Parents' Guide to

TIDAL

By Amanda Bindel, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Jay-Z-fronted music and video service; no content filter.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Free to try Music
TIDAL Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • TIDAL App: Screenshot #1
  • TIDAL App: Screenshot #2
  • TIDAL App: Screenshot #3
  • TIDAL App: Screenshot #4
  • TIDAL App: Screenshot #5

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 4 parent reviews

TQqt
TQqt Parent of 6 and 10-year-old
December 2, 2022
age 8+

Our family enjoys Tidal!

Tidal is priced fairly and has a large variety of music. The app is easy to use. I used to have a competitor’s (starts with an A) and this isn’t anymore complex than what I used previously. Recently they came out with a feature that does allow you to filter explicit content. (Search online for instructions) You can also search for clean edits of songs. I feel like as with any app, parental supervison/review is key. I let my kids who are 6 and 10 listen, but I am usually within earshot. I help them make playlists of songs they really love and they typically just stick to that. They know they get privileges taken away if they break rules so they are pretty good about it. Really, inappropriate music can be found just about anywhere if you think about it.(Youtube, social media apps, the radio) We love Tidal and plan to keep using it!

This title has:

Easy to play/use
hamelj1
hamelj1 Adult
September 20, 2021
age 18+

Not for Under 18

I had to comment after seeing the 11 year old review that stated it was awesome and doesn't censor anything. Well, that just about sums it up. I personally do not want my older children blasting f-bombs all over the house that my younger children can hear. Also, the uncensored music includes sex, drugs, swearing, etc. that should no way be shared with children. I got it for free and am only using it myself since there is no content filters which everyone else has.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 4 parent reviews

What’s It About?

TIDAL monthly subscriptions range from $9.99 for regular-quality sound to $19.99 for lossless audio. Users get access to 25 million tracks, including playlists curated by artists. Teens can create their own playlists or mark songs as favorites for easier playback. They can download songs for offline listening too. Selections are browsable by genre and searchable by title or artist. Tidal Rising features content from up-and-coming artists, and Tidal Discovery features independent artists who have uploaded their own songs.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Some music aficionados will love the high-quality sound and video available with Tidal, and they are likely to be the most willing to pay the subscription rates; however, some people feel the sound quality will be lost on the average listener. Some criticize the lack of ad-supported free options, whereas others prefer ad-free listening. Expect increased download and buffering times over wireless networks, since the high-quality files take longer to access. Teens will need to put in some up-front effort to set up their personal playlists, unless they want to listen to featured lists. Discovering other music isn't quite as easy as with other radio apps, but being able to download songs for offline listening is handy. It'd be nice to have some kind of filter for explicit lyrics to make this more teen-friendly.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about their favorite songs and artists and create playlists to share. Look together for more music that the whole family might enjoy.

  • A kids' section in the genres features Kidz Bop albums, soundtracks, and a hearty selection of kid favorites.

App Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate