View all Music Streaming (Audiophile) Alternatives
Best Free Alternatives to Tidal HiFi / HiRes
Stop paying $10.99/mo. Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: Music Streaming (Audiophile)Verified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
Strawberry Music Player
FREEBest for Desktop Audiophiles
Why we like it
A fork of the legendary Clementine player; designed for massive local libraries (FLAC/WAV); supports 'Bit-Perfect' playback on Linux/Windows (bypasses OS mixer); completely free and open source.
Keep in mind
No mobile app; interface is 'classic' (functional but not flashy like Spotify).
HiBy Music
FREEBest for Android
Why we like it
The only free app that bypasses Android's 48kHz sample rate limitation (SRC) to output bit-perfect audio to your DAC; features 'MSEB' (a very easy-to-use audiophile EQ); supports Tidal streaming integration.
Keep in mind
Interface can be a bit cluttered with features; primarily for local files.
Qobuz
Best for Ownership
Why we like it
Unlike Tidal, Qobuz sells you the music. You can buy albums in Hi-Res (up to 24-bit/192kHz) and download them DRM-free forever; widely considered to have better mastering quality than Tidal.
Keep in mind
Library is smaller than Spotify/Tidal; streaming subscription is slightly more expensive ($12.99/mo) unless you pay annually.
Apple Music
Best Value Streaming
Why we like it
Includes Lossless and Hi-Res Audio in the standard $10.99 plan (no extra fees); pays artists slightly better than Spotify; 'Apple Music Classical' app is included for free.
Keep in mind
Windows app does not support 'Exclusive Mode' (meaning Windows resamples your Hi-Res audio), defeating the purpose for strict audiophiles.
Foobar2000
FREEBest for Customization
Why we like it
The 'Lego' of music players; looks like a spreadsheet out of the box but can be skinned to look like anything; highly efficient; supports every audio format in existence.
Keep in mind
Steep learning curve; requires hours of setup to look good.
USB Audio Player PRO
Best Paid Android App
Why we like it
The industry standard for using an external DAC (dongle) with Android; flawless bit-perfect playback; integrates Tidal and Qobuz directly into the player.
Keep in mind
Not free, but cheap ($8 lifetime) compared to a monthly sub.
Plexamp
FREEBest 'Self-Hosted' Streamer
Why we like it
If you have a library of FLAC files on your hard drive, Plexamp streams them to your phone with Tidal-like quality; features 'Sonic Analysis' to build intelligent playlists; beautiful UI.
Keep in mind
Requires running a Plex server; advanced features require Plex Pass ($5/mo or lifetime).
FiiO Music
FREEBest for FiiO Devices
Why we like it
Designed for FiiO DAPs but works on any phone; clean, modern interface; supports FiiO Link to control playback from another device.
Keep in mind
Updates are infrequent compared to HiBy.
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