How to save money on your Spotify account by switching to new premium subscription

Patrick Glover
·4-min read
You could save up to £24 a year by switching to the new 'Basic' Spotify subscription introduced recently. <i>(Image: PA)</i>
You could save up to £24 a year by switching to the new 'Basic' Spotify subscription introduced recently. (Image: PA)

Are you looking to save yourself some money on your Spotify account?

Well the music streaming platform has "discreetly" introduced a new, cheaper 'basic' plan which costs £1 to £2 less than other premium subscriptions, according to consumer watchdog Which?.

There is just one small catch.

You can still enjoy ad-free listening, downloads and podcasts on the new 'basic' plan, like with your current premium subscription, you just won't have access to audiobooks.

How to save money

How to save money on your Spotify account

By switching to the new 'basic' subscription you could save yourself up to £24 a year.

Current Spotify premium subscription costs in the UK are as follows:

  • Individual premium - £11.99 per month

  • Family - £19.99

  • Duo - £16.99

While the new basic plans cost:

  • Individual Basic - £10.99 per month (saves £12 a year)

  • Family Basic - £17.99 (saves £24 a year)

  • Duo Basic - £14.99 (saves £24 a year)

Student Plans remain at £5.99, and there is no Basic Student available currently.

How to change your Spotify plan

You can only switch to the new basic plan if you are a current premium subscriber.

To switch plans, according to Which?, all you have to do is:

  • Log into Spotify via a browser (not the app)

  • Go to Profile, then Account, Subscription and Available plans

  • Find Basic options, select your plan and click Update subscription

Your savings will then appear on your next bill. It's that simple.

Which? adds: "For Duo and Family subscribers, only the bill-payer can make these changes."

Other ways to save money on Spotify

If you are looking for more ways to further reduce your Spotify bill, here are six tips from Which? you can try:

1. Pay for a year upfront with a gift card

Which? explains: "You can get 12 months of an Individual membership via a digital gift card for £99 – a saving of £32.88 compared to the monthly subscription."

Gift cards can be bought at retailers including Amazon and Currys and redeemed within your Spotify account.

2. Make sure you're using a Student account if you're eligible

If you're a university student, you should be eligible for Spotify's Student account, which reduces the cost by around half. The first month is also free.

Which? adds: "You'll have to verify that you're a student at an 'accredited higher-education institution', according to Spotify's terms and conditions. You can check if you are via Gov.uk.

"Once verified, your Student account will last one year before you're asked to re-verify your student status.

"You'll be able to use the Student subscription for a maximum of four years in total, then you'll automatically be moved to an Individual subscription."

3. Use the plan that best suits your lifestyle

The consumer watchdog continues: "The different plans exist to get you the most bang for your buck – use them wisely."

You can select from various premium subscriptions including individual duo or family - so choose the one that best suits you. and you could save yourself some money.

For example if you and your partner are both on Individual subscriptions, switching to Duo can take your combined monthly cost from £23.98 to £16.99 – saving £6.99 a month and just under £84 a year.

It is worth noting however, both Duo and Family subscriptions require everyone on the plan to live at the same address.

The items you should collect to make the most money

4. Don't mind ads? Consider using Spotify Free

Which? said: "It might not have all the features of Premium, but Spotify Free is always an option if you're in a pinch."

With Spotify free you will, however, have to deal with things like:

  • Ads

  • Playlists are shuffled

  • You cannot listen to music offline

5. Make the most of free trials

You may be eligible for a free trial through Spotify, if you've never tried Premium before so be sure to keep an eye out for these promotions when they come up.

6. Check if it's a mobile or broadband contract perk

Some companies offer a free Spotify premium trial when you sign up for a new mobile phone or broadband plan.

So be sure to check.

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Other free music streaming services

While there is a free version of Spotify, there are a range of other music streaming services that don't cost anything, that you could switch to to help save money.

If you are looking for a different free music streaming service to switch to, Which? says to consider Amazon Music Free, Deezer Free, SoundCloud or YouTube Music.

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