Spotify Duo: What It Is, What It Offers, How to Sign Up, and More

Couple enjoying Spotify Duo
Couple enjoying Spotify Duo

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Everything you need to know about the Spotify Duo plan.

To attract more listeners, Spotify offers a unique subscription plan for couples, siblings, roommates, and others with a similar address – the Spotify Duo.

However, many customers wonder if it will actually save them money or if there is a catch to this seemingly sweet deal.

To help you decide, keep reading as we explain everything there is to know about Spotify Duo and whether it’s the right choice for you.

What Is Spotify Duo?

Spotify Duo is a payment plan that offers two discounted Premium accounts for any two residents of the same address — not necessarily couples.

You will each get an individual Premium account, with no need to share login information.

This account will be preserved even when you leave the Duo plan and revert to individual Premium, so you won’t lose your playlists and saved music.

How Much Is Spotify Duo?

Spotify Duo costs $14.99/month. This means each Premium account only costs $7.50 per month to maintain, compared to the individual monthly price of $10.99.

The monthly fee will be charged to just one account, so you’ll need to manually share payments, if ever.

Spotify Duo Requirements: Who Can Sign Up?

Any two people who live at the same residential address can get Spotify Duo.

However, you can only change your group plan (such as switching between Duo or Family) once a year. If you’ve already switched from one group plan to another in the past 12 months, you’ll need to wait a year before you can change to Duo.

After facing customer backlash when using GPS to track Spotify Family users, Spotify now relies on manual user verification, which can only access your location data when verifying your address. If they detect that Duo or Family users aren’t living together, they can suspend or terminate your access to the Spotify Duo service.

How to Sign Up for Spotify Duo

The 3-step process to get Spotify Duo.
The 3-step process to get Spotify Duo.

Signing up for Spotify Duo is quite different from signing up for an individual Premium account. Here’s how:

  1. Head to the Spotify Duo webpage and click the Get Started button.

    The Get Started button.
    The Get Started button.
  2. Login to Spotify with your existing account credentials or sign up for an account if you do not already have one. The account you choose here is the one that will pay the subscription fee.

    Spotify log in page.
    Spotify log in page.
  3. Enter your address information.

    Address information requirement for Spotify Duo.
    Address information requirement for Spotify Duo.
  4. Choose a payment method between a card and PayPal. If you choose your card, enter your details on this page and click the Buy Now button. If you choose PayPal, click Continue Purchase to enter your payment details.
    If you’ve never upgraded to a Premium account before, you’ll get a one-month free trial of Spotify Duo.

    Enter your payment details to buy the Duo Plan.
    Enter your payment details to buy the Duo Plan.
  5. You can now invite someone to join the Spotify Duo plan by clicking the Invite Someone button.

    Inviting member on Duo (From: Spotify Support Page) https://support.spotify.com/us/article/invite-remove-duo-member/?ref=related
    Inviting member on Duo (From: Spotify Support Page)
  6. Copy the link and send it to the person you want to share the plan with.
    You can also choose to invite through Messenger, Whatsapp, or Gmail, and Spotify will copy and paste the link for you.

    Creating invite link for Spotify Duo partner (From: Spotify Support Page)
    Creating invite link for Spotify Duo partner (From: Spotify Support Page)
  7. Once the other person receives the link, they should join the plan by clicking on the Accept Invite button.

    The member accepts your invite (From: Spotify Support Page)
    The member accepts your invite (From: Spotify Support Page)
  8. This member will then need to enter their residential address.

    Confirmation of address (From: Spotify Support Page)
    Confirmation of address (From: Spotify Support Page)
  9. Once the addresses entered by both parties are the same and verified, you will be given access to the Spotify Duo plan.

    Spotify Duo welcome page (From: Spotify Support Page)
    Spotify Duo welcome page (From: Spotify Support Page)

Pros & Cons of Spotify Duo: Is It Worth It?

Here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons of Spotify Duo.

What We Like 😍
  • Savings in subscription fees
  • Enjoy all of the Individual Premium plan benefits at discounted price
  • Each user gets their own account – no need for sharing login credentials
  • Have your own personalized playlists and customized recommendations from Spotify
  • No need to take turns in using the service (if you’ve been sharing one Premium account)
What We Don't Like 🤢
  • Hassle of splitting the fees personally with the other user (for Plan Manager)
  • Hassle of re-verifying addresses as and when requested by Spotify
  • The invited member runs the risk of getting kicked out of the plan (the ability to do so lies solely with the Plan Manager)

This makes Spotify Duo a good option for couples, roommates, siblings, or single parents with one child, as you’ll both be saving money on the subscription without losing any of the benefits of an individual account.

It’s also a good choice if you’re currently maintaining a Family account that’s being under-utilized. You can use one account for the kids while keeping your own account and recommendations intact.

However, Spotify Duo isn’t worth it if both users are eligible for a Student plan. Two Student plans at $5.99/month are cheaper than Spotify Duo and give you access to the ad-supported tier of Hulu.

Additionally, Duo might not be a good fit if you’re prone to arguments, as the plan holder can kick the other user off the plan at will.

Spotify Duo vs. Other Spotify Premium Plans: What’s the Difference?

The four different types of Spotify Premium Plans.
The four different types of Spotify Premium Plans.
NamePriceWhat you get
Spotify FreeN/A● Access to all songs, podcasts, and audiobooks
● Audio and banner ads
● Limited track skips allowed (6 songs per hour max)
● Standard quality streaming (160Kbps max)
Premium Individual$9.99/month● For one account
● Access to all songs, podcasts, and audiobooks
● Ad-free playback and interface
● On-demand playback
● Highest-quality streaming (320Kbps max)
● Option to download songs for offline streaming
Premium Duo$12.99/month● Available to 2 people living at the same address.
● Same features as Premium Individual
● Comes with Duo Mix
Premium Family$14.99/month● Available to 6 people living at the same address.
● Same features as Premium Individual
● Comes with Family Mix and Spotify Kids
Premium Student$4.99/month● Available to students currently enrolled in an accredited college or university.
● Can be renewed for up to 4 years
● Same features as Premium Individual
● Comes with subscriptions to Hulu and SHOWTIME

Frequently Asked Questions

Do both people have to pay for Spotify Duo?

No, only the plan manager or whichever account originally signed up for the Duo plan will be charged.

However, you should note that the plan manager will be charged even if the other member leaves the plan. You’ll need to manually cancel your subscription to avoid wasting money.

How does Spotify know if you live together?

When signing up for Spotify Duo and entering your address information, Spotify will access your location data to verify that you are both in the same place.

Once your address is confirmed, Spotify can no longer track you, except when you need to re-verify your address.

How do you remove a member from your Spotify Duo plan?

Go to your account page and click on Spotify Premium Duo from the menu. Select the account you want to remove under the People on this plan header and choose Remove account.

Can I get Spotify Duo if I already have Premium?

Yes, and your account information and library will all remain intact. You can also withdraw from Duo at any point, and your account will stay safe.

You can also access Duo with a free account, which will be upgraded to a Premium subscription while on the plan.

Which is more worth it: Spotify Duo or Spotify Student plan?

If both members are eligible for the Premium Student plan, you shouldn’t use Duo. Two Student subscriptions are $3.01 cheaper than one Duo plan.

However, if only one of you is an eligible student, a Duo subscription will be more affordable.

Do other music streaming platforms offer any Spotify Duo alternatives?

No other music streaming platform has a similar plan to Spotify Duo.

The only Premium group plan that most other providers offer is the Family plan, usually ranging from five to six accounts per plan.

💬 Conversation: 1 comment

  1. I have 6 months premium plan for FREE, ending in March 2023. If I sign up for DUO will I lose those free months?

    It looks like I will lose my 6 months, or exactly 4 months of free premium.

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