Music and podcast streaming with a free ad-supported tier.
- Starting price
- $12.99/month (Premium Individual)
- Pricing model
- Freemium
- User rating
- 4.8 / 5
- Best for
- Music discovery and playlists across every device
Spotify is the largest music streaming service and the one most other apps are compared against. Its advantage is not catalogue, which is broadly the same everywhere, but discovery and reach.
Who Spotify is for
Almost anyone. It runs on phones, desktops, browsers, speakers, cars and consoles, and the recommendation engine remains the best in the category.
Audiophiles are the exception. Spotify still streams lossy, so Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz all beat it on sound quality.
Which Spotify plan should you pick?
The free tier is ad-supported with shuffle restrictions on mobile. It works, but it is designed to make you upgrade.
Premium Individual is $12.99 a month, usually with three months free for new accounts. It includes 15 hours a month of audiobook listening.
Duo at $18.99 covers two people at one address, and Family at $21.99 covers up to six with parental controls. Students pay $6.99 with verification, bundled with Hulu.
Family works out at $3.67 a head, so any household of three or more should not be buying individual accounts.
Spotify pricing and plans
Free
$0
per month
Ad-supported, with shuffle limits on mobile.
- Full catalogue
- Ads between tracks
- Limited skips on mobile
- No offline listening
Premium Individual
$12.99
per month
Often three months free for new accounts.
- 1 account
- Ad-free listening
- Offline downloads
- 15 hours of audiobooks a month
Premium Student
$6.99
per month
Requires student verification.
- 1 verified account
- Hulu included
- Ad-free listening
- Offline downloads
Premium Duo
$18.99
per month
Both people must share an address.
- 2 accounts
- Duo Mix playlist
- Ad-free listening
- Audiobooks for the plan manager
Premium Family
$21.99
per month
Same address required. About $3.67 a head.
- Up to 6 accounts
- Parental controls
- Spotify Kids
- Audiobooks for the plan manager
Pricing checked against the official Spotify pricing page on 5 September 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
What Spotify actually does
- Recommendation engine with Discover Weekly and Release Radar
- Collaborative and AI-assisted playlists
- Podcasts and video podcasts
- Audiobooks included on Premium
- Offline downloads
- Spotify Connect across speakers, TVs and cars
- Group listening sessions
- Wrapped and listening statistics
Pros and cons
What works well
- Best music discovery of any streaming service
- Works on effectively every device
- Family plan is excellent value at $3.67 a head
- Audiobooks included with Premium
- Student plan bundles Hulu
What to watch out for
- No lossless audio despite years of promises
- Free tier is deliberately restrictive on mobile
- Duo and Family require a shared address
- Audiobook hours only go to the plan manager on shared plans
- Artist payouts remain widely criticised
Spotify FAQs
Is Spotify free?
Yes, with ads and restrictions. Free users cannot download for offline listening and face shuffle and skip limits on mobile.
How much is Spotify Premium?
Individual is $12.99 a month, Duo $18.99, Family $21.99 and Student $6.99 with verification.
Is Family worth it?
For three or more people, yes. At $21.99 for six accounts it works out at about $3.67 each, well under half the individual price.
Does Premium include audiobooks?
Yes, 15 hours a month from the audiobook subscriber catalogue. On Duo and Family the allowance goes to the plan manager only.
Does Spotify offer lossless audio?
Spotify has long streamed compressed audio. If sound quality is your priority, Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz all offer lossless as standard.
Do Duo and Family require the same address?
Yes. Spotify verifies addresses for both plans and can ask members to reconfirm.
What does the student plan include?
Ad-free Spotify plus Hulu for $6.99 a month, for verified students at eligible institutions, renewable up to four years.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes. Premium is month to month and you keep access until the end of the paid period, after which the account reverts to free.
Weighing up other options? Read the 8 best Spotify alternatives.
Ready to try Spotify?
Go to Spotify