Pandora Plus is a paid tier that removes ads and lets you skip songs
Pandora Plus is Pandora's mid-level subscription. It costs $4.99 per month (or $54.89 per year if you pay annually) and removes advertisements from your listening. You also get unlimited skips on any station — on the free tier, you're limited to six skips per station per hour. The service still plays music based on stations you create, not on-demand like Spotify or Apple Music.
Pandora Plus does not include offline listening or higher audio quality. If you want those features, you need Pandora Premium, which costs $9.99 per month and includes everything Plus offers plus the ability to download songs and play them without internet.
Key Takeaways
- Pandora Plus removes ads and gives you unlimited skips for $4.99 per month or $54.89 per year.
- You still listen to Pandora stations (not on-demand songs), but you can skip as many as you want instead of being limited to six per hour.
- Pandora Plus does not include offline downloads or higher sound quality; those are only in Pandora Premium at $9.99 per month.
- You can cancel anytime — there is no contract or early termination fee.
What ads you stop hearing with Plus
On Pandora's free tier, you hear audio ads between songs and sometimes banner ads on the screen. Pandora Plus removes all of those. You will not hear promotional messages for other Pandora tiers or third-party products.
The trade-off is that Pandora still collects data about what you listen to and uses it to show you targeted ads elsewhere on the internet (on websites and apps you visit outside Pandora). If you want to stop that tracking, you would need to adjust your privacy settings in your Pandora account, though Pandora's options for opting out are limited compared to some other services.
How skipping works on Plus versus free
On Pandora's free tier, you can skip up to six songs per station every hour. Once you hit six, you have to wait until the hour resets. On Pandora Plus, you can skip as many songs as you want on any station at any time — there is no limit.
This matters if you create a station and then change your mind about the direction it's going, or if you want to hear only certain songs from a particular artist or genre. On free, you would have to wait or create a new station. On Plus, you just keep skipping until you hear something you like.
What Pandora Plus does not include
Pandora Plus is station-based listening only. You cannot search for a specific song and play it on demand the way you can on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music. You create a station based on an artist, song, or genre, and Pandora plays similar music. You can thumbs-up or thumbs-down songs to shape what the station plays next, but you cannot queue up a specific album or playlist and play it straight through.
You also cannot download songs to listen offline. If you lose internet connection, Pandora stops playing. And Pandora Plus does not offer higher audio quality — the sound bitrate is the same as free. Only Pandora Premium includes offline downloads and higher-quality audio.
How to start a Pandora Plus subscription
Open the Pandora app or go to pandora.com on a web browser. If you already have a free account, tap or click the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines) and look for "Upgrade to Plus" or a similar option. Pandora will ask you to enter a payment method — credit card, debit card, or PayPal. You can choose to pay monthly ($4.99) or annually ($54.89).
Your subscription starts immediately. You will see ads disappear from your next session, and you will be able to skip without limits right away. If you signed up on a mobile app, the charge may appear as "Pandora Media" or "SiriusXM" (Pandora's parent company) on your credit card statement.
Canceling or pausing your subscription
You can cancel Pandora Plus anytime through your account settings — there is no penalty or early termination fee. On the Pandora website, go to your account, find "Subscription" or "Billing," and select "Cancel Subscription." On the mobile app, the option is usually under Settings or Account.
When you cancel, your Plus features stop at the end of your current billing cycle. If you paid monthly on the 15th, you keep Plus through the 14th of next month, then revert to free. If you paid annually, you keep Plus for the full year you paid for, even if you cancel immediately. Pandora does not offer refunds for unused time on annual plans.
Pandora Plus versus Premium
| Feature | Free | Plus ($4.99/mo) | Premium ($9.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad-free listening | No | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited skips | No (6 per hour) | Yes | Yes |
| Offline downloads | No | No | Yes |
| Higher audio quality | No | No | Yes |
| Station-based listening | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-demand song play | No | No | No |
Pandora Premium doubles the cost but adds two features: offline listening (download songs to your phone and play them without internet) and higher audio quality (320 kbps instead of 64 kbps). If you mostly listen on WiFi or cellular and do not care about sound quality, Pandora Plus is usually enough. If you commute without reliable internet or want the best sound your headphones can deliver, Premium is worth the extra $5 per month.
Neither Plus nor Premium includes on-demand song play. Both are station-based services. If you need the ability to search for a specific song and play it immediately, you would need to switch to a different streaming service entirely, such as Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I try Pandora Plus for free first?
Pandora sometimes offers a free trial period (usually 7 to 14 days) for new Plus subscribers, but this varies by region and changes over time. When you go to upgrade, Pandora will show you whether a trial is available. If you start a trial and do not cancel before it ends, your payment method will be charged the regular monthly price.
Will Pandora Plus work on all my devices?
Yes. Your subscription works on the Pandora app for phones and tablets, on pandora.com in a web browser, and on connected devices like smart speakers and car systems that have Pandora built in. You use the same account on all devices, so your stations and preferences sync across them.
What happens to my stations if I cancel Plus?
Your stations stay in your account. You revert to free tier rules: ads return, you're limited to six skips per hour per station, and you cannot download. You can upgrade back to Plus anytime and pick up where you left off.
Does Pandora Plus let me play specific songs on demand?
No. Pandora Plus is still station-based. You create stations and Pandora plays similar music, but you cannot search for a song and play it immediately like on Spotify. If on-demand song play is important to you, Pandora is not the right service — you would need Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music instead.
Can I share my Pandora Plus account with family members?
Pandora Plus is for one person. If you want multiple family members to have ad-free listening, each person needs their own subscription. Pandora does not offer a family plan like Spotify or Apple Music do. However, multiple people can use the same account on different devices — they will just share the same stations and listening history.