If you are a music fan, you must have heard some music on the Spotify platform. It is very versatile and allows you to listen to your music whenever and the way you want. However, if you know a little about this platform, you probably have heard that Spotify has free and premium versions of its services. So, knowing that, a common question is how much is Spotify Premium?
Many people want to know how much the most used streaming service, Spotify, costs for the premium version and the benefits of getting a paid subscription. That’s why we’ve brought you all the details about Spotify’s free and premium subscriptions and how much it costs to have a premium account. We also came up with a list of other music platform options to help you compare to what Spotify has to offer.
Here we will list Spotify plans, options and some alternatives, so you can choose what works best for your routine and your pocket.
- Spotify Free in-depth
- How much is Spotify Premium
- Spotify Premium Family
- Spotify Premium for Students
- Spotify Alternatives
- TuneMyMusic
- Conclusion
For tips like this and many others, check out our page with How-To articles. It’s a page full of interesting articles for you to get the best out of your music streaming service and much more.
Digging a little deeper about Spotify
By leading the online music streaming market, Spotify is a versatile platform with many features that enables anyone with access to the internet to enhance the music listening experience. With customizable and shareable playlists, Spotify started a worldwide revolution in the music industry when it was launched in 2008.
After the music industry collapsed with all the buzz from Napster and lawsuits to whoever tried to go against the big names in this industry, and Metallica, apparently, the musician, together with the record labels, couldn’t keep up with the increase in music piracy. That’s why Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, Spotify founders, came up with the idea for the app. They saw an opportunity to give the power back to the musician, monetize their music, and revive the music industry. With the help of Spotify and many other music streaming services, the music industry is back on its feet, generating more for the economy than before the collapse in the early-mid 2000s. Not just that, but the new distribution system through streaming made it legal and affordable again to listen to and sell music, democratizing access to the artist’s work.
Now, present in more than 180 countries, Spotify has over 80 million songs and more than 433 million monthly active users worldwide. It is available to all platforms, Windows, Mac, Android, and even an online version. It’s easy to use, and in a matter of minutes, you can have the songs of your favorite artists at the tip of your fingers.
The platform counts with a free and paid subscription that gives you some perks, like an ads-free listening experience, better sound quality audio streaming, and other benefits that we will discuss in detail now.
Spotify Free in-depth
Spotify has the starter option without paid subscriptions, which is entirely free. The version works right after downloading the app or opening the web option and creating an account. The app is available for iOS and Android devices, such as Windows and Mac desktop computers. It’s indeed easy to access, and you can listen to songs without spending a dime, but with some rules.
First, you need to sign up with your essential data. Every registration on the platform already guarantees access to the free version. Once you give them your data, they can use it to target you with ads inside and outside the platform.
Furthermore, you need to hear ads between songs. After every three songs, you will listen to an audio ad with a banner in the middle of the playlist. You will also get banners inside the app promoting products or the app’s premium subscription. Another drawback is that you can only skip songs six times an hour, and you can’t listen to the songs you precisely want before listening to other random ones similar to what you have chosen. The Free Version brings some limitations and can be frustrating sometimes.
The audio quality will also get affected. Spotify free streams the audio in a maximum of 160 kbps for the mobile and desktop versions, while for the web version, it can reach a maximum of 128 kbps, less than what Tidal offers. Suppose you’re a regular music listener and don’t have a nice pair of headsets. In that case, those qualities are enough for your daily usage, and if you’re not picky on the sound quality.
How much is Spotify Premium and what are the benefits to pay for it?
Nothing worse than breaking the rhythm of your playlist, right? Spotify Premium is the paid option of the platform and eliminates those ads that bother you so much between songs giving you all the flexibility you want to listen to your favorite songs in peace.
The monthly Spotify Premium subscription costs $9.99 for the individual plan and gives you complete freedom from ads. In addition, this option gives you the power to choose the song you want to hear at the time you wish to, either by searching inside the app or clicking on a link sent by your friend.
Moreover, Spotify Premium allows you to build your playlists precisely the way you want and share them with others collaboratively. That is, no more having other music playing between the songs you have chosen for your playlists. With Spotify Premium, you gain complete control of your platform and what to listen to. It also enables you to collaborate with other people to create playlists in real-time, which can be really handy for that party with friends.
The Spotify Premium subscription also allows the use of the Connect feature. The Connect feature enables different devices, such as tablets, notebooks, and smartphones, to play simultaneously and communicate what’s being played. It’s a perfect feature for smart-speakers lovers.
Spotify Premium Family for Family
Everyone loves a discount, don’t they? Spotify Premium has discounts for bundled subscriptions. The For Family option allows access for up to 6 users in the same subscription for US$ 14.99. The Family option is the primary alternative, but you can add people, and the cost per person is lower and lower the more significant the group.
However, the platform has some rules. For example, the six Spotify Premium accounts on the Family plan members must live in the same house. The company uses an honor system to verify your address; compliance with this rule will depend on your conscience. But at the same time gives you some parental control over the other accounts and even the creation of kids-only profiles.
Spotify Premium for Students
If you are a student, you can take advantage of this condition to pay cheaper on Spotify Premium for Students. This subscription type allows the same features as the regular individual plan and has some add-ons. Initially, the subscription costs $4.99 monthly, free for the first month. But it’s important to say that this is valid only if you are enrolled in a verified college or university that the Spotify system is able to check.
The Spotify Student tier has some extra perks, such as it comes with Hulu (with ads) and Showtime at no cost, which would typically cost $8 and $11, respectively. In other words, it’s a great deal if you love streaming services, either music or TV content.
Spotify Alternatives
Not everyone loves Spotify for different reasons. So, if you’re not very Spotify-friendly and want to learn about other options, we’re also here to help. The music universe is very democratic, which is why we have many platforms worldwide, and many more appearing yearly.
Here we separate some features of the leading platforms available in the market, Tidal, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. We list the features each one offers, and you will know how much these subscriptions cost, enabling you to make the best decision on which one to choose based on your preferences.
If you are a user of any of these platforms and would like to switch to Spotify, or vice-versa, you must check out TuneMyMusic and learn how to transfer your entire music library between music services with no headache in a matter of seconds for FREE.
1) Tidal
Tidal is the first alternative on our list and an excellent choice for anyone who likes high-quality sounds other than Spotify. The platform has more than 90 million tracks on its records, which is more compared to 80 million on Spotify. However, Tidal is receiving more artists who leave Spotify seeking more revenue from their music per streaming. Tidal pays more to its artists when users sign up for the top-tier premium plan on the platform.
You can read a full comparison of Tidal and Spotify in this article we prepared for you talking about Tidal vs. Spotify. Which one will you Love?
For Tidal prices, you have the following options:
- – HiFi – $9.99
- – HiFi Plus – $19.99
- – Family HiFi – $14.99
- – Family HiFi Plus – $29.99
By subscribing to this option, you can get HiFi sound and 44.1 kHz sampling pre 16 bits. If you love music in high-quality format, you can opt for the Tidal HiFi Plus plan, which enables audio sampling up to 192 kHz and bass and treble enhancement.
Tidal has excellent partnerships with artists. Therefore, you can check interviews, basic information, and some extras or credits. In addition, you can have access to video clips and broadcast shows. These extra industry insights can make a big difference for true music lovers and artists’ fans.
As it is a very artist-focused platform, it supports young artists, especially those starting their careers. After all, the platform makes a fairer income distribution compared to other streaming services.
2) Apple Music
Apple Music is the option for true Apple lovers. You can run the app in complete working order if you have a device that supports the Airplay 2 function. The features are so good that it made Apple Music the second-best streaming provider after Spotify.
Apple Music is also another platform that offers a bigger music library compared to Spotify. Similar to Tidal, it has 90 million music tracks, plus curated playlists and an automatic generator playlist based on AI. Prices are close to those charged by Spotify.
Check out the prices:
- – Voice: $4.99/month;
- – Student: $5.99/month;
- – Individual: $9.99/month;
- – Family: $14.99/month.
Another advantage of the Apple Music service is that it offers seamless integration with iTunes. You can add the songs you have already purchased to your library on the platform. In addition, the music streaming service from Apple also has some exclusive albums and music launches that can give fans first access to the new releases from some artists.
If you want to know the little details about Apple Music and how it relates to Spotify when comparing it side-by-side, check out this article about Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which Is Best?!
3) Deezer
Deezer is a French streaming service that has been around since 2007. However, compared to competitors, it can be considered a streaming service still in development and small, especially compared with Spotify, which you can know more about in the article we prepared for you on Spotify vs. Deezer – Comparing Spotify And Deezer Music Streaming Services.
Check out the prices:
- – Deezer family: $17.99/month;
- – Deezer Premium: $10.99/month;
- – Deezer Premium Annual Plan: $98.91 ($8.24/month when paid annually).
In addition, the service has high fidelity and versatility. You can access audiobooks, radios, and podcasts in the app to diversify your routine. They have been investing in exclusive content inside the platform to get the attention of new users and are making some moves on the live performance streaming with the partnership between Deezer and DREAMSTAGE.
However, the app doesn’t offer as high an audio resolution as the similar Tidal. Nevertheless, the disadvantage of sound quality can be compensated by a high compatibility with Dolby Atmos 3D sound technology.
4) Amazon Music
Amazon dominates many services in the world market and is also gaining prominence in the music streaming scene. The company also specializes in high-quality reproductions in the FLAC format, the highest resolution audio format.
Check out the prices:
- – Prime Music: Free (with ads and limitations);
- – Amazon Music Unlimited Ad-Supported Plan: Free;
- – Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan: $9/month (or $79 a year) for Prime members or $10/month for everyone else;
- – Amazon Music Unlimited Single Device Plan: $4/month (attached to an Echo device);
- – Amazon Music Unlimited Student Plan: $60/year;
- – Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan: $15/month ($149/yearly for Prime members).
The prices are reasonable, as you can see, and you can follow along with your favorite podcasts or the lyrics of the songs you like the most. In short, it’s a high-resolution music streaming service at a fair price, especially if you are an Amazon Prime customer. And it gets even cheaper if you have an Amazon smart speaker that you can use as your primary listening device.
5) Youtube Music
Source: Canva Pro
If you love Youtube videos, you will like this option. The Youtube Music platform combines the music streaming service with the video platform’s benefits, making everything much more exciting.
The prices for YouTube Music are:
- – Premium: $9.99/month;
- – Family: $14.99/month;
- – Student: $4.99/month.
While it doesn’t beat options like Spotify, Tidal, or Apple Music when comparing library size and audio quality, Youtube Music is a reliable platform to listen to your favorite music and new inspiration. Youtube Music doesn’t have the same customization features as Spotify and Apple Music, so it’s not considered a bit inferior. However, it has an algorithm that brings recommendations compatible with your profile with a powerful AI behind it and integrated with your YouTube video history.
TuneMyMusic is the ideal option for integrating audio platforms
What do you do when you hear a good playlist on YouTube and want to transport it to listen on Spotify? Or even when you want to transfer that playlist from Spotify to Apple Music and keep it synced? Tune My Music could be the solution you need.
Tune My Music is an online service that makes your life easier regarding listening to music on streaming platforms. Its technology allows you to sync playlists and transfer them quickly and easily without pain.
With the Tune My Music service, you can share playlists and songs between different platforms, sync playlists, upload files to your library and make a backup.
Transfer
Our transfer option is attractive and works with moving copies of specific playlists or libraries. That way, if that’s your goal, you keep all your platforms constantly updated with your favorite music. You can transfer playlists from the same platform between accounts, move from different services, and even from TXT or CSV files.
Synchronization
With Tune My Music, you can simultaneously keep your music and playlists synchronized on all devices and platforms. And the best, all this with just one click. So you save time and have your favorite songs on the go and always updated, no matter what is the original source of the playlist. For example, if you want to keep your music library synchronized between Spotify and Apple music, or Tidal and Spotify, with Tune My Music you can!
Sharing
If you like to share music but have a different platform than your friend uses, we can solve it with Tune My Music. With the feature Share, Tune My Music enables you to have a one-stop place for all your music links, either for playlists or even for single songs. This allows you to have a page listing all your favorites in one smart link and share it with the world.
Offline backup
Another attractive option that our service offers is the act of downloading and uploading songs in text format. You can upload your favorite songs from the library or files on your connected device. In this sense, TXT or CSV formats are accepted for transferring playlists. This enables you to keep an offline backup of your music library in the case of losing access to your music streaming account..
Conclusion
Spotify is still the most influential music streaming platform. The price is the average practiced between most of the platforms. But, with some adjustments, you can have it for free if you don’t mind some ads and total control over your listening experience. This democratized music access, making Spotify the most popular music streaming platform in the world. But, if you want full control over your music without interruptions, the Spotify monthly subscription of $9.99 is a good option.
Now that you have discovered How much Spotify Premium is and its alternatives, you can choose the best option that better suits your music-listening preferences.