Plex adds Tidal integration, adds subscription bundles for both services

Media software developer Plex has enabled its users to stream Tidal through the app alongside their existing music collection, with the partnership also offering users a bundle deal that combines the two services together in a single plan that could save some customers money over buying them separately.

In the tie-up between Plex and Tidal, Plex Pass subscribers are able to access the streaming music service's entire 60 million-track and 244,000 video catalog from the Plex apps. Initially it is available from the mobile apps and online, with expansion to other platforms expected to follow.

Once a Tidal account is linked to Plex, the various Plex-based functions will take into account both the Tidal catalog as well as the user's own collection. Playlists from Plex Discovery and Artist Radio will use tracks from both sources, with music the user owns able to influence Tidal tracks that surface under the discovery features, and for Tidal track to fill in missing sections of the user's collection.

Depending on the customer, the partnership can save some users a fairly decent amount of money, via a selection of bundles. The Plex and Tidal Premium bundle costs $9.99 per month or $8.99 for existing Plex Pass users, whereas separately Plex Pass costs $3.33 per month paid on an annual basis and Tidal's Premium service costs $9.99 per month.

Potentially larger savings are available for those electing for the Tidal HiFi and Plex Pass bundle, which offers lossless audio quality for part of its music collection, for $19.99 to new users or $18.99 per month to existing Plex Pass subscribers. Tidal HiFi usually costs $19.99 per month, effectively making the Plex Pass free in the bundle.

The move is likely to be useful to both services. While Tidal is opened up to a new audience with the temptation of an integrated music service, Plex takes one more step towards its goal of making its media center software a single point of access for all of a user's content.

Previous additions to the Plex service includes personalized Plex News, live TV support, and in May, Plex Podcasts.

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14 Comments

SpamSandwich

said about 5 years ago

Shocked to learn Tidal hasn’t gone bankrupt yet.

seanismorris

said about 5 years ago

I don’t know anyone that uses either service...

Maybe we need a “lossless” audio quality review.

Kids seem to like YouTube. I use Amazon Music (included in Prime). My family has a paid Amazon subscription for their Amazon speakers (Dots etc.).

Most people seem OK with Apple that pay for their music.

leighc-sfo

said about 5 years ago

Yeah, 'cause the lack of Tidal integration was the reason I abandoned Plex. lol

mknelson

said about 5 years ago

seanismorris said:

…
Maybe we need a “lossless” audio quality review.
…

That would have value for comparing speakers, but not services.

Unless you're worried that they are lying about being lossless.

jbdragon

said about 5 years ago

seanismorris said:

I don’t know anyone that uses either service...

Maybe we need a “lossless” audio quality review.

Kids seem to like YouTube. I use Amazon Music (included in Prime). My family has a paid Amazon subscription for their Amazon speakers (Dots etc.).

Most people seem OK with Apple that pay for their music.

Well I've been using PLEX for YEARS!!! I paid for the LIFETIME service which was cheaper than it is now and gone though many, many updates over the years. First using it on my Windows Computer, but these days it's running on my NAS. Which I was almost out of space at just over 13TB. I just upgrade 2 of the 3TB drives to 8TB. Keeping the other 4, 3TB drives in it for now. Jumping me up to just over 18TB now. Had to get 2 as one has to be for Redundancy in RAID 5. Most of my movies and TV programs I've ripped from my large disc collection. I still by my content on Disc and the rip it myself. It's generally cheaper to get on Disc. I just don't trust buying digital content and things can disappear.

Really, it's like my own personal Netflix type service. I can watch it on any of my TV's at home. I can watch on my iPad or iPhone. If I know I'mm be something without internet access, it's pretty simple to dump a copy onto my iPhone or iPad that's in a good size for it. Simple and comes in handy. I can stream my Music in my car from my Plex server at home. I can go to someone's house and play anything on my home server. Comes in handy. find what I want on my iPhone and Airplay to their TV. I can setup accounts for each person at my house. That way when I watch something and it's marked as watched, it still unwatched for someone else. You can setup Friends accounts and they can stream your content at their house whenever they want.

I have Apple Music because I have a HomePod. I don't know if I use it enough to justify paying for it. I watch a lot of Youtube myself. I don't pay for that. I do pay for Amazon Prime and have had it when it was only for the free 2nd day shipping. I have Netflix also. I was using Amazon Prime Music but not a good option when you have the Homepod. I do have a Amazon Dot to play around with and Alexa on my Ecobee 4. Also have a Google Mini. It allows me to play around with Alexa, Google Home and Siri and compare. Pros and Cons with them all. Oh and Cortana on my Windows Desktop.

I don't care about Tidal support on PLEX. I do like them supporting TV tuners, including my older HD Homerun to record content from my Antenna. Along with the free TV listings so long as you're a Plex pass user or Lifetime user. I use this as a backup to my Tivo. I am a cord cutter. I get most of my TV from the Antenna these days.

There's also another program like PLEX called EMBY. It's pretty similar to Plex. I have that on my NAS also, and I'm a Lifetime on that now also. I only play around with that one right now. You have to pay for a 3rd party TV Program listing for that one which is another yearly cost. Not a lot, around $25 a year. Something like that. It has some features I like over PLEX. For example with a Plug-In, you can have collections. It'll automatically group say all your James Bond movies and Batman movies, etc into collections. Then you can just go into the collection area and pick a group you want to look though. It's something PLEX really needs to do a whole lot better.

I'm using PLEX almost daily.