Spotify or Pandora

I think that the web-based player only provides redbook quality data stream when used with Chrome.

There is more to this that just the sound quality. Pandora's real strength is its algorithms for picking tracks for it's stations. That it what is was designed to do and many people feel it is the best out there at that. Spotify can have better sound quality seems to be better if you are mostly looking to play whole albums or one particular artist. No experience with Tidal but my impression is that it was more for albums than mixing a la Pandora, but I could be wrong.

Two questions. Is there a way to download music from streaming service to hard disc? Does Tidal stream its highest SQ just running the Tidal app on IPad?

I had great sound running Tidal through iPod touch. I read that you cannot download from any of the three sites.

Think about it, if you could download the music you'd just sign up for a month once year and binge-download. I-tunes is a download service where you pay for each download, Spotify, Pandora and, Tidal are streaming services where you pay for access to content on a monthly basis. You are basically "renting" and get no equity or ability to keep the content.

I've never used Spotify but I agree that Pandora is much better as a radio-like service to just turn on and listen to. I think the SQ of their pay per month service is quite acceptable and I use it pretty regularly.