What you get with each Spotify subscription tier

Spotify offers four subscription tiers: Free, Premium, Premium Duo, and Premium Family. The Free tier lets you stream music and podcasts with ads and shuffle-only playback on mobile. Premium removes ads, allows you to read songs for offline listening, and lets you play any track on demand on any device. Premium Duo covers two people in one household and costs less than two individual Premium subscriptions. Premium Family covers up to six people at separate addresses and includes parental controls and a Family Hub to see what others are listening to.

Each paid tier renews monthly unless you cancel. Spotify also offers a Premium Student plan at a reduced rate if you are enrolled at an accredited college or university and have not used a student discount with Spotify before. The student plan includes the same features as Premium but costs less per month.

Key Takeaways

  • Spotify Free includes ads and shuffle-only playback on mobile, while all paid tiers remove ads and let you play any song on demand.
  • Premium Duo and Premium Family are cheaper per person than buying individual Premium subscriptions if you share a household or live separately.
  • Premium Student offers the same features as Premium at a lower monthly cost, but only if you are currently enrolled at an accredited university.
  • Downloaded songs work only on the device where you downloaded them, and you must open the Spotify app at least once every 30 days to keep downloads active.

How pricing and billing work across tiers

Premium costs a set monthly amount that varies by country and currency. Premium Duo costs roughly 30 percent less than two Premium subscriptions combined and splits the bill between two accounts. Premium Family costs more than Premium Duo but less per person than three individual Premium subscriptions, and each family member gets their own account and recommendations.

All paid subscriptions renew on the same date each month. You can pause your subscription for up to three months without losing your account or playlists, then resume it later. If you cancel, your account stays active until the end of your current billing period, and you can reactivate it anytime by signing back in.

Spotify also offers gift cards that work toward any paid subscription tier. The card value applies to your next billing cycle, and if your subscription is already active, the credit extends your renewal date rather than charging you when ready.

Offline downloads and device limits

Only Premium, Premium Duo, and Premium Family subscribers can read songs. Each account can read up to 10,000 songs across all devices, but downloads live only on the device where you saved them. If you delete the Spotify app, your downloads delete too. You must open the app at least once every 30 days to keep your downloads active; if you do not, Spotify removes them automatically.

You can stream on multiple devices at the same time with Premium, but only one device can play audio at once. Premium Duo allows two simultaneous streams, and Premium Family allows six. If a sixth person tries to play music while all five others are already streaming, Spotify pauses one of the active streams.

Sound quality and audio features

Spotify streams at 320 kilobits per second on Premium, Premium Duo, and Premium Family — the same quality across all three paid tiers. The Free tier streams at 160 kilobits per second. Spotify does not offer lossless or high-resolution audio on any tier.

All tiers include access to Spotify's algorithm-based playlists, personalized recommendations, and the ability to create and share playlists. Podcasts are included on all tiers, though some premium podcast content requires a separate subscription through Spotify or the podcast creator.

Family and student plan rules

Premium Family requires that all six members live at the same address or be part of the same household. Spotify verifies this using your billing address and may ask for additional proof. If members move out, you can update the household address, but Spotify may limit how often you can change it.

Premium Duo is designed for two people who share a household. Like Family, it uses your billing address to verify that both accounts belong to the same home. Each member gets their own account, recommendations, and saved playlists.

Premium Student requires proof of current enrollment at an accredited college or university. You verify your status through Spotify's student verification partner, and the discount lasts for four years from the date you first sign up. After four years, your account converts to a regular Premium subscription at the full monthly rate unless you cancel.

Switching between tiers and cancellation

You can change from one paid tier to another anytime through your account settings. If you upgrade mid-month, Spotify charges you the difference between your current plan and the new one, prorated to your billing date. If you downgrade, the change takes effect on your next renewal date, and you do not receive a refund for the remainder of your current billing period.

Canceling a subscription stops future charges but does not delete your account. Your playlists, followers, and saved songs stay in your account. If you reactivate later, everything is still there. You can cancel anytime, and the cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing cycle.

What happens with shared accounts and household verification

Spotify's household verification system checks that Premium Family and Premium Duo members live at the same address or share a home. The system uses your billing address, IP address, and device information. If Spotify detects activity outside your household, it may ask members to verify their location or may prevent out-of-home streaming on that account.

If you travel or move temporarily, you can usually stream on your phone or other devices outside the home, but Spotify may limit this if it detects a pattern of out-of-home use. Permanent moves require updating your household address in your account settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Spotify Free on my phone without shuffle mode?

No. Spotify Free on mobile devices locks you into shuffle mode, meaning songs play in random order and you cannot skip backward. On desktop or web, Spotify Free lets you play any song on demand without shuffle. Only paid tiers remove shuffle restrictions on all devices.

What happens to my downloads if I cancel Premium?

Your downloads stay on your device until you delete the Spotify app or manually remove them. However, they stop working as soon as your subscription ends. When you open Spotify after cancellation, the app will not play the downloaded files, even though they still take up storage space on your device.

Can I split Premium Family with people who do not live with me?

Spotify's terms require all Premium Family members to live at the same address. If Spotify detects members streaming from different locations regularly, it may ask for proof of household membership or restrict the account. Premium Duo has the same household requirement.

Do I lose my playlists and followers if I downgrade to Free?

No. Your playlists, followers, and saved songs stay in your account when you downgrade. You keep everything you created and saved. The only difference is that Free tier playback includes ads and shuffle-only mode on mobile.

How long does student pricing last?

Premium Student pricing lasts for four years from the date you first sign up with a student discount. After four years, your subscription automatically converts to regular Premium at the full monthly rate. You can cancel anytime before or after the conversion.