What Pandora Premium is and who pays for it
Pandora Premium is a paid music streaming service run by Pandora Media that removes ads, lets you skip songs without limits, and plays music offline. You pay a monthly or annual fee directly to Pandora, not to a government program or employer. The service works on phones, tablets, computers, and some smart speakers.
Pandora also offers a free tier called Pandora Free, which includes ads and limits how many times you can skip songs each hour. Premium removes both of those restrictions. If you already use Pandora Free, you can upgrade to Premium without losing your saved stations or liked songs.
The company does not bundle Premium with other services the way some competitors do. You are paying for music streaming only — not movies, podcasts, or other content. If you want those things, you would need separate subscriptions.
Key Takeaways
- Pandora Premium costs a set monthly fee (the exact amount varies by region and changes over time) or you can pay annually at a discount.
- You can cancel at any time without penalty, and your access stops at the end of the billing period you have already paid for.
- The service works offline on mobile devices, meaning you can download songs to listen without an internet connection.
- Pandora Premium includes the Music Genome Project, which creates personalized stations based on songs and artists you like.
- You can share your account with family members, though Pandora's terms of service restrict account sharing to people in your household.
How much Pandora Premium costs
Pandora Premium charges a monthly subscription fee. The exact price varies depending on where you live and whether you are a new or returning customer. Pandora sometimes offers promotional rates for the first month or first few months, especially if you sign up through certain devices or platforms.
If you pay annually instead of monthly, you receive a discount compared to paying month-to-month. The annual option requires you to commit to a full year upfront, but the per-month cost is lower. You can see the current price for your region by visiting Pandora's website or opening the app and navigating to the Premium upgrade screen.
Pandora Premium does not include taxes, which are added at checkout depending on your location. Some states and localities charge sales tax on digital subscriptions, while others do not.
How to start and stop your subscription
To upgrade from Pandora Free to Premium, open the Pandora app or website and look for the Premium upgrade button. You will be asked to enter a payment method — a credit card, debit card, or account linked to Apple Pay or Google Pay. Pandora will charge your payment method on the date you sign up and then on the same day each month (or year, if you chose annual billing).
Your first payment processes immediately. You gain access to Premium features right away, even if you signed up partway through a month. You are not charged a prorated amount — you pay the full monthly or annual fee regardless of when in the billing cycle you join.
To cancel, go to your account settings within the Pandora app or website, find the subscription section, and select the option to cancel. Pandora will ask you to confirm, and you may see a retention offer (a discount to keep your subscription). If you proceed with cancellation, your Premium access continues until the end of the billing period you have already paid for. After that date, your account reverts to Pandora Free.
Cancellation is immediate — you do not have to wait for a confirmation email or call anyone. If you change your mind, you can resubscribe at any time and your stations and liked songs remain saved to your account.
What Premium features you get
The main Premium features are ad-free listening, unlimited skips, and offline playback. With Premium, you can skip as many songs as you want in a row. On Pandora Free, you are limited to skipping a certain number of songs per hour (the exact limit changes, but it is typically around six skips per hour).
Offline mode lets you download songs, albums, and stations to your phone or tablet so you can listen without using data or an internet connection. This is useful on flights, in areas with poor signal, or when you want to save your mobile data. Downloaded content takes up storage space on your device, and Pandora limits how many downloads you can have at once.
All Pandora Premium subscribers get access to the Music Genome Project, which is Pandora's algorithm for creating personalized radio stations. When you create a station based on a song or artist, Pandora analyzes musical attributes and builds a station of similar music. You can give songs a thumbs up or thumbs down to refine what the station plays.
How account sharing works
Pandora Premium allows you to use your account on multiple devices at the same time. You can listen on your phone, tablet, and computer simultaneously, and each device will have its own playback (so one person can pause without affecting what someone else is listening to).
Pandora's terms of service state that your account is for your personal, non-commercial use and for members of your household. Sharing your login with people outside your household violates the terms. Pandora does not actively police this, but the company reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that it believes are being shared beyond household members.
If you want to give family members their own Premium experience without sharing a login, Pandora does not currently offer a family plan the way Spotify or Apple Music do. Each person would need their own subscription.
Comparing Pandora Premium to other music services
Pandora Premium competes with Spotify Premium, Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, and YouTube Music Premium. The main differences are price, music catalog, audio quality, and what else is included in the subscription.
Pandora's strength is its personalized radio stations through the Music Genome Project. If you like letting an algorithm build stations for you rather than creating playlists yourself, Pandora's approach may suit you better than competitors. Pandora also tends to have lower pricing than some alternatives, though this varies by region and promotional offers.
Spotify and Apple Music have larger music catalogs and more robust playlist curation. YouTube Music includes access to music videos and YouTube Premium (ad-free YouTube). Amazon Music Unlimited is often cheaper if you are an Amazon Prime member. The best choice depends on which features matter most to you and which service you already use.
What happens if you stop paying
If your payment method fails or you do not pay your subscription fee, Pandora will attempt to charge your card again. If the charge continues to fail, your Premium access will be suspended. You will receive email notifications before this happens, giving you a chance to update your payment method.
Once your Premium access is suspended, you can still use Pandora Free. Your stations and liked songs remain saved. If you resubscribe to Premium later, all your saved content is still there. You do not lose anything by letting your subscription lapse.
Pandora does not charge you a cancellation fee or early termination fee. You can cancel at any point in your billing cycle, and you will not be charged for the next period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Pandora Premium on multiple devices at the same time?
Yes. You can play music on your phone, tablet, and computer simultaneously, and each device has its own playback. Pandora does not limit the number of devices you can use, only that account sharing should be limited to household members.
Does Pandora Premium include music videos?
No. Pandora Premium is audio-only. If you want to watch music videos, YouTube Music Premium or Apple Music would be better options.
Can I download songs to keep forever, or only while my subscription is active?
Downloaded songs are only playable while your Premium subscription is active. If you cancel, the downloaded files remain on your device but will not play. Once you resubscribe, they become playable again.
What audio quality does Pandora Premium offer?
Pandora Premium streams at 192 kbps, which is standard quality but lower than some competitors like Spotify Premium (320 kbps) or Apple Music (lossless audio). If audio quality is important to you, compare the technical specs of each service.
Is there a family plan for Pandora Premium?
Pandora does not currently offer a family plan. Each household member would need their own subscription, though you can share a single account among household members if you are comfortable using the same login.