Side by side
Cumulus vs Fidelia
Both stand on media player software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Mac
Cumulus offers focused SoundCloud playback from the macOS menubar, with notifications and media-key support. OSX users should note the shortcut conflict and the license’s no-warranty terms.
Visit Cumulus Free trial iPhoneMac
Fidelia focuses on local and network playback with extensive format support and Mac-specific processing. Buyers should note the owned-music limitation and the separate one-time licenses for iOS and Mac.
Visit FideliaThe facts
| Cumulus | Fidelia | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Mac | iPhone, Mac |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | See the plans |
| Plans published | None | 9 |
| Maker | Not published | Fidelia |
| Website | gillesdemey.github.io | audiofile.engineering |
| On media player software | #65 of 76 | #69 of 76 |
Cumulus: what it does well
- Free SoundCloud menubar player
- Track-start notifications
- Media keys need no setup
- MIT license permits modification
- Keeps playback outside the main workspace
What to know first
- Downloadable release is for OSX
- Uses IntelliJ’s ⌘+Alt+L shortcut
- MIT license provides no warranty
Fidelia: what it does well
- Supports many lossless and specialist formats
- Hosts three inline Audio Unit effects
- Exclusive Mac output mode bypasses system resampling
- Browses Lyrion and UPnP libraries
- Remote app needs no account or cloud
What to know first
- No free plan is available
- It does not stream unowned music
- iOS playback requires purchase after 14 days
- Full Mac license costs $99.99, paid once
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