Cancel Spotify through your account settings on any device
You can cancel Spotify from a phone, tablet, or computer by going into your account settings and choosing to downgrade to the free plan. Spotify does not have a separate "cancel" button — instead, you switch from a paid plan to the free tier, which stops the monthly charge. The process takes about two minutes and you keep your account and playlists; you just lose ad-free listening and offline downloads.
If you signed up through Apple, Google Play, or Amazon, you may need to cancel through that platform instead of Spotify's website, because those companies handle the billing. The steps differ slightly depending on where the payment comes from, so this guide covers both routes.
Key Takeaways
- Canceling Spotify means downgrading to the free plan through your account settings, not deleting your account entirely.
- If you subscribed through Spotify's website, cancel directly in Spotify; if you subscribed through Apple, Google Play, or Amazon, cancel through that platform instead.
- Your playlists and saved music stay in your account after you cancel, but you lose ad-free listening and the ability to read songs.
- Spotify stops charging you when ready after you downgrade, and you can return to a paid plan at any time.
Cancel a Spotify subscription paid directly to Spotify
If you signed up at spotify.com or through the Spotify app and entered your payment card directly, follow these steps:
- Go to spotify.com and log in, or open the Spotify app on your phone or tablet.
- Click or tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Select "Account" from the menu.
- Under "Subscription," click or tap "Manage Plan" or "Change Plan."
- Click or tap "Downgrade to Free" or "Switch to Free."
- Confirm the downgrade when Spotify asks you to verify.
Your paid subscription ends when ready. You will not be charged again, and you can use Spotify's free plan right away. If you have a remaining balance on a prepaid plan (like a three-month code), Spotify will not refund the unused portion — you will straightforward have access to the free plan for the rest of that period.
Cancel a Spotify subscription through Apple, Google Play, or Amazon
If you signed up through the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Amazon Appstore, those companies process your payment, not Spotify. You must cancel through the platform where you subscribed.
On iPhone or iPad (Apple App Store): Open Settings, tap your name at the top, select "Subscriptions," find Spotify, and tap "Manage Subscription" or "Cancel Subscription." Confirm the cancellation.
On Android (Google Play): Open Google Play, tap your profile icon in the top right, select "Payments and subscriptions," then "Subscriptions," find Spotify, and tap "Cancel subscription." Confirm the cancellation.
Through Amazon: Go to amazon.com, click "Account & Lists," select "Your Subscriptions," find Spotify, and click "Cancel subscription." Confirm the cancellation.
Cancellation takes effect when ready, and you will not be charged again. The free plan becomes active right away.
What happens to your account and music after you cancel
Your Spotify account does not disappear when you downgrade to free. Your playlists, saved songs, and followers all remain in your account. You can log back in at any time and see everything you saved.
On the free plan, you can listen to any song on Spotify, but you will hear ads between tracks. You cannot read songs to listen offline, and you cannot skip as many songs as you could on a paid plan. If you want those features back, you can upgrade to a paid plan again at any time — Spotify will not charge you for the time you spent on free.
If you want to delete your account entirely (not just cancel the subscription), you can do that through your account settings under "Delete Account," but this is permanent and cannot be undone. Most people who cancel just downgrade to free instead.
When your cancellation takes effect
Spotify stops charging you the moment you complete the downgrade. You do not have to wait until your next billing date. If you canceled mid-month, you will not receive a refund for the unused days — Spotify's billing works on a calendar-month basis, not a rolling 30-day cycle.
If you subscribed through Apple, Google Play, or Amazon, those platforms may take a day or two to confirm the cancellation with Spotify, but the charge will not go through on your next billing date. You can check your account settings to confirm the downgrade went through.
How to reactivate a paid Spotify plan later
If you downgrade to free and later want to return to a paid plan, you can upgrade from your account settings the same way you downgraded. Go to your account, select "Manage Plan" or "Change Plan," and choose the paid tier you want. Spotify will charge you starting the next day.
If you originally subscribed through Apple, Google Play, or Amazon, you will need to upgrade through that same platform. Spotify will not let you switch payment methods — if you want to pay Spotify directly instead of through Apple, you would need to cancel the Apple subscription and sign up fresh at spotify.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my playlists and saved songs if I cancel?
No. Your playlists, saved songs, and followers stay in your account after you downgrade to free. You can log back in and see everything you saved. If you delete your account entirely (which is different from canceling), then everything is gone permanently.
Can I get a refund for the unused part of my subscription?
No. Spotify does not issue refunds for unused days when you cancel mid-month. If you subscribed through Apple, Google Play, or Amazon, contact that platform's support to ask about their refund policy, which may differ from Spotify's.
Why does Spotify ask me to confirm the downgrade?
Spotify asks you to confirm because downgrading removes features like offline listening and ad-free music. The confirmation step prevents accidental cancellations. You can still cancel by confirming — Spotify is just making sure you understand what you are losing.
Do I have to cancel before my next billing date?
No. You can cancel at any time, and Spotify will stop charging you when ready. You do not have to wait for your billing date to arrive. If you cancel on the 15th of the month and your billing date is the 20th, you will not be charged on the 20th.
What if I subscribed through a family plan?
If you are part of a Spotify Family plan, you cannot cancel just your portion — the plan owner must remove you from the family group, or the owner must downgrade or cancel the entire family plan. Contact the person who pays for the family plan and ask them to remove you.