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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Spotify introduced its U.S. Basic plan on June 21, 2024, with launch pricing starting at $10.99 per month for eligible subscribers. Basic is a paid, ad-free music plan without Premium’s included monthly audiobook listening time—not a new ad-supported tier. That $10.99 figure is historical, however: Spotify’s current public U.S. Premium Individual price is $12.99 per month, and Basic’s current price and availability should be checked in your account.
What Spotify Basic is—and what it is not
Spotify Basic is a paid plan intended for eligible Premium subscribers who want music benefits without the included monthly audiobook hours. At its June 2024 U.S. launch, Spotify said pricing started at $10.99 a month for eligible subscribers. The announcement compared that with Premium Individual at $11.99 at the time; that comparison does not establish today’s Basic price or savings. Spotify’s launch announcement
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Basic is not Spotify Free: Free is ad-supported, while Basic includes ad-free music. It is also not the same as Audiobooks Access, an audiobook-focused option Spotify introduced in the U.S. at $9.99 per month for 15 audiobook hours, with music remaining ad-supported. Spotify’s Audiobooks Access announcement
Basic compared with Premium Individual
| Feature | Basic | Premium Individual |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-free music | Yes, according to Spotify’s support page | Yes |
| Offline music | Yes | Yes |
| Play songs in any order | Yes | Yes |
| Audio quality | Spotify lists “high audio quality”; confirm any specific quality feature you rely on | Premium features are listed on Spotify’s current support page |
| Monthly audiobook listening time | Not included | Included; unused hours expire at month-end and do not roll over |
| Individual audiobook purchases | Available | Available |
| Current U.S. public price | Not stated as a general public price; check the offer in your account | $12.99/month on Spotify’s public U.S. page |
| Availability | Account-specific offer for previously existing Premium subscribers | Public sign-up, subject to Spotify’s terms |
Spotify lists Basic’s music benefits as ad-free listening, offline downloads, on-demand playback, high audio quality, and music listening while traveling abroad. It also cautions that some Premium features relating to non-music content may not be available on Basic. Do not assume that Basic includes every current Premium feature: Spotify’s Premium Individual page lists lossless audio, while the Basic page says only “high audio quality.” Check the descriptions shown for your account before changing plans. Spotify Basic support · Spotify Premium Individual support · Spotify’s U.S. Premium page
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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.
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The $12.99 figure is Spotify’s current public U.S. price for Premium Individual; the same page lists Student at $6.99, Duo at $18.99, and Family at $21.99 per month. Those public prices do not tell you what Basic will cost on your account.
Who can get Basic?
Spotify’s current U.S. support guidance describes Basic as an offer for previously existing Premium subscribers. If it is available to your account, it should appear among the plans on your account page. If it does not appear, Spotify says your account is not currently eligible; the support page provides no universal workaround. Availability is account-specific, not guaranteed simply because you are in the United States. Spotify Basic eligibility guidance
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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.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift code, you never have to worry about expiration dates or fees.
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- Premium Student: Spotify says Basic is not available for Student subscribers.
- Duo or Family: The plan manager controls the household subscription. Spotify separately documents Basic Duo and Basic Family options for eligible managers, so members should not assume they can change the plan independently.
- Partner or app-store billing: Your billing arrangement may affect the options shown. Use the plan-change screen as the source of truth for your account.
How to check the price and switch
Switching is different from canceling: Spotify’s documented route changes the plan rather than ending the paid subscription. Follow these steps while signed into the account that pays for the plan:
- Go to spotify.com/account.
- Under Manage your plan, select Change plan.
- If Basic is listed, select it and review the offer and confirmation details.
- Confirm only after checking the displayed monthly price, any taxes shown, the next billing date, applicable promotions or partner-billing terms, and which features change.
Spotify says a switch to Basic updates the subscription and charges the new price on the next billing date. Its support page lists credit or debit card, PayPal, and Google Play Billing as recurring payment methods for switching. If your billing is managed by a partner, check the options and terms presented for that arrangement. Spotify’s switching instructions
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What happens to audiobook access?
Basic removes the included monthly audiobook listening time; it does not necessarily remove all audiobook access. Spotify says Basic subscribers can still make one-time audiobook purchases. Premium’s included listening hours are a monthly allowance, and unused hours expire at the end of the month rather than carrying forward. Spotify also says Premium subscribers can buy Audiobooks+ add-ons for additional listening hours. Check availability and terms in your account before relying on an add-on. Spotify Basic audiobook guidance · Spotify Premium audiobook guidance
So “without audiobooks” is shorthand for losing the included monthly allowance, not a blanket ban on buying individual titles. If you listen to books often, compare the value of the hours you actually use with the cost of purchases or any available add-on.
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Is Basic worth switching to?
The answer depends on your account’s actual offer and what you use. Before changing plans, check these points:
- Mostly music, little or no audiobook listening: Basic may suit you if it appears in your account, preserves the music features you need, and its displayed price is lower than your current bill.
- Occasional audiobook listening: Work out whether buying the specific titles you want would offset the subscription difference.
- Frequent audiobook listening: Compare the included monthly allowance on Premium with the cost and availability of extra hours or individual purchases.
- Dependence on newer or non-music features: Verify each feature on Spotify’s plan screen; Basic is not guaranteed to match every Premium benefit.
- Student or household plan: Check your role and eligibility. A Student subscriber cannot get Basic under the current guidance, and Duo or Family members should involve the plan manager.
- Uncertain future plans: Consider the cancellation restriction below before moving to Basic.
For audiobook-focused listening, alternatives have different trade-offs. Spotify’s Audiobooks Access announcement described a U.S. offer with audiobook hours but ad-supported music. Library borrowing through Libby may avoid another subscription for people with a participating library card, though title availability depends on the library. A dedicated service such as Audible is centered on audiobooks rather than ad-free Spotify music; check its current terms and price directly.
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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 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.
Important: canceling Basic can close the door to resubscribing
Spotify says that after you cancel Basic, you cannot resubscribe to Basic in the future. At the end of the billing period, the account moves to Spotify Free. Do not cancel to try to reset the plan or assume you can return to Basic later. If your goal is to keep paid music service while dropping audiobook hours, use the plan-change option rather than canceling, and read the confirmation screen before proceeding. Spotify’s cancellation guidance
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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.
