Spotify's current pricing and plan options
Spotify offers four subscription tiers in the United States: Free, Premium, Premium Duo, and Premium Family. The Free tier lets you stream with ads and shuffle play only. Premium costs $11.99 per month for one person with ad-free listening and the ability to play any song on demand. Premium Duo is $16.99 per month for two people in the same household, each with their own account and library. Premium Family is $19.99 per month and covers up to six people in one household, with parental controls and the ability to block explicit content on individual accounts.
Prices in other countries differ. Canada charges CAD $12.99 for Premium, the United Kingdom charges £11.99, and Australia charges AUD $14.99. If you pay annually instead of monthly, Spotify offers a discount: Premium annual is $119.88 (about $9.99 per month), and Premium Family annual is $199.88 (about $16.66 per month). These prices can change, and Spotify has raised them multiple times since 2022.
Key Takeaways
- Premium costs $11.99 per month in the US for one person, or $119.88 per year if you pay upfront.
- Premium Family at $19.99 per month covers up to six household members, each with separate accounts and listening history.
- Premium Duo at $16.99 per month is for two people and costs less than two individual Premium subscriptions.
- The Free tier is ad-supported and does not let you choose which song to play or download for offline listening.
- Prices vary by country and Spotify has raised US prices multiple times; check your account for your current rate.
What you get with Premium versus Free
The main difference between Free and Premium is control and interruption. Free users hear ads between songs and cannot skip more than six times per hour on mobile. Premium removes ads entirely and lets you skip as many songs as you want. Premium also lets you download songs to listen offline on your phone or tablet — Free users cannot do this.
On Free, you can only shuffle play on most devices; you cannot pick a specific song unless you are on desktop. Premium gives you on-demand play everywhere. Free also limits audio quality to 24 kbps on mobile and 160 kbps on desktop and tablet. Premium streams at up to 320 kbps, which sounds noticeably better on good headphones or speakers.
Premium Duo versus Premium Family
Premium Duo is designed for two people who live together. Each person gets their own Premium account with separate playlists, recommendations, and listening history. You cannot share a single Duo account between people who do not live at the same address. Spotify verifies household membership by checking that both accounts use the same WiFi network or the same payment method.
Premium Family covers up to six people and costs only $8 more per month than Duo. Each family member gets a full Premium account. The account holder can set up a Family Plan and invite others by email; they do not need to live with you to join, though Spotify's terms say the plan is for household members. Family plans include Spotify Kids, a separate app with age-appropriate content and parental controls. You can also block explicit content on individual accounts.
Student and bundled pricing
Spotify offers a Student Premium plan at $6.99 per month in the US if you are enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university. You must verify your status through SheerID, a third-party verification service. Student plans last for four years or until you graduate, whichever comes first. After that, your account converts to a regular Premium subscription at the standard rate.
Some internet service providers and phone carriers bundle Spotify Premium with their service. Verizon customers can add Premium to certain plans, and some cable providers include it as part of a package. These bundled rates are usually lower than the standalone price, but you pay through your carrier bill instead of directly to Spotify. Check your provider's website to see what is available in your area.
How to check what you are paying
Your current Spotify rate depends on when you signed up, what country you are in, and whether you are on a promotional offer. To see your exact price, open Spotify on any device, go to Account, then Subscription, and look at the "Plan" section. It shows your plan type, renewal date, and monthly or annual cost.
If you signed up years ago, you may be on an older price tier that is no longer offered to new users. Spotify sometimes grandfathers older subscribers at their original rate, but not always. If your price has changed, Spotify sends an email before the change takes effect, usually 30 days in advance. You can downgrade to Free or switch to a different paid plan at any time; the change takes effect on your next billing date.
Payment methods and billing
Spotify accepts credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and gift cards. If you pay with a gift card, the balance covers your subscription until it runs out; then you need to add a payment method to keep your account active. You can also pay through your phone carrier's bill if you signed up through the Spotify app on iOS or Android.
Subscriptions renew automatically on your billing date each month or year. You can cancel anytime through your Account settings, and your access continues until the end of your current billing period. If you cancel mid-month, you do not get a refund for the unused time. If you want to pause rather than cancel, Spotify does not offer a pause feature; you have to cancel and rejoin later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my Premium account with someone who does not live with me?
Spotify's terms say Premium is for personal use only, and Family and Duo plans are for household members. Sharing a single Premium account with someone outside your home violates the terms of service. Spotify can suspend or terminate accounts that share login credentials across multiple locations.
What happens to my music if I cancel Premium?
Your playlists and saved songs stay in your account, but you cannot listen to them unless you rejoin Premium or downgrade to Free. On Free, you can see your playlists but cannot play specific songs — only shuffle. If you rejoin Premium later, your library is still there.
Is there a free trial for Premium?
Spotify sometimes offers a free trial, usually one month, but this depends on your country and whether you have had a trial before. Check your Account settings to see if a trial is available. New users in some countries may see a trial offer when they sign up.
Can I change my plan without canceling?
Yes. Go to Account, then Subscription, and select "Change Plan." You can upgrade or downgrade anytime. If you upgrade mid-month, you pay a prorated amount for the rest of the month. If you downgrade, the change takes effect on your next billing date.
Do I pay tax on top of the subscription price?
Tax is added at checkout depending on your location and local tax law. The prices listed on Spotify's website are before tax. Your final bill includes sales tax or VAT where applicable.