Recommended Free Tools
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Spotify Basic is a paid plan for certain existing Premium subscribers in the U.S. It keeps core music features—including ad-free listening, offline downloads, on-demand playback and high audio quality—but removes the monthly audiobook listening allowance included with eligible Premium plans.
Spotify introduced Basic in June 2024, so it is not a new 2026 launch. Its practical value now depends on whether Basic appears in your account, how much it saves, and whether anyone on your plan uses Spotify’s included audiobook hours.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Google Play gift code | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Google Play gift code | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
$300 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $300.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Visa Virtual eGift Card | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Google Play Physical Gift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
What Spotify Basic includes
Basic is not Spotify Free. For Basic Individual, Spotify lists:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Ad-free music
- Offline listening
- Playing songs in any order
- High audio quality
- Music listening while traveling abroad
Spotify warns that some Premium features related to non-music content may not be available on Basic. Therefore, Basic should be understood as a music-focused paid plan—not a guarantee that every Premium benefit remains unchanged.
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
Basic vs Premium
| Feature | Spotify Basic | Spotify Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free music | Yes | Yes |
| Offline music downloads | Yes | Yes |
| On-demand playback | Yes | Yes |
| High audio quality | Yes | Yes |
| Included monthly audiobook hours | No | 15 hours where included |
| One-time audiobook purchases | Available | Available |
| Eligibility | Limited to eligible existing subscribers | Generally available, subject to market rules |
The audiobook difference is narrower than “Basic removes audiobooks.” Basic removes the included monthly listening allowance; Spotify says Basic subscribers can still buy audiobooks individually.
When did Spotify launch Basic?
Spotify announced the U.S. Basic option on June 21, 2024, with availability reported around June 20–21. The company had introduced included audiobook listening for U.S. Premium subscribers in November 2023, initially offering 15 hours per month to Premium Individual subscribers and to managers of eligible Duo and Family plans.
That history matters because headlines describing Basic as a newly added plan are now dated. The current question is whether the option is available on your account and whether dropping audiobook access is worth the saving.
Spotify’s launch announcement and its audiobook announcement provide the original timelines.
What happens to audiobook access?
Eligible Premium plans include up to 15 hours each month from Spotify’s audiobook subscriber catalog. Basic includes none of those monthly hours.
Rank #2
- 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.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift code, 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.
- Unused audiobook time does not roll over.
- The allowance is calculated from the book’s normal runtime. Listening at 2× speed does not make a five-hour title consume only 2.5 hours of allowance.
- The included catalog can change because availability depends on Spotify and third-party rights holders.
- On Duo and Family, the included audiobook allowance generally belongs to the plan manager, not every member.
Spotify documents these limitations in its pages about audiobooks in Premium plans and the subscriber catalog.
Who can get Basic?
Basic is not an open sign-up option for every Spotify customer. Spotify says it is available only to certain previously existing Premium subscribers. Eligible users see it as an option in their account.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Account type | What to know |
|---|---|
| Premium Individual | May be eligible if Basic appears in the account. |
| Duo manager | May be able to change the shared plan to Basic Duo. |
| Duo member | Cannot independently convert the shared plan. |
| Family manager | May be able to change the shared plan to Basic Family. |
| Family member | Cannot independently convert the shared plan. |
| Premium Student | Not eligible for Basic, according to Spotify’s support documentation. |
Basic availability can also depend on country and billing arrangements. The cited rules concern Spotify’s U.S. service. If Basic is missing, do not cancel your current plan just to try to force the option to appear.
How to switch to Basic
If you pay Spotify directly and are eligible:
- Open your Spotify account page.
- Select Manage your plan.
- Select Change plan.
- Choose the available Basic plan and review the displayed price and features.
- Confirm the change.
Spotify says the new plan and price take effect on the next billing date. Duo and Family members carry over when an eligible manager changes to the equivalent Basic plan, but the household and same-address requirements still apply.
Do not cancel Basic if you might want it later
This is Basic’s most important catch: Spotify says that once you cancel Basic, you cannot resubscribe to Basic in the future. You keep the paid features until the next billing date; afterward, the account changes to Spotify Free.
Rank #3
- For all things Apple - products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more.
- Perfect for App Store purchases and subscriptions—get apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, and more.
- The perfect gift to say happy birthday, thank you, congratulations, and more.
- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
That is different from using Change plan. If Basic is available and you want to keep the option, switch through the plan-management page rather than canceling first.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What does Basic cost?
Spotify does not publish one universal current Basic price on its support page. Check the price shown in your own account before confirming the change.
Spotify’s current U.S. Premium page lists Premium Individual at $12.99 per month, Premium Duo at $18.99, Premium Family at $21.99, and Premium Student at $6.99. These are current public Premium prices, not a guarantee of what Basic will cost you.
For context, the June 2024 launch-era prices were Basic Individual $10.99, Basic Duo $16.99 and Basic Family $19.99, compared with Premium prices of $11.99, $17.99 and $20.99. Those figures are historical and should not be used as current pricing.
The relevant calculation is simple: compare the exact monthly saving displayed on your account with the value of the audiobook access you would lose.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Rank #4
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- 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.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Which Spotify plan should you choose?
Choose Basic if:
- You mainly use Spotify for music.
- You need ad-free, offline and on-demand music.
- No one on the plan uses the included audiobook hours.
- Basic appears in your account and the saving is meaningful to you.
- You are comfortable with the rule that canceling Basic prevents future Basic resubscription.
Keep Premium if:
- You regularly listen to audiobooks from Spotify’s subscriber catalog.
- You use much of the 15-hour monthly allowance.
- You are a Duo or Family manager whose household values the Premium plan.
- You rely on a non-music feature Spotify does not explicitly guarantee on Basic.
- You would otherwise buy audiobooks individually and spend more than the Premium difference.
For a music-only listener, Basic can be a sensible downgrade. For a frequent audiobook listener, a small monthly saving can disappear quickly through one-time purchases or an audiobook add-on.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Audiobook alternatives
- Premium: Includes 15 monthly hours from the subscriber catalog where applicable.
- Audiobooks+: A recurring add-on that supplies additional audiobook listening hours to an eligible Premium plan. Spotify says Basic subscribers are not eligible for this add-on.
- One-time purchases: Basic subscribers can purchase individual audiobooks.
- Audiobooks Access: A U.S.-only option offering 15 monthly audiobook hours while music remains ad-supported.
None of these options should be confused with unrestricted ownership of the included catalog. Time limits and catalog rights still apply. See Spotify’s pages for Audiobooks+ and Audiobooks Access.
Common problems and misunderstandings
Basic is not showing
Check whether you are an existing eligible Premium subscriber, whether you are a Duo or Family manager, and whether your market or billing route supports the offer. Student subscribers and shared-plan members are excluded under Spotify’s stated rules. If the option still does not appear, Spotify currently considers the account ineligible.
A Family member expects audiobook hours
The included audiobook allowance generally belongs to the plan manager. It is not automatically 15 hours for every person in the household.
A title appears included, but is not available
Spotify’s subscriber catalog is limited and can change. Seeing an audiobook in the app does not necessarily mean it is covered by the monthly allowance.
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.
Playlists disappear after switching
Changing plans does not delete your playlists, saved music or account settings. A cancellation still leaves the account associated with Spotify, but paid features end when the billing period does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new Spotify customer sign up for Basic?
Not necessarily. Spotify describes Basic as an option for previously existing eligible Premium subscribers. If it does not appear in your account, you generally cannot choose it as a new customer.
Can I buy audiobooks on Spotify Basic?
Yes. Basic removes the included monthly audiobook allowance, but Spotify says one-time audiobook purchases remain available.
Does faster playback save audiobook hours?
No. Spotify says usage is calculated from the title’s normal runtime, even when you listen at a faster speed.
Can Duo or Family members switch the shared plan themselves?
No. The plan manager controls the shared subscription. Members cannot independently convert Duo or Family to Basic.
Can I return to Basic after canceling it?
Spotify says no. After canceling Basic, you cannot resubscribe to Basic in the future.
Quick Recap
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.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
