Which Spotify subscription is best for you?

Whether you're listening to relaxing Lo-Fi tunes to help you focus while studying or listening to music while working out, one of the worst feelings is hearing an ad interrupting your music listening experience. 

What is Spotify Free?

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When you sign up for Spotify, by default you'll be placed in the free Spotify subscription tier. As the name suggests, this is a free account so there is no need to pay anything to use the music streaming service. However, its features are limited compared to paid Spotify subscriptions.

This account is ad-supported, so short audio and video ads will play between tracks. Ad frequency is based on location and platform, but they typically run after certain songs. Usually, these are the company's own ads encouraging users to subscribe to Spotify Premium.

You can only shuffle playlists, albums or artists instead of listening to them in the selected order, and can only skip up to 6 tracks per hour. Some playlists don't have a shuffle icon. So any song can be played in it. You get access to the service's personalized Daily Mix playlists; The same restrictions apply. However, if you use Spotify Desktop instead of the iOS or Android mobile app, you'll have a little more flexibility about which songs to listen to and when.

Since playlists are the heart of your streaming service, you also want to keep them organized. On Spotify's free plan, audio is limited to a bitrate of 160kbps. The same restrictions apply to offline streaming and downloading - you must be online to listen to music on Spotify Free. With the free plan, you also won't have the option to listen to music with friends in real time.

Spotify Premium plans explained

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Spotify Premium is the general term for all paid Spotify subscriptions. This account unlocks all features of the music streaming service and removes ads. Playback restrictions are removed and up to 10,000 tracks can be downloaded for offline listening on up to 5 different devices. With certain plans, you also get 15 hours of audiobooks per month.

Audio bitrate has also been increased to 320kbps. If you want to start paying for Spotify, see the article: Compare the differences between Spotify Free and Premium, which is the true experience. There are several Spotify Premium subscription plans with a variety of prices and use cases. Most plans allow savings by adding multiple users to one subscription.

Spotify Premium Individual

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Spotify Premium Individual is the standard paid subscription. This plan costs $11.99/month and provides full access to Spotify features. In addition to experiencing increased bitrates and no ads, you can listen to tracks in any order on computers and mobile devices.

With a Premium account, you can listen to music with your loved ones in real time, even if they live miles apart, skip as many tracks as you want, and listen offline. Finally, you also get 15 hours of free audiobook listening with Spotify Premium Individual.

Spotify Premium Duo

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If two people in the same household use Spotify, you can purchase a Premium Duo subscription. For $16.99/month, two users can share a Premium membership while using their own accounts to listen to music. This is ideal if two people have different musical tastes or like to listen to music separately.

A Duo subscription includes all the features and benefits of a regular Premium membership, plus 15 hours of free audiobooks. However, only plan managers can use this audiobook benefit. While there's nothing too special about this subscription, the Premium Duo plan is definitely the most economical option for two people living in the same household.

Spotify Premium Family

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With Spotify Premium Family, up to 6 family members can share a Spotify Premium subscription for just $19.99/month. This is a significant savings compared to the standard Premium plan.

Like Premium Duo, each user has their own account, music library, and personalized playlists. Since this is a family plan, there are also options to block lyrics and explicit content.

This package comes with access to the Spotify Kids music streaming service, suitable for children 12 and under. This simple app features a carefully selected selection of music, songs and audiobooks for young listeners, alongside bedtime stories, lullabies and soothing sounds. Similar to Spotify Premium Duo, only plan managers get 15 hours of free audiobook access with this plan.

Spotify Premium Student

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Spotify offers a Premium Student plan for $5.99/month, which gives you full access to Spotify Premium for up to 4 years. However, unlike other Spotify Premium plans, this one does not include 15 hours of free audiobooks.

Additionally, Premium Student also gives access to the ad-supported version of Hulu at no additional cost. To qualify for this discount, you need to upload proof during the registration process. You will also be asked to verify your eligibility for an annual plan.

Spotify Basic

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Most Spotify users are more interested in streaming music than audiobooks. With Spotify increasing prices and including audiobook access in most Premium plans, many users have expressed frustration on social media.

If you want all the benefits of the Premium plan but don't listen to monthly audiobooks, you can choose Spotify's basic plan. There's a catch, however - the basic plan isn't listed on Spotify's site and can only be accessed by downgrading from an existing Premium plan.

It is only possible to downgrade to the basic version of the current plan type. This means you're only eligible for the Spotify Basic plan if you're subscribed to Spotify Premium Individual. Likewise, if you're currently subscribed to Spotify's Premium Family plan, you'll be eligible for the basic family plan.

While the final cost of the basic plan will depend on your current Premium plan, choosing Spotify Basic will be cheaper and save you money in the long run. For example, Spotify Basic costs $10.99/month, which is $1 cheaper than Spotify Premium Individual.

Spotify Audiobooks Access

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Although Spotify Basic is designed for users who like to stream music via audiobooks, what if you are the exact opposite? In 2024, Spotify introduced a subscription plan for audiobook fans called Audiobook Access. Unlike other plans, this one doesn't include premium perks like ad-free music or offline listening.

Instead, for $9.99/month, all you get is 15 hours of audiobooks per month. However, skipping this package would be a smarter choice, because Premium Individual also includes audiobook listening, for just an additional 2 USD/month, you can also enjoy all other premium perks. . However, if you plan to use Spotify just to listen to audiobooks, Audiobooks Access may be the best choice.

To choose the right Spotify subscription plan, it is necessary to consider the different options and choose the one that best suits your needs. If you want the full Spotify experience, you'll have to pay, but the key is to save as much money as possible.

Jessica Tanner

Update 13 July 2024