Tidal-DL, Tidal-GUI & Tidal-dl-ng: Tidal-Media-Downloader Review and Tested

Tidal is one of the leading platforms in global streaming music. It offers approximately 110 million songs and 650,000 videos for its users. With Tidal's updated plans, subscribers can enjoy music in HiRes FLAC and Dolby Atmos. However, when you download music within the official Tidal app, you only get temporary cache files. This has led many Tidal users to seek effective tools to save Tidal music as local files. Fortunately, the advent of Tidal-DL, Tidal-GUI, Tidal-dl-ng has provided solutions, and in this guide, we'll explore these tools and their best alternatives.

Part 1: What Are Tidal-DL , Tidal-GUI and Tidal-dl-ng?

Known collectively as Tidal-Media-Downloader, these are open-source programs available on GitHub. Created by independent developers, these unofficial tools allow users to download music and videos from Tidal for offline playback, bypassing Tidal's DRM protection.

Tidal-DL: The Command-Line Tool

Tidal-DL is the core program that operates through a command-line interface (CLI). It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. While powerful, its lack of a graphical interface makes it challenging for beginners.

Tidal-GUI  : The Graphical Interface

Tidal-GUI provides a visual interface for Tidal-DL, making it more accessible for users who prefer not to use the command line. However, it's only available for Windows.

Tidal-DL-NG GUI (TIDAL Downloader Next Generation)

Tidal-DL-NG GUI is the official graphical user interface (GUI) extension for the Tidal-DL-NG project. It provides a point-and-click interface for the same core downloading engine, making it much more accessible for users who are not comfortable with command-line tools.

Part 2: How to Download Tidal Music to MP3 via Tidal GUI/Tidal-DL/Tidal-DL-NG

2.1 How to Use Tidal-DL GitHub

Before installing Tidal-DL, ensure Python is installed on your computer.

Step 1: Install Tidal DL

Visit the Tidal DL page on GitHub and download the version for your operating system.

On Windows: Install tidal-dl.exe on your Windows.

On Mac: Follow the command below:

brew instal ffmpeg brew install python curl -O http://python-distribute.org/distribute_setup.py python distribute_setup.py curl -O https://raw.github.com/pypa/pip/master/contrib/get-pip.py python get-pip.py pip3 install --upgrade tidal-dl tidal-dl

On Linux: Use the command line:

pip3 install tidal-dl --upgrade

On Android:
a). Install termux:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.termux
b). Open permission:termux-setup-storage
c). Install python and tidal-dl

pkg install python clang libjpeg-turbo ffmpeg zlib -y apt update apt upgrade pkg update pip3 install --upgrade pip pip3 install --upgrade tidal-dl tidal-dl

Step 2: Download Tidal Music/Video

2.2 How to Use Tidal-GUI GitHub

Tidal-GUI is only available for Windows only,

Step 1: Install Tidal GUI on Windows

Visit the Tidal Media Downloader PRO page, scroll to the Releases section, and download 'tidal-gui.exe'.

Step 2: Download Tidal Music/Video Using Tidal GUI

2.3 How to Use Tidal-DL-NG GUI (TIDAL Downloader Next Generation)

Tidal-DL-NG GUI provides a graphical interface for the Tidal-DL-NG engine. Unlike standalone .exe programs, it requires Python installation but works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Step 1: Install Python and the Required Package

First, ensure you have Python 3.12 or 3.13 installed and added to your system PATH. Then, install the Tidal-DL-NG package with the GUI extension.

1. Open your system's Terminal (macOS/Linux) or Command Prompt/PowerShell (Windows).
2. Install or upgrade the core package with the GUI components by running the following command:
   pip install --upgrade "tidal-dl-ng[gui]"
3. Wait for the installation to complete. This will install both the command-line tools and the graphical interface.

Step 2: Launch the GUI and Log Into Your Tidal Account

1. Launch the GUI by typing one of these commands in your terminal and pressing Enter:
   tidal-dl-ng-gui
   or simply:
   tdng
2. The application window will open. To start, you need to log in. Click on the "Login" or "Account" button.
3. The tool will use an OAuth flow for secure login. A new browser window will typically open, prompting you to log into your Tidal account and authorize the application. You must have an active Tidal unlimited subscription.
4. If a browser doesn't open, the GUI may display a URL and a device code. Copy the URL into your browser, log in, and enter the provided code when prompted.

Step 3: Search for Content and Configure Settings

1. After successful login, use the search bar within the GUI to find tracks, albums, playlists, or videos.
2. Before downloading, configure your preferences. Look for a "Settings", "Options", or gear icon. Key settings to check include:
   • Audio Quality: Select from MP3, HiFi (FLAC), HiRes (MQA/FLAC), or Dolby Atmos.
   • Output Format: Choose file format (e.g., FLAC, M4A, MP3).
   • Download Path: Set the folder where files will be saved.
   • Organization: Choose how to structure downloaded files (e.g., by Artist/Album).

Step 4: Download Music or Videos

1. Navigate to the content you want to download. You can often paste a Tidal share link directly into the program or browse your own collections (My Mixes, Playlists).
2. Select the tracks, albums, or playlists. There is usually an "Add to Queue" or "Download" button next to each item.
3. Click the main "Download" button. A download queue will show the progress of your files.

Important Notes: Keep your terminal window open while the GUI is running, as it provides the backend process.

Part 3: Best Alternative to GitHub Tidal Downloader Tidal Gui

While Tidal Media Downloader is powerful, it can be complex and pose privacy concerns. For a more user-friendly solution, we recommend Epubor Tidal Music Converter.

Epubor Tidal Music Converter Review

Epubor Tidal Music Converter is an all-in-one tool for Windows and Mac that downloads and converts Tidal tracks to common formats like MP3, FLAC, etc., while maintaining original sound quality and ID3 tags at 60x faster speed.

   

3.1 Key Features:

3.2 Epubor Tidal Downloader vs GitHub Tidal Downloader

Feature	GitHub Tidal Downloader	Epubor Tidal Music Converter
Operating System	Windows, MacOS, Android, Linux (GUI: Windows only)	Windows, Mac
Output Quality	Lossy	Lossless
Download Content	Songs, playlists, albums	Songs, albums, playlists, artists, podcasts, videos
Audio Formats	MP3/FLAC/M4A/M4B/AAC/WAV	MP3/WAV/M4A/MP4/FLAC/AAC
Download Speed	1×	60×
Ratings	★★★	★★★★★

3.3 How to Download Tidal Music with Epubor Tidal Downloader

Step 1: Download TIDAL official desktop application first.

To use Epubor Tidal Downloader, you must first have the Tidal app installed on your computer. Please download and install the Tidal app for PC or Mac from the Tidal website if you haven't already. Then, log in to your Tidal account within the Tidal app.

Step 2: Get Tidal music library

Launch Epubor Tidal Downloader, and you will see the Tidal app exit. The program will then automatically sync your Tidal music, including playlists, albums, tracks, and artists.

Step 3: Download and Convert Tidal Music

Drag the songs you want to download to the main window on the right. Click the down-arrow button below to choose an output format (M4A, MP3, AAC, FLAC, or MP4) from the drop-down list, then click the Download button at the bottom to start the process. Once all songs have been downloaded successfully, the status will change to Succeeded. A folder will then pop up, allowing you to locate the downloaded songs in the selected format. You can also access them by clicking Succeeded or the blue folder icon in the bottom right corner.

Part 4: Other Alternatives to Free Tidal Downloader

No.1 Online Tidal Downloader--Audio Recorder

A user-friendly online tool for Windows and Mac that records Tidal music as it plays. It supports MP3, FLAC, AAC formats but offers poor audio quality and limits recording time to less than an hour.

How to Use Online Tidal Downloader?

No.2 Tidal Downloader Telegram Bot

A Telegram bot for iOS and Android that downloads Tidal music to mobile devices for free. However, it has low download speed, poor audio quality, and sometimes fails to download tracks.

How to Use Tidal Downloader Telegram Bot?

Part 5: Final Comparison Table

Comparison Criteria	Tidal-DL	Tidal-GUI	Tidal-dl-ng	Epubor Tidal Music Converter	Apowersoft Online Audio Recorder	Tidal Downloader Telegram Bot
Supported System	Win/Mac/Linux/Android	Win/Mac/Linux/Android	Win/Mac/Linux/Android	Windows, Mac	Web-based/Win/Mac	Telegram-supported devices
Audio Formats	MP3, FLAC, M4A, M4B, AAC, WAV	MP3, M4A, MP4	MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4, FLAC, AAC	MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4, FLAC, AAC	MP3, FLAC, AAC, WAV, M4A	MP3
Audio Quality	Normal/High/HiFi/Master	Normal/High/HiFi/Master	Normal/High/HiFi/Master	Up to 24-bit/192 kHz	Depends on sound card	Normal only
Download Content	Tracks, Albums, Playlists, Videos	Tracks, Albums, Playlists, Videos	Tracks, Albums, Playlists, Videos	Tracks, Albums, Playlists, Artists, Videos	Any playing audio	Tracks only
Download Speed	1×	1×	1×	60×	Real-time	Depends on bot server
Price	Free	Free	Free	Free trial + paid	Free version + paid	Free
Batch Download	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Overall Rating	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆

Conclusion & Recommended Tool:

This guide provides a comprehensive review of Tidal-DL, Tidal-GUI, TIDAL-Downloader-NG and the best alternatives for downloading Tidal music. While the GitHub tools are powerful for technical users, Epubor Tidal Music Converter offers the best balance of ease-of-use, speed, and reliability for most users. Consider your technical skill level and needs when choosing the right tool for your Tidal listening experience.

For most users, we recommend Epubor Tidal Music Converter for its user-friendly interface, fast conversion speed, and high-quality output.

   

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