Frequently asked questions

New to Sonatide? Start here. If your question is not covered, write to hello@sonatide.app.

Getting started · Music and listening · Sharing and replies · Privacy and your account

Getting started

What is Sonatide?

Sonatide is an app for exchanging songs and albums with friends. You send music with an optional note and mood, and your friend can listen and reply when they have time. Music plays in the service each person chooses.

In the app, a letter is a song or album you send, together with its note and mood. Mail is where you find the people you exchange music with and the letters you have shared. Your Library collects the music you receive.

Does my friend need Sonatide too?

Yes. You both need Sonatide and an account to exchange music and reply. You can sign up with Apple, Google, or an email address and password. You do not need to use the same music service.

How do I add a friend?

Open Mail, open the invites menu, and choose Invite a friend. Create an invite link and send it to your friend.

If your friend already has Sonatide, the link opens the invite in the app. If not, it opens a page with download buttons, and taking one copies the link. After installing, your friend opens Sonatide and chooses I was invited in Mail, then Paste from clipboard, or simply opens the link again. Accepting the invite connects you so you can exchange music.

Is Sonatide free?

Sonatide is currently free to use. It does not include a subscription to a music service; that service’s own access rules and pricing still apply.

Where can I get the app?

The iPhone and Mac beta is available through TestFlight, Apple’s app for installing test versions. Choose iPhone and Mac on the download page, then follow the instructions to install TestFlight and join the Sonatide beta.

The Android beta runs as closed testing on Google Play: you join the testers group, then become a tester. Both steps are on the Android beta page.

The Windows beta is an installer and the Linux beta an AppImage, both downloaded directly from this site; the Windows beta page and the Linux beta page walk through the install. Both update themselves from inside the app.

Music and listening

Which music services are supported?

Sonatide works with Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Tidal, Yandex Music and Deezer. You can choose a service in Profile → Music app.

Availability varies by song and service. Sonatide looks for the same music on other services, but a match may be missing or may be a different version of the recording.

Where does the music play?

In your chosen music service. Sonatide shares links to music; it does not host or stream the audio. Tap a song’s cover to open it in your service. Any sign-in, subscription or regional restrictions of that service still apply.

How do I change my music service?

Open Profile → Music app → Listening and choose a service. This sets where music opens when you tap its cover.

The Covers setting lets you choose which service supplies the artwork, titles and durations shown in Sonatide. By default, these follow your listening service.

What if a song is unavailable in my service?

Double-tap its cover to see the available service links and choose another one. Not every song is available on every service, and different services may list different recordings or editions.

Sharing and replies

What does the mood mean?

It is how you would describe the music you are sending: sad, calm, tender, happy, energetic or heavy. You choose it yourself. Both the mood and the note are optional.

How can my friend reply?

They can choose a reaction - Listened, Like it or Love it - and add a note with their thoughts. The reply stays with the music it refers to. They can also reply with another song.

Where do I find music we have already shared?

Open Mail and choose a friend to return to the songs, albums and replies you have exchanged. Your Library collects received music. Archived music can be brought back; you can adjust automatic archiving in Profile → Archiving.

Privacy and your account

Who can see what I send?

The people you send a letter to can see the music, your note and mood, and your name and profile photo. The sender can see your reaction, reply note and listening status. Opening received music from your Library marks it as listened to; this does not mean Sonatide tracks playback in your music service. Recipients can forward music to other people.

An invite link shows your name and username to whoever opens it. See the Privacy Policy for details about visibility and data handling.

Does Sonatide read my listening history?

Choosing a music service does not give Sonatide access to your listening history. If you optionally connect Last.fm, Sonatide retrieves your recent listens so you can choose music to send. You can disconnect it in Profile → Last.fm.

How do I report or block someone?

In Mail, press and hold a person’s name, or right-click it on a computer, then choose Report or Block. To report a letter, press and hold or right-click the letter and choose Report.

Blocking stops music from that person reaching you and hides your exchange with them. They are not notified. You can manage blocked people in Profile → Blocked.

How do I delete my account?

Open Profile, select your name to open Account, then choose Delete account and hold the button to confirm. This cannot be undone. If you cannot open the app, you can request deletion by email.

Letters you sent stay with their recipients without your name or photo. See Delete your account for the email instructions and what is deleted or retained.

How old do I need to be?

You must be at least 13. Where a higher age applies, you must meet that age requirement or have a parent’s permission, as explained in the Terms of Service.

Where can I get more help?

Write to hello@sonatide.app. For a technical problem, the Support page explains what to include so we can help.