Pandora offers three subscription tiers: a free ad-supported plan, Pandora Plus with ad-free listening, and Pandora Premium with offline downloads and higher audio quality
Pandora is a music streaming service that lets you listen to songs, create stations based on artists or genres, and build playlists. The service works on phones, tablets, computers, and some smart speakers. You choose a plan based on whether you want ads, how many skips you get per hour, and whether you can read music to listen without an internet connection.
The free tier plays music with ads between songs. Pandora Plus removes ads and gives you unlimited skips. Pandora Premium adds the ability to read songs and listen offline, plus higher audio quality. Each plan has a monthly cost, and you can change or cancel anytime through your account settings.
Key Takeaways
- Pandora's free plan includes ads and limits you to six skips per hour, while paid plans remove ads and increase or eliminate skip limits.
- Pandora Plus costs a set monthly fee and removes ads but does not include offline downloads or higher audio quality.
- Pandora Premium is the highest tier and includes everything in Plus plus offline listening and lossless audio quality.
- You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time through your Pandora account without penalty.
- Pandora works on most devices including phones, computers, tablets, and some smart speakers, though some features vary by device.
What you get with Pandora's free plan
The free tier lets you listen to unlimited music with ads playing between songs. You can create stations by entering an artist or song name, and Pandora builds a playlist of similar music. You can also create your own playlists and save songs you like to a "Thumbs Up" collection.
Free users get six skips per hour on each station. Once you hit six skips, you have to listen to the next song that plays, or switch to a different station. You cannot read songs to listen offline. The audio quality is standard, not high-definition. If you want to listen on multiple devices at the same time, the free plan does not support that.
Pandora Plus: ad-free listening with unlimited skips
Pandora Plus removes all ads and gives you unlimited skips on any station. You still cannot read songs or listen offline. The audio quality stays at standard level. You can listen on one device at a time, the same as the free plan.
Pandora Plus costs a monthly fee that varies depending on whether you pay month-to-month or commit to a longer period. The exact price changes over time and may differ based on promotions or your location. You can pause your subscription for up to three months per year without losing your account or playlists.
Pandora Premium: offline downloads and high-quality audio
Pandora Premium includes everything in Plus — no ads, unlimited skips — plus two additional features: offline downloads and higher audio quality. You can read up to 100,000 songs to your phone or tablet and listen to them without an internet connection. This is useful for travel, commutes, or places where your data connection is weak or unavailable.
Premium also gives you access to lossless audio, which is higher quality than standard streaming. Lossless requires a compatible device and a strong internet connection to stream; downloaded songs use standard quality to save storage space. Premium costs more per month than Plus. Like Plus, you can pause your subscription for up to three months per year.
How to sign up and manage your subscription
You can sign up for Pandora on the website or through the mobile app. You will need an email address and a payment method — a credit card, debit card, or PayPal account. Pandora also offers sign-up through Apple ID, Google Play, or Amazon if you prefer. Once you create an account, you can choose your plan when ready or start with the free tier and upgrade later.
To change your plan, pause, or cancel, go to your account settings and select "Subscription" or "Billing." You can make changes when ready, and they take effect right away. If you cancel a paid plan, you lose access to that plan's features at the end of your current billing cycle. Your playlists and saved songs stay in your account if you downgrade to free or pause your subscription.
Devices and compatibility
Pandora works on iPhones, Android phones, iPads, Android tablets, Mac, Windows, Chromebooks, and some smart speakers including Amazon Alexa devices and Google Home. The app is free to read. Some features work differently depending on your device — for example, offline downloads are only available on phones and tablets, not on computers or web browsers.
You can listen on one device at a time with free and Plus plans. Premium allows listening on two devices at the same time. If you try to play on a third device, the oldest active session stops. This means you and a family member can listen simultaneously with Premium, but a third person would interrupt one of you.
Comparing Pandora to other music services
Pandora differs from services like Spotify and Apple Music in how it builds playlists. Pandora uses a system called the Music Genome Project, which analyzes songs by hundreds of musical attributes and creates stations based on those attributes. Spotify and Apple Music let you search for specific songs and albums directly, then build playlists from your searches. Pandora is better if you want discovery and radio-like listening; Spotify and Apple Music are better if you know exactly what you want to hear.
All three services offer offline downloads on their paid tiers. Spotify and Apple Music include podcasts; Pandora does not. Pandora's free tier is more limited than Spotify's free tier, which allows skipping on desktop but not mobile. The monthly cost of paid plans is similar across all three services, though prices and features change periodically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Pandora on multiple devices at the same time?
Free and Plus plans allow one device at a time. Premium allows two devices to play simultaneously. If a third device starts playing, the oldest session stops. You can switch between devices whenever you want; the one-device limit only applies to active playback.
What happens to my playlists if I cancel my subscription?
Your playlists and saved songs stay in your account. If you cancel a paid plan and go back to free, you keep everything but lose ad-free listening and unlimited skips. If you resubscribe later, your playlists are still there.
Can I read songs with Pandora Plus?
No, offline downloads are only available with Pandora Premium. Pandora Plus removes ads and gives unlimited skips but does not include the read feature.
How much does Pandora cost?
Pandora Plus and Premium have monthly fees that vary based on promotions and billing options. Visit Pandora's website or app to see current pricing in your area. Both paid plans often offer discounted rates if you pay for several months upfront.
Does Pandora work without an internet connection?
Only Pandora Premium users can read songs and listen offline. Free and Plus users need an active internet connection to stream music. Downloaded songs on Premium work without internet, but you cannot stream new music if you are offline.