Image credit — PhoneArena
Spotify just announced a new subscription tier in the United States called “Basic,” providing an alternative for users who don’t utilize the platform’s audiobook feature. Priced at $10.99 per month, this plan offers all the core benefits of the standard Spotify Premium plan, such as ad-free listening, offline downloads, and unlimited skips, but without the 15 hours of monthly audiobook listening time included in Premium.This move comes after Spotify increased the price of its Premium plan to $11.99 per month. The price hike was attributed to the recent addition of audiobook support, a feature not all users were interested in. Thus, the new Basic plan caters to those who primarily use Spotify for music and podcasts, offering a more cost-effective option.
In addition to the individual Basic plan, it was spotted that Spotify also quietly introduced a Family version of the Basic plan for $16.99 per month. This gives families the opportunity to enjoy the same ad-free music experience at a lower cost. Existing Premium subscribers can easily downgrade to the Basic plan if they wish to save a dollar per month and don’t need the audiobooks feature.
Downgrading your plan gives you the option to go to the new “Basic” tier | Image credit — 9to5Google
It’s worth noting that while the Premium Duo and Premium Family plans, priced at $15.99 and $19.99 per month respectively, still include audiobook access. Couples or families who do not use this feature might consider switching to the Basic plan for potential savings. Audiobooks are still being offered separately as an add-on at $9.99 per month.
Additionally, these plans don’t appear to be available for new subscribers but only as a downgrade for existing ones. The blog post does not mention this, but it does say that it is being offered only to “eligible U.S. subscribers.” Currently, new subscribers only have the option to sign up for a premium plan on the Spotify website. It is unclear if the basic plan will be offered should you start a free trial, then try to downgrade or cancel while the trial is still active.
Plans currently available on the Spotify site as a new subscriber | Image credit — PhoneArena
With the introduction of the Basic plan, Spotify is now competitive with Apple Music’s individual plan and YouTube Music Premium, which also costs $10.99 per month. This new offering gives users more flexibility and choice when it comes to their music streaming subscriptions.