What You Get With Each Spotify Plan
Spotify offers four subscription tiers, each with different features and price points. The Free plan lets you listen to music and podcasts with ads interrupting playback; you cannot skip songs on demand, and audio quality is limited to 96 kbps. The Premium Individual plan removes ads, lets you skip unlimited songs, and streams at up to 320 kbps. The Duo plan covers two people in the same household and gives each person their own account and recommendations. The Family plan covers up to six household members, each with their own account, and includes access to Spotify Kids (a child-safe version) and the ability to block explicit content on individual accounts.
Spotify also offers a Student plan for people enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university. It includes all Premium Individual features plus a Hulu ad-supported subscription and a discounted price. There is also a Premium Duo plan that bundles Premium Individual with a Hulu subscription at a combined rate.
Pricing varies by country and changes periodically. In the United States, Premium Individual costs more than Duo, which costs more than Family per person. You can see current prices on Spotify's pricing page when you visit the app or website.
Key Takeaways
- The Free plan includes ads and limited skipping; Premium plans remove ads and unlock unlimited skips and higher audio quality.
- Duo and Family plans split the cost across multiple household members, each with separate accounts and personalized recommendations.
- Student plans bundle Spotify Premium with Hulu at a reduced rate if you can verify enrollment at an accredited university.
- You can change plans or cancel anytime through your account settings; downgrades take effect at the start of your next billing cycle.
How to Sign Up for a Spotify Subscription
Start by visiting spotify.com or opening the Spotify app on your phone, tablet, or computer. Click or tap the button to sign up, then choose whether to create a new account or log in with an existing email, Apple ID, Google account, or Facebook account. If you create a new account, you will enter your email, create a password, and provide your birth date and gender (Spotify uses this for recommendations and to verify Student plan may be able to access).
After you create your account, Spotify will show you the available plans. Select the plan you want and choose your payment method. Spotify accepts credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and gift cards. If you choose a paid plan, Spotify will charge you when ready and then on the same day each month (or year, if you pay annually). Your subscription begins right away.
If you are signing up for a Family or Duo plan, the person who creates the account becomes the organizer. After payment goes through, you can invite other household members by sharing a link or entering their email addresses. Each invited member receives a notification and can accept the invitation to join the plan.
How to Change or Cancel Your Plan
Log into your Spotify account on the website or app and go to your account settings. Look for the section labeled "Subscription" or "Plan." From there, you can upgrade to a higher tier, downgrade to a lower tier, or cancel your subscription entirely. If you downgrade or cancel, the change takes effect on the first day of your next billing cycle — you keep full access to your current plan until that date arrives.
If you are on a Family or Duo plan and want to leave, you can remove yourself from the plan through your account settings. The organizer (the person who created the plan) can also remove other members. Removed members lose access to the plan when ready and can sign up for their own individual plan or the Free plan.
If you cancel a paid plan and later want to resubscribe, you can do so at any time. Your playlists, saved songs, and listening history remain on your account even after cancellation, so you will see them again if you return.
Payment Methods and Billing
Spotify charges on a monthly or annual basis, depending on which billing cycle you chose when you signed up. Monthly billing renews on the same date each month; annual billing renews once per year. You can switch between monthly and annual billing in your account settings, and the change takes effect at your next renewal date.
If your payment method fails, Spotify will attempt to charge it again a few days later. If it fails a second time, Spotify will send you an email asking you to update your payment information. If you do not update it within a set period, your subscription will pause until you provide a working payment method. Your account and playlists stay intact during a pause; you straightforward cannot listen to music.
You can update your payment method, billing address, or billing email at any time in your account settings. Spotify does not store your full credit card number; it uses a find payment processor to handle transactions.
Family Plan Setup and Household Verification
A Spotify Family plan requires all members to live at the same address. When you create a Family plan or invite someone to join, Spotify may ask you to verify your household. This usually means confirming your address or connecting a device (like a phone or smart speaker) that is registered to that address.
Each person on a Family plan gets their own account with their own email, password, and personalized recommendations. You can set parental controls on individual accounts to block explicit content. The organizer can remove members or change the plan settings, but each member can manage their own password, email, and listening preferences independently.
If someone on your Family plan moves out, the organizer should remove them from the plan. Spotify may also remove members if it detects that they are not living at the same address as the rest of the group.
Student Plan Verification and Benefits
To sign up for a Student plan, you must verify that you are enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university. During signup, Spotify will ask you to confirm your school and graduation year. Spotify uses SheerID, a third-party verification service, to check your enrollment status. You may need to upload a photo of your student ID or provide your school email address.
The Student plan includes all Premium Individual features plus an ad-supported Hulu subscription. You cannot add other people to a Student plan; it is for one person only. If you graduate or are no longer enrolled full-time, your Student plan will convert to Premium Individual at the regular Premium price after your current billing cycle ends.
Spotify will periodically re-verify your student status. If verification fails and you do not update your information, your plan may downgrade to Premium Individual or Free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use one Spotify account on multiple devices at the same time?
With a Free or Premium Individual plan, you can log into your account on multiple devices, but you can only play music on one device at a time. If you start playing on a second device, playback on the first device stops. Family and Duo plans allow multiple people to listen simultaneously on different devices because each person has their own account.
What happens to my playlists and saved songs if I cancel?
Your playlists, saved songs, and listening history stay on your account even after you cancel. If you resubscribe later, everything will be there. However, if you do not log into your account for a long time, Spotify may delete the account and its data.
Can I get a refund if I change my mind about my subscription?
Spotify does not offer refunds for subscription charges. However, you can cancel your subscription at any time, and you will keep access to your plan through the end of your current billing cycle. If you cancel within a few days of signing up, contact Spotify Support to ask about options.
How do I know if my payment went through?
After you complete your purchase, Spotify will show a confirmation message in the app or on the website. You will also receive a confirmation email at the address associated with your account. Your bank or credit card statement will show a charge from Spotify.
Can I share my Spotify password with someone outside my household?
Spotify's terms of service state that accounts are for personal use only and should not be shared. Sharing your password with someone outside your household violates the terms. If you want to give someone access to Spotify, invite them to a Family or Duo plan instead.