Spotify Tests $0.99 Subscription Tier With Ads But Fewer Playback Limitations

Spotify is experimenting with a new ad-supported subscription tier that gives listeners more freedom over what they listen to compared to the existing free ad-based plan.

spotify plus plan
Called Spotify Plus, the tier costs $0.99 per month and lets users pick which songs they want to stream between ads, with unlimited skips and on-demand listening.

That's in contrast to Spotify's free ad-based tier, which limits users to skipping no more than six tracks every hour, and only lets them listen to tracks from 15 pre-selected playlists. If they don't want to listen to the playlists, they're limited to shuffling between tracks.

The streaming service confirmed to The Verge that it was piloting Spotify Plus with a limited number of users, but cautioned there was no guarantee that it would get a full rollout and that it "routinely conduct[s] tests to inform our decisions."

Spotify in February announced plans to introduce a new "HiFi premium" tier later this year, but despite some indications that it's been in testing, we've still to see the high-definition plan go live. Since then, Apple Music has launched Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ Lossless, two features that became available to subscribers in June for no additional fee.

Tag: Spotify

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

WSJ: Apple Weighing Price Hikes for iPhone 17 Lineup Without Blaming Tariffs

Monday May 12, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China. The...
tvOS 18 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Expected This Week With These New Features

Monday May 12, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5. Pride Wallpaper Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

20th Anniversary iPhone Will Be Mostly Glass With All-Screen Design

Monday May 12, 2025 2:52 am PDT by
Apple will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone X in 2027 by launching a mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said the all-screen device will arrive later in 2027, suggesting a fall release. The model will be preceded by Apple's first foldable iPhone, claims the reporter....
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

Report: Apple Preparing to Launch Mind-Control Support for iPhones

Tuesday May 13, 2025 6:18 am PDT by
Apple is planning to allow users to natively control iPhones, iPads, and other devices using brain signals later this year, The Wall Street Journal reports. The initiative involves a partnership with Synchron, a neurotechnology startup that produces an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) device called the Stentrode. The Stentrode enables users with severe motor impairments, such as...

Top Rated Comments

BvizioN Avatar
49 months ago
Ads don't bother me as much as not being able to choose what to listen to next. Sounds like a good idea to me.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigKahunaBurguer Avatar
49 months ago
I think this is a first step to remove the free tier.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darkcompass Avatar
49 months ago
"pick which songs they want to stream between ads"

Sounds like you're going to get more ads than music with that statement.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JippaLippa Avatar
49 months ago
I don't get using the free tier...it's quite a miserable experience.
I prefer the Apple Music approach, being one thing only at one price for it all.
It makes it feel more serious and premium, instead of splitting the offer into various tiers (from hi-fi to free) each vorse than the previous one...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
siddavis Avatar
49 months ago

It sounds like it would be a solid value for some people; however, I feel like the market might be small for this type of product. I know the cost difference from $.99 to $9.99 is small I feel like if someone is going to pay for music they would more likely just go all in. But maybe the .99 plan could tease people with just enough features to convert more previously free users to paid subscribers?
This is right in my wheelhouse. I don't listen to enough music to justify unlimited access to everything. I bounce around between Amazon Music (with Prime Sub), Pandora, and my own Apple Music library. This sounds like it would give me access to any song I want to hear that might be excluded from my library or Amazon Music basic.

Also, the cost difference from $.99 to $9.99 is 10x. $12/year vs $120/year is a big difference. Given my listening habits, I can handle the ads (I think!)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mungo2k Avatar
49 months ago
Will artists get the subscription rate per play (which is already low with Spotify Premium) or the even lower rate that the free tier pays per play?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)