9.99/month | $15.99/month | $29.99/month |
Summary: In this Beatport vs Tidal battle, it seems like Tidal is the best choice. With Tidal, you can download music without purchasing. And you can enjoy higher-quality songs.
Part 5. Beatport vs Tidal: User Interface
Beatport's interface is designed with DJs and electronic music producers in mind. The platform allows users to easily search for tracks by genre, BPM, key, and more. It also offers features like track previews, DJ charts, and playlists curated by industry professionals.
Tidal's interface is sleek and intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate through its vast music library. The platform offers personalized recommendations, curated playlists, and easy access to exclusive content, catering to both casual listeners and music enthusiasts.
Besides, Tidal's search functionality allows users to explore music by artist, album and genre. The platform's discovery features are powered by a combination of human curation and algorithmic recommendations. Therefore, you can find new music that aligns with your tastes.
Summary: Tidal and Beatport focus on different audiences so their UIs are very different. If you are a DJ, you can clearly know Beatport is good for you.
Part 6. Tidal vs Beatport: Platform Integration and Compatibility
Beatport's streaming service can be accessed through a web browser on both Windows and macOS. It also offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices. As a professional DJ partner, Beatport, of course, integrates with popular DJ software like Serato DJ, Rekordbox, and VirtualDJ.
Tidal is available on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, computers, smart TVs, audio systems, and car systems. With the Tidal DJ extension, you can mix Tidal music directly on Serato, rekordbox, VirtualDJ, etc.
See More: How to Use Tidal with Serato Offline/Online
Summary: In this Tidal vs Beatport battle, Tidal wins for its multiple integrations.
Part 7. Beatport vs Tidal: Exclusive Content
Beatport regularly collaborates with top electronic music labels and artists to offer exclusive releases that can't be found on other platforms. These exclusives are a major draw for DJs and electronic music enthusiasts
Tidal, meanwhile, is known for its exclusive artist content. The platform often features exclusive albums, singles, and behind-the-scenes content from some of the world's biggest artists. Tidal's curated playlists are another highlight, offering unique insights into the music preferences of these artists, as well as curated experiences that cater to specific moods or events.
Summary: When it comes to Beatport vs Tidal exclusive content, both platforms shine but in different areas.
Comparison Table: Tidal vs Beatport
Beatport | Tidal | |
---|---|---|
Launch Date | 2004 | 2014 |
Audio Quality | Essential: 128kbps AAC Advanced: 128kbps AAC Professional: 256 kbps AAC |
Low: MP3, 320 kbps High: FLAC, 16-bit/44.1kHz Max: HiRes FLAC, 24-bit/192kHz |
Price | Essential: $9.99/month Advanced: $15.99/month Professional: $29.99/month |
Individual: $10.99/month Student: $4.99/month Family: $16.99/month |
Music Library | Small | Large |
Compatibility | Computer, mobile, DJ platforms | Computer, mobile, DJ platforms, TVs, speakers, etc. |
UL | For DJs | For normal users |
Tips: Export Tidal Tracks to Anywhere
Although Tidal doesn't directly cooperate with more DJ platforms than Beatport, you can try another way. AudFree Tidal Music Converter is the tool we mentioned above. It can download Tidal music to computer as local editable files. This AudFree program supports converting music from Tidal to MP3, FLAC, AAC, WAV, M4B and M4A. If the platform or device supports these formats, you can transfer the converted tracks with ease.
There is an amazing feature. You can reset some parameters for your Tidal songs, like bitrate, sample rate and audio channel. You can personalize your favorite songs for DJing or playing.
AudFree Tidal Music Converter
- Help import Tidal music to DJ platforms and other devices
- Convert Tidal music to FLAC, MP3, WAV, M4A, etc.
- Allow customizing parameters for Tidal music
- Access Tidal resources after the Tidal plan ends
Step 1. First, you should download and open the AudFree Tidal Music Converter. The Tidal desktop app is also needed to download.
Step 2. From your Tidal app, drag a song or playlist and drop it into the AudFree software. Alternatively, you can copy and paste the song's link into the AudFree's top 'address box' and then click '+'.
Step 3. Click AudFree's 'menu' icon from the top line. Select 'Preferences' > 'Convert' to reset some settings. MP3 is the most universally supported format by devices.
See More: How to Convert Tidal to MP3
Step 4. After configuring the settings, you can click the 'Convert' button to allow AudFree Tidal Music Downloader to convert the music. Once the conversion is complete, you can navigate to 'History' to locate the downloaded Tidal music.
Video Guide: See how to use this best Tidal music downloader.
FAQs about Tidal and Beatport
Q1: Beatport vs Tidal: Which Platform Is Better for Beginners?
A: According to the comparison of UI and compatibility, Tidal is the better choice.
Q2: Do Beatport and Tidal Offer Free Trials?
A: Yes, they both offer a free trial for new users.
Q3: Can I Transfer Tracks from Tidal to Beatport?
A: No, you cannot directly transfer Tidal tracks to Beatport's platform. Beatport is a digital music store and streaming service that allows users to purchase, download, and stream music. It does not function as a cloud storage service for personal music files.
Q4: Which Is Better, Beatport or Tidal?
A: In this Tidal vs Beatport comparison, most of aspects shows Tidal is the better.
Q5: Is Tidal Worth It for DJs?
A: You can access many Tidal tracks on DJ software but the DJ software cooperates with Tidal is limited. However, if you use the AudFree Tidal Music Converter to download Tidal music locally, you can import any Tidal songs to DJ platforms. In this way, Tidal is worth for DJs.
Q6: Is It Legal to DJ with Tidal?
A: If you subscribe to a Tidal plan to DJ, it is legal.
Summary
In summary, Beatport is the ideal platform for electronic music professionals and Tidal is better suited for general music lovers. With high-quality audio, a diverse music library, and a wide range of compatibility, Tidal is our recommendation. Besides, we recommend you download the AudFree Tidal Music Converter to save Tidal audio for personal use. This tool downloads music with your Tidal subscription. And it can keep Tidal music forever, even if you cancel the plan.
Miley Swift
Staff Editor