Tidal vs Qobuz
Streaming Royalties Comparison 2026
Earnings comparison by stream count
Streams needed to earn $1,000
Two Audiophile Platforms, Two Kinds of Number
Tidal and Qobuz are the two services built around sound quality, and they are the two highest per-stream rates on this site. Tidal's modelled average is $0.013. Qobuz's published figure is $0.01873, about 40% more. The distinction between "modelled" and "published" is the first thing to understand about the comparison.
Tidal does not state what it pays per stream. Its figure here is an average assembled from distributor reports and artists' statements, and it sits on the artist's side of the chain, after publishing has gone its separate way. Qobuz does state its figure: in March 2025 it disclosed an average payout of $0.01873 per stream to rights holders for its fiscal year to March 2024. That is a gross number, before the label or distributor share and including the publishing side. The Qobuz figure would come down if it were measured where the Tidal one is; by how much depends on the deal, but the gap between the two is smaller than the table makes it look.
Both rates are high for the same reason. Neither service has a free tier, both charge more than the mainstream platforms, and both have subscribers who listen more deliberately and stream fewer tracks. Fewer plays dividing a subscription-only pool is what produces a high per-stream figure, on either service.
Which One Matters More to an Independent Artist
Tidal is the larger of the two by a wide margin, with a global footprint and particular strength in the United States and Scandinavia. Qobuz is smaller and more concentrated: France, the rest of Western Europe and a US audience of committed hi-res listeners. For most independent artists, Tidal streams will outnumber Qobuz streams by a comfortable multiple, and the total from Tidal will be larger even though the rate is lower.
Tidal also pays under a fan-centred model, in which a subscriber's fee is divided among the artists that subscriber actually played. An artist with a small, loyal Tidal following can see an effective rate above the platform average because of it. Qobuz has said nothing about a different allocation model; its high rate comes from revenue per user, not from how the pool is split.
Where Qobuz pulls ahead is in a narrow band of catalogue: classical, jazz, acoustic and audiophile-leaning music with hi-res masters and full credits, which Qobuz surfaces in its editorial and its listeners look for. If that describes your releases, both platforms deserve a line in your smart links and a look at the statement each month. If it does not, make sure your distributor delivers to both, which almost all do by default, and put your promotional effort where your listeners already are. The Tidal and Qobuz calculators take your own stream counts for the exact comparison.
50% OFF SponsoredThis page contains affiliate links. We earn a small commission at no cost to you. This does not influence our data or editorial content.
