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What Spotify’s US Premium plans cost now
Spotify’s January 15, 2026 announcement said it was updating Premium prices in the United States, Estonia and Latvia. Spotify’s US Premium page currently lists these recurring monthly rates; eligibility, benefits and trial offers vary by plan.
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| Plan | Current listed US price | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $12.99 per month | One account |
| Student | $6.99 per month | Requires student eligibility |
| Duo | $18.99 per month | Plan eligibility and account terms apply |
| Family | $21.99 per month | Plan eligibility and account terms apply |
These are the currently listed recurring rates, not necessarily the amount every new subscriber pays immediately if an offer applies. See Spotify’s US Premium page for current plan terms and its January 15, 2026 announcement.
Where the subscription money goes
Spotify collects the subscription fee
Subscribers pay Spotify for Premium. Spotify Head of Music Charlie Hellman has said the company pays roughly two-thirds of music revenue to the music industry and retains the other third to reinvest in its service. This is Spotify’s broad description of its allocation; it is not an audited accounting of the 2026 price increase.
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- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- New finds, old favorites, one card. Choose a unique gift card design featuring your favorite games or apps. This card can also be used for anything else on Google Play. There’s something for everyone, so find what’s yours. Go Play.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift code, you never have to worry about expiration dates or fees.
Rightsholders receive royalties from Spotify
Spotify says royalties go to the selected rightsholders for recordings and compositions. Those rightsholders—such as labels, distributors and publishers—then pay artists and songwriters according to their individual agreements. Spotify does not generally pay every performer or writer directly. Its explanation is in the Spotify for Artists royalties guide.
Artists’ eventual share depends on streams and contracts
Spotify describes its royalty calculation as based on streamshare, not a fixed payment for each stream. A rightsholder’s share depends on factors including the listener’s country and subscription plan, overall listening volume and the rightsholder’s portion of eligible streams. An artist’s own earnings then depend on the terms of their deal: Spotify says traditional label agreements typically give labels the majority share, while some service or distribution arrangements allow artists to retain nearly all earnings after fees. Songwriting income follows publishing arrangements, which also vary.
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- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- New finds, old favorites, one card. Choose a unique gift card design featuring your favorite games or apps. This card can also be used for anything else on Google Play. There’s something for everyone, so find what’s yours. Go Play.
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So an individual artist is not automatically paid more simply because a Premium plan costs more. The path runs through the rightsholder’s royalty allocation and the artist’s or songwriter’s contract.
What Spotify’s payout figures do—and do not—show
Spotify reported that it paid more than $11 billion to the music industry in 2025, more than 10% above 2024, and said independent artists and labels accounted for half of all royalties. Spotify for Artists also reports that more than 71,000 artists generated at least $10,000 from Spotify alone in 2024, while independent artists and labels generated more than $5 billion from Spotify that year. These are company-reported figures about Spotify’s broader business, not measurements of the January 2026 US price change.
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Spotify has also said that, starting in 2024, tracks needed at least 1,000 streams in the previous 12 months to qualify for recorded-music royalties, and estimated that $40 million a year in small payments had not been reaching uploaders. That figure and policy are Spotify’s account of its eligibility change; publishing royalties are calculated separately. Neither establishes who benefited from the 2026 increase.
In its January 28, 2026 statement, Hellman wrote: “I’m proud to share that, last year alone, Spotify paid out more than $11 billion to the music industry, the largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history.” The figure describes total reported payouts, not the incremental amount generated or distributed because of the new US rates.
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- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
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What is known about who benefits from this increase?
- Spotify receives the higher subscription payments and says it retains roughly one-third of music revenue for reinvestment.
- Music rightsholders receive royalties under Spotify’s system, with allocations tied to streamshare.
- Artists and songwriters may receive a portion through their agreements with those rightsholders; the amount varies by contract and listening activity.
The available official material does not isolate the price increase’s effect on Spotify’s revenue or profit, or the additional royalties paid to rightsholders. Company-wide payout totals and Spotify’s broad revenue-allocation statement cannot establish that marginal split.
If you do not want to pay the new price
Spotify says it emails affected subscribers and provides a one-month grace period to cancel before the new price takes effect. Its support page answers questions about when a new charge starts and what to do if you do not want to pay it. You can also check whether another Spotify plan is suitable or use the free ad-supported service; confirm current eligibility, features and terms on the official price updates support page and Premium page.
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Best Value
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift cards can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- To redeem, peel or gently scratch label and enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift card, you never have to worry about expiration dates or fees.
- Endless games to explore: Find and play old and new favorites – from mind-bending puzzles to epic quests and more.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
