Question 1

Where is TIDAL available?

Accepted Answer

TIDAL is currently available in approximately 61 countries, mainly across North America, South America, Europe, and select Asia-Pacific regions. TIDAL is NOT available in the following major regions: China (gray area, see next question), Japan, South Korea, India, Russia, and most of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Question 2

Can TIDAL be used in China?

Accepted Answer

China is a gray area for TIDAL. TIDAL never officially entered the Chinese market, and China is not on its supported country list. The GFW's block on TIDAL varies: tidal.com may be blocked, login.tidal.com may be inaccessible. However, the TIDAL App's API endpoints may work intermittently. If you need to use TIDAL in China, it's recommended to use a VPN connected to a supported region (e.g., US, UK) at all times.

Question 3

What's the difference between TIDAL and Spotify?

Accepted Answer

Key differences are audio quality, pricing, and positioning. Audio: TIDAL supports Hi-Res (MQA/FLAC 24-bit/192kHz), lossless FLAC, Dolby Atmos, and Sony 360 Reality Audio. Spotify maxes out at 256kbps OGG Vorbis with no lossless support. Pricing: TIDAL has no free tier, only paid subscriptions (~$10.99/mo), but all paid users get access to all quality tiers. Spotify has a free tier (with ads), Premium ~$10.99/mo.

Question 4

Does TIDAL block VPNs?

Accepted Answer

TIDAL's VPN detection is rated 2 stars (very lenient). TIDAL barely blocks VPN and datacenter IPs, which is completely different from video streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+. Music licensing has far fewer regional restrictions than video, so TIDAL is very lenient with VPNs. You can access TIDAL with almost any VPN.

Question 5

Why do check results differ from actual use?

Accepted Answer

AF3's result only represents IP accessibility at that moment — this is a one-time snapshot. We cannot monitor your network after the check. Accessible ≠ smooth streaming. If the check passes but you experience slow loading or playback issues, common causes include: These are all VPN provider network quality issues, unrelated to AF3's check. Contact your VPN provider directly or try a different node/protocol.

Question 6

How is TIDAL's audio quality?

Accepted Answer

TIDAL is one of the best mainstream music streaming platforms for audio quality. Supported formats include: FLAC lossless (16-bit/44.1kHz, CD quality), MQA Hi-Res (up to 24-bit/192kHz), Dolby Atmos, and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio. All paid subscribers get access to all quality tiers at no extra cost. Recommended to use with wired headphones or Hi-Fi equipment for the best experience. Bluetooth headphones (even with LDAC/aptX HD) still involve some compression during transmission.

Question 7

Does TIDAL have a free tier?

Accepted Answer

No, TIDAL only offers paid subscriptions. TIDAL Individual is ~$10.99/mo, Family ~$16.99/mo (up to 6 people). Unlike Spotify, TIDAL has no free ad-supported tier, but all paid subscribers get access to all quality tiers including Hi-Res, lossless FLAC, and Dolby Atmos.

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