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Spotify’s January 2026 price increase gives subscribers a reason to reassess Premium, but the company has not told listeners to switch. In the U.S., January coverage reported increases across Individual, Student, Duo, and Family plans; Spotify said affected subscribers would receive an email and have a month to cancel before the new price takes effect. Your options are to keep your plan, check eligibility for another plan, use Spotify Free, or cancel and compare other services against your needs.
How much is Spotify Premium now?
Spotify announced pricing changes on January 15, 2026, affecting subscribers in the U.S., Estonia, and Latvia. The following U.S. monthly prices were reported alongside the announcement by Android Central; Spotify’s official notice directs subscribers to local plan pages for current prices.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Google Play gift code | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Google Play gift code | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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$300 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $300.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Visa Virtual eGift Card | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Google Play Physical Gift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| U.S. plan | Reported previous monthly price | Reported new monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $11.99 | $12.99 |
| Student | $5.99 | $6.99 |
| Duo | $16.99 | $18.99 |
| Family | $19.99 | $21.99 |
These are reported U.S. monthly figures, not a global price list. Check Spotify’s local plan page and your billing details before making a decision: market, plan, and billing route can affect the amount you see. Spotify said subscribers in the affected markets would receive an explanatory email over the month following the announcement.
What can Spotify subscribers do?
Spotify’s price-update guidance describes three routes: move to an eligible paid plan, use the free ad-supported service, or cancel. The guidance says affected subscribers have a one-month grace period to cancel before the new price takes effect.
#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.
- Keep Premium: Stay on the plan if its features and convenience are worth the updated local price to you.
- Check other paid plans: Look at the eligibility and household requirements for available plans before changing. A lower headline price is useful only if the plan fits your situation.
- Use Spotify Free: Spotify lists its ad-supported service as an option for subscribers who want to stop paying but continue using Spotify.
- Cancel: Spotify says to cancel before your next billing date. Find that date on your account page and allow for the stated grace period rather than assuming the price change takes effect on the announcement date.
How do I cancel Spotify Premium?
- Open your Spotify account page and check the next billing date.
- Follow the account’s subscription or plan controls to cancel before that date. The available controls can depend on how you subscribed; if Spotify does not manage your billing, check the billing provider shown in your account.
- Review the confirmation and any end-of-plan date shown. Spotify’s price-update help page explains the grace period and cancellation timing.
Is Spotify still worth it after the price increase?
There is no universal yes or no: the answer depends on how often you listen, which plan you qualify for, and whether Spotify’s library, playlists, discovery, and device support matter enough to you at the updated price. Compare what you actually use with what another plan would cost locally, and account for the effort of moving an established library or playlist collection.
Spotify’s stated reason for occasional price updates is to reflect the value it delivers, continue offering its service, and support its ability to benefit artists. That is the company’s rationale, not an independent assessment of the increase. At Investor Day on May 21, 2026, co-CEOs Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström said, “We’ve raised prices multiple times with minimal churn because users see the value and stick around.” That is a company statement about its pricing history; it is not a published churn measurement for this January 2026 increase. The sources cited here do not establish a specific cancellation or churn figure for this increase.
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.
What are the best Spotify alternatives?
Apple Music, Tidal, and YouTube Music are names to compare, not a verified ranking of the best services. Current prices, plan details, and features vary by market and can change, so check each service’s local offer before switching. Compare the parts that determine whether a replacement will work for you:
- Total monthly cost: Check the current local price for a plan matching your household and eligibility, rather than comparing unlike tiers.
- Plan rules: Confirm student or household requirements and the number of people included.
- Listening experience: Compare audio and discovery features against the way you listen; do not assume that a feature or catalog is identical across services.
- Devices: Make sure the service works on the phones, speakers, cars, and other devices you use.
- Library and playlists: Consider how much work it will take to recreate playlists or rebuild a saved library, and whether that switching cost is worth the potential savings.
Only after checking those details can you tell whether another service is a better fit than a less expensive Spotify plan or Spotify Free.
Quick Recap
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.
Rank #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.
Rank #3
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- 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
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.
