Discover Spotify Premium’s prices and compelling features in this full guide.
Spotify Premium gives you more control over your music, featuring ad-free listening, unlimited skips, and the ability to download up to 10,000 songs for offline listening.
However, given the rising cost of living, it involves an extra monthly expense that can add up over the years.
That’s why we took a closer look at the platform to share the Premium plan prices and exactly what features you’ll be paying for.
Spotify Individual: $10.99/month
The Spotify Premium Individual plan costs $10.99/month and gives you access to one Premium account.
Here are Spotify Premium’s features:
- Uninterrupted music without advertisements
- Skip as many tracks as you want
- Play any song at any time
- Download songs to listen offline
- 15 hours of audiobook listening per month
- Higher-quality audio streaming, going from 160kbit/s to 320kbit/s
Premium is a great option if you want full control over your music and don’t want to deal with annoying ads.
How does Spotify Individual compare with other services?
The main difference between Spotify and other streaming services is audio quality.
Services like Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music Unlimited offer lossless audio for no extra charge, making them more appealing for audiophiles. Meanwhile, there have been rumors about a lossless plan from Spotify, but the service hasn’t yet delivered on that front.
If listening to music in the best possible quality is important to you, Spotify might not satisfy your immersive audio cravings.
Other than that, music platforms are similar regarding the sheer size of their libraries, so choosing between them comes down to personal preference. If you use iOS, for instance, you might be tempted by Apple Music. If you like rare recordings, YouTube Music might be more up your alley.
What is it like to use Spotify Individual?
I’ve been using Spotify Individual for years and am satisfied with the service. I’m not an audiophile, and I mostly listen to music via Bluetooth earbuds and speakers, so the audio quality works fine for me.
The thing I like most about Spotify is its music discovery algorithm. The platform’s personalized mixes always hit the spot, and I enjoy stumbling upon new artists and songs via Discover Weekly.
My Headphonesty colleagues also enjoy the service, praising its mixes and audiobooks.
As for the price, the recent addition of audiobooks makes paying for the subscription worth it for some.
Spotify Duo: $14.99/month
Spotify Premium Duo costs $14.99/month and includes access to two Spotify Premium accounts for people who reside at the same address.
While the plan targets couples, nothing stops you from sharing the subscription with a roommate or family member. You each get an Individual Premium account without needing to share login information.
The main appeal of Spotify Duo is that you get two separate accounts for a significant discount. Each account packs everything included with Individual, except the 15 hours/month of audiobooks, which are only available for the plan manager.
Not only that, but you get a playlist that combines what you both listen to, making music discovery more convenient. Since no other streaming service offers a Duo subscription, Spotify is an excellent pick for couples looking to save.
Spotify Family: $16.99/month
Spotify Premium Family costs $16.99/month and lets you create up to 6 accounts. The subscription is available for family members residing at the same address.
Each member gets all the perks of Spotify Individual, making Spotify a cost-effective solution for households on a budget. Rather than spend $10.99/month for each account, you bundle them into a single subscription and pay a lower monthly fee.
While Spotify Family is meant to be shared with family members, some users share the subscription with friends. They also report that their accounts keep working even after they move out of the primary address. However, this workaround technically goes against Spotify’s terms of use.
Unlike Duo, which is unique to Spotify, many other music streaming services offer a similar Family subscription, making it easier for people under the same roof to cut costs.
Spotify Student: $5.99/month
The Spotify Premium Student plan costs $5.99/month, a 45% discount from Individual Premium. You can opt for it if you are a US Title IV accredited college or university student.
The Student plan includes all the perks of Individual Premium and a subscription to Hulu with Ads. In other words, you get access to all the music you can manage, plus an extensive collection of TV shows and movies.
Partnering with Hulu was a great move on Spotify’s part. While other music streaming services also offer student plans, they don’t sweeten the deal with extra content, making Spotify a great option for students.
What Music Streaming Service Offers the Best Value for Money?
| Service | Individual | Couple | Family | Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | $10.99/month | $14.99/month | $16.99/month | $5.99/month |
| Apple Music | $10.99/month | N/A | $16.99/month | $5.99/month |
| Amazon Music | $9.99/month (Prime members) or $10.99/month (Non-Prime members) | N/A | $16.99/month | $5.99/month |
| Youtube Music | $10.99/month | N/A | $16.99/month | $5.49/month |
| Deezer | $11.99/month | N/A | $19.99/month | $5.99/month |
| Tidal | $10.99/month (HiFi) | N/A | $16.99/month | $4.99/month |
| Pandora | $9.99/month | N/A | $14.99/month | $4.99/month |
When it comes to value for money, Spotify is on par with services like Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal. Pandora is slightly cheaper, but it’s not as feature-rich as Spotify. And while you can get Amazon Music for only $9.99, the offer is only available for Prime subscribers.
The Spotify Student plan is hard to beat if you’re in university, thanks to the Hulu add-on. And if you’re a couple, Spotify is the only service with a specific plan for two accounts.
All in all, Spotify is a great choice for most music fans, delivering excellent discovery tools, competitive prices, and a user-friendly interface. Audiophiles might want to look elsewhere, but casual music lovers will likely be satisfied with everything the platform offers.
FAQ
- Does Spotify Premium have a free trial?
- How can I get a discount on Spotify Premium?
- Is there a good free music streaming service?
- How can I remove Spotify ads for free?
Does Spotify Premium have a free trial?
Yes, Spotify usually offers a 1-month free trial for all Premium plans, but you could score a longer trial period during promotions. In February 2024, for instance, new subscribers get two months free. This is plenty of time to test the platform and see if you’re satisfied before making a dent in your credit card bill.
How can I get a discount on Spotify Premium?
You can purchase a Spotify Premium 12-month subscription gift card for $99, which saves you a little over $30 for the year. You can also keep an eye out for deals on sites like Groupon. Additionally, Spotify prices and offers vary between regions, so you can enjoy other discounts based on your location.
Is there a good free music streaming service?
Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Pandora all offer free plans to satisfy casual users who just want something to listen to in the background while they go about their day. However, all these services have limitations, and you can only remove them by upgrading to paid.
How can I remove Spotify ads for free?
You can try ad-blockers like Adguard to remove Spotify’s ads. It did remove the ads for me on my Mac. However, there’s no guarantee they will work for your device. Also, “circumventing or blocking advertisements in the Spotify Service” is against Spotify’s terms of service.