Music lovers beware: your Spotify bill will be getting a little more expensive.
On Monday, Spotify announced that prices for its premium subscriptions will be increasing in the US and several other countries. Though your monthly cost will only rise by a dollar or two depending on your plan, it's a significant change as it marks Spotify's first price increase since it launched in the US in 2011.
The changes are:
- $5.99 for student subscriptions (up from $4.99)
- $10.99 for single subscriptions (up from $9.99)
- $14.99 for duo subscriptions (up from $12.99)
- $16.99 for family subscriptions (up from $15.99)
So, all plans will be increasing by one dollar except for Spotify Duo, which is a subscription for two accounts intended for two people who live together — Duo subscribers will see a $2 increase.
According to Spotify's FAQ page, users will get an email notification about the price increase, as well as a month-long "grace period." This means your upcoming payment will be the last one with the cheaper price.
Those currently on trial offers will get one month with the original cost before having to pay the new price.
Spotify still offers a free version with ads, so if the cost is too high you can always keep your account without paying. But, the free version does not let you play the songs in any order you want, nor does it let you download songs to listen to offline.
Spotify's CEO warned us
While it's never fun when a service raises it's prices, Spotify's increase shouldn't come as a surprise. Last year, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek told The Wall Street Journal that subscribers could expect price increases in 2023.
Spotify is one of many streaming platforms to hike up prices. In addition to YouTube Premium raising its prices, Apple did the same for its music and video streaming plans last year, telling TechCrunch at the time that it was due to "an increase in licensing costs, and in turn, artists and songwriters will earn more for the streaming of their music."
On Wednesday, Insider reported that Netflix got rid of its "Basic" plan in the US and Canada, forcing new and returning subscribers to now pay at least $15.49 instead of $9.99 if they didn't want to see ads, or switch to the new advertising-supported tier.
