The streaming music service Spotify just increased its prices across the board. The costs of most subscription options are now the same as the prices of its arch rival, Apple Music.
These increases are occurring in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and many other countries around the globe.
Get ready to pay more for Spotify
Spotify and Apple Music are locked in a fight to be the world’s most popular music streaming service, with Amazon Music trying to keep up. Their ad-free services are similar enough that the preference between the two often comes down to iPhone vs. Android or U.S. vs. Europe (Spotify is based in Sweden).
Price has also been part of the competition, but just got less important. Spotify’s ad-free services used cost less than its arch rival’s — not any more.
The Swedish streamer said in a new statement, “So that we can keep innovating, we are changing our Premium prices across a number of markets around the world. These updates will help us continue to deliver value to fans and artists on our platform.”
For U.S. subscribers, a Premium Single plan is now $10.99 per month, up $1. The Premium Duo monthly plan went to $14.99, up $2. Spotify’s student subscription is $5.99 per month, also up $1, and the Premium Family plan went up the same amount so it’s now $16.99.
For comparison, an individual monthly subscription to Apple Music is $10.99. A Family Plan is $16.99 per month, and a student plan is $5.99 per month. Its last price increase was in late 2022. But customers can lower these costs by bundling music streaming with other services with Apple One.
Dozens of other counties across Europe, the Americas and Asia are also seeing Spotify price increases. “Existing subscribers in these markets will receive an email explaining what this means for their account,” the company promised.
The boosted prices are already in effect for new subscribers. Current subscribers get a month to adjust.
Streaming music: Ads vs. no ads
Spotify has approximately 210 million premium subscribers around the world, while Apple Music is estimated to have about 108 million. But the Mac-maker has the most popular service in the United States with 33 million subscribers.
How Spotify’s price increase will affect these numbers is not yet known.
Still, Spotify is undoubtedly leading right now. And its advantage is even greater when one counts the 305 million additional subscribers to its free-with-ads service. Apple does not offer an equivalent ad-free plan.
iPhone apps for either music service can be downloaded from the App Store.
