Spotify raises the price of subscriptions in the UK for the first time
Spotify users will now pay £10.99 to listen to their favorite music and podcasts after the subscription service increased its prices for the first time in its 10-year history.
The streaming service increased its subscription fees by £1 per month, citing pressure from the recording industry. The company also claimed that the price increase would allow for continued growth in an “ever-expanding market.”
Spotify, which announced the changes today in a blog post, said it would notify customers of the changes via email.
The increase in subscription prices, which is understood to have been planned for months, will affect users in various countries around the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
The company has not yet disclosed when the price increase will take effect, but said users will be given a “one-month grace period” before the change “takes effect” unless they cancel during this time.
Spotify users will now pay £10.99 to listen to their favorite music and podcasts after the subscription service increased its prices for the first time in its 10-year history.
Spotify’s premium plan in the UK will now cost £10.99 per month, a £1 increase from the previous monthly fee.
Its duo subscription and family plans, which include six users, have also increased by £1 each, now costing users £14.99 and £17.99, respectively.
The only plan that seems to be unaffected by the increase is the student subscription, which has remained at £5.99 per month.
Rates in the US reflected a similar increase with the family plan now costing $17 per month instead of $16. The duo plan skyrocketed from $13 to $15 and the student subscription fee remained unchanged.
Those who don’t want to pay the new price can still enjoy Spotify services without a monthly subscription, however the free service is subject to ads.
“Since its launch in 2008, Spotify has innovated and invested to create the best audio experience for you and your favorite artists and creators,” the company stated in its announcement.
Spotify now has over 200 million premium subscribers and is the “world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service.”
The company said it has continually provided fans and creators with “new opportunities” to connect with the platform through tools like its new AI DJ and fan-favorite shared experiences like Blend.
“The market landscape has continued to evolve since we launched,” the statement added. “So that we can continue to innovate, we are changing our Premium prices in various markets around the world. These updates will help us continue to provide value to fans and artists on our platform.”
MailOnline has reached out to Spotify for comment.
