Recently, Spotify users from the UK had to face a price hike – now similar changes await subscribers from the United States.
From May 2024, UK-based customers on the Individual, Duo, and Family plans had to pay more monthly to stream music and podcasts. In July, the new prices will reach overseas.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. You can beat the Spotify price hike, and we’ll tell you how.
If you want to discover alternatives to Spotify, take a look at our round-up of the best music streaming services.
How much is Spotify going up by in the US?
Reports of a US price increase started circulating via Bloomberg in April 2024. At the beginning of June, Spotify released an official statement confirming the change in pricing for its services in the States.
Here’s how the new prices will look like:
- Individual – Increasing from $10.99 per month to $11.99 per month
- Duo – Increasing from $14.99 per month to $16.99 per month
- Family – Increasing from $16.99 per month to $19.99 per month
The good news is that the Student plan will remain at $5.99 per month, and of course, the Free option won’t change.
Avoid the Spotify price hike in US by buying a gift card
The only real way to lock in for the lower Spotify prices is to buy a long-term gift card and redeem it before the subscription changes come into effect. Keep in mind that this method is only applicable to Spotify Premium Individual, as no gift cards are on offer for the Duo and Family plans.
You can buy a 12-month one from Walmart for $99, which will save you nearly a whopping $45 compared to paying the new costs for one year.
GET 12 MONTHS OF SPOTIFY PREMIUM FOR $99
This is an e-gift card, so you shouldn’t need to wait for the postman – just an email landing in your inbox, or a text message.
As the new prices kick in from July, we recommend buying this gift card before 30 June 2024. You can then redeem your code against your Spotify account, though you may need to cancel your plan first. If that doesn’t work, try contacting Spotify.
You can find more information in Spotify’s terms and conditions.
Other ways to avoid the Spotify price hike
If buying a gift card isn’t for you, then the only other ways to save money are by downgrading your plan, or seeing if you can get it as a free benefit through a mobile contract.
Failing all that, you can always cancel Spotify.
How much did Spotify go up by in the UK?
The new UK Spotify prices kicked in from May. Here’s a summary:
- Individual – Increasing from £10.99 per month to £11.99 per month
- Duo – Increasing from £14.99 per month to £16.99 per month
- Family – Increasing from £17.99 per month to £19.99 per month
The Student plan will remain at £5.99 per month, according to Money Saving Expert. If you’re on the Free plan, this will of course remain at zero charge.
If you’re an existing subscriber, you’ll start paying the new prices after being given a month’s notice. That means you should be paying from this month at the latest, depending on when you’re contacted.
If you signed up for a free trial, then you’ll pay the old prices for one month before switching to the new ones. New subscribers will pay the increased costs.
