Is Spotify Premium Worth the Cost?

by AJ Pettersen · 21 comments


Music is a universal language, and I enjoy listening to almost any genre. Whether it’s on my iPod, my phone, or my computer, I always have music on hand.

In the past, I used iTunes to find the best new music available. With new songs frequently costing $1.29 each, however, I had to find a better way. I turned to Spotify and have been extremely happy with the decision. Though I started off with the free version of Spotify, I recently decided to upgrade to Spotify Premium. Here’s why I think it’s worth it.

The Benefits of Spotify Premium

If you purchase music each month, Spotify is an excellent service. When I signed up for Spotify Premium, I got the first month for free. After my first month is over, I’ll have to pay $9.99 per month.

The biggest difference between their free service and the premium option is that you can listen to your playlists offline. This means you can have any song you want without an internet or data connection. The offline mode also allows multiple users. Once playlists are downloaded onto a device, one user can use the offline mode at the same time as someone logged on to another device. Furthermore, the free service is only available for computers, while the premium service can be used on any device.

is spotify worth itWhy It’s Worth It

I’m always looking for ways to save money. Since my wife and I enjoy listening to music often, we used to spend a good amount of money on CDs and mp3 downloads. While these run between $.99 and $1.29, Spotify has a one time monthly fee of $9.99. This means if I purchase between 7 and 10 new songs a month, Spotify’s paid for itself. We typically purchased between 15 and 20 songs per month online, which means Spotify could save us anywhere from $112 to $190 per year.

The great thing about Spotify is the ease of use on any device and the fact that the songs are available at any time. I can download a song onto my phone then change to offline mode, so my wife can do the same on one of her devices.

Is Spotify Premium for You?

Spotify Premium fits my situation, because my wife and I love and enjoy all kinds of music. The service allows us to get any music at any time, for a low monthly fee. This will save us a lot of money throughout the year.

If you’re a true music lover, you should consider Spotify Premium. It can save you money and expand your musical selection. If you’re only a casual listener, the free version of Spotify should suit you just fine.

Have you tried Spotify Premium? Did you think it was worth it? 

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{ read the comments below or add one }

  • gary reiswig says:

    I already subscribe to Pandora, about $60/year and have just initiated 30 day trial. $9.99 ? Maybe for us elderly we could get the student discount and it really could help us with limited (retirement) incomes. I’m also trying out Amazons $7.99 music deal.

  • Jake moore says:

    Spotify’s free version is available on all devices but is extremely limited on mobile phones compared to tablets/pcs’

  • Michael Bryner says:

    Owning music is better than any subscription ever plus with subscriptions if you do not have unlimited data on smartphone then you are paying extra for that too, which I think people are stupid to even do this at all. I would rather own my music and use it on any device and not lose it like you do if you drop the subscription. Your music is held ransom by the subscriptions. I will stick with my own mp3 music and fill my micro sd card up and love my unlimited no charging listening while you guys have all the hassle when trying to cancel your subscription and lose all you music you collected through it. Good luck.

    • Angela says:

      If you cancel your subsrciption, it doesn’t get rid of your music. All it does is it won’t let you listen to it offline.

    • gary reiswig says:

      You have a good point. Spotify seems a little contrary connecting on my Yamaha rx-v679 receiver, But Pandora just select it on the net tuner and instant music! I like that you don’t have to go to the computer to turn on music which is what I have to do when ever I select Spotify on the Net tuner. There may be a way to do it but I’m still in the discovery mode with Spotify and have only 25 more days to figure it out.

    • Dat Boi says:

      You do not need to for data if you subscribe, as it clearly states in the article, you can listen to your songs offline.

  • Sweet Music Man says:

    Me personally, I’m happy with the free Spotify service. I don’t listen to the new stuff that’s out now. I’m more of a 70’s, 80’s country music kinda guy due to my age. So am I picky about quality sound or even the commercials…NAH! If I’m able to hear the entire song from beginning to end (no matter the sound quality) and make my own “playlist” of the songs that “I” pick, I’m a happy man! And when the commercial comes on after a few songs….BATHROOM BREAK!!!

    So I give Spotify 5 stars and two big thumbs up!!! Thank you Spotify!!

    Sweet Music Man

  • Tashia's Smith says:

    You are double charging me every month and I can’t talk to no body please stop taking my money out my account

  • Dan Shaller says:

    I have canceled SPOTIFY VIA EMAIL TWO (2)
    Months ago and still can’t get my money back.
    I have tried emailing and calling without success.
    GETTING VERY ANNOYED WITH SPOTIFY

  • free@spotify.com says:

    At the end of the year, you would have spend $120. What do you have to show after a year and spending that money?

    I prefer the free version, including Pandora, get exposed to different music, buy the ones that I just simply love listening to over and over again. I don’t spend that much on music. Sometimes, I just enjoy going back to regular radio while driving or listening to podcast. But I listen to streaming music at work. I don’t feel $10 is worth it.

  • Jpandes says:

    Spotify premium also offers better sound quality than the free version. They also just released an EQ feature…huge!

    Money sang tip: sign-up using an .edu email account and it only costs $4.99 month.

  • Jim Shelley says:

    Spotify is certainly a good idea and, although the free service doesn’t offer very good sound quality, the premium plan gives one (supposedly) 320 kps quality mp3 sound, and it is noticeably clearer and more dynamic than the free service. I have to admit that I’ve listened to more music since trying out Spotify. Whether or not I’ll keep using it, however…I’m not sure.

    On the negative side, online stores such as iTunes and CDBaby make sure their artists are compensated fairly, while Spotify pays those same artists next to nothing. But people want their music free, or at least very cheap, and so Spotify will likely continue to flourish and will continue to make its founders wealthy at the expense of the artists they depend upon for product. But, other than the artists, who cares, right?

    What a wacky world, eh?

  • Sproketzz says:

    I do enjoy Spotify premium. Sound quality is good and it’s easy to discover new music you would not have listened to otherwise. And it’s good for finding old stuff.

    But I do feel bad about how little the musicians actually are paid. I am sure Spotify execs are driving expensive cars while musicians are making pennies literally.

    Sure, bands can make their money on tours but it feels wrong that the people at Spotify don’t make any music but can make enough money to earn a living while the people who made the products they are serving up can’t buy a box of mac & cheese with their cut.

    Not quiting Spotify, just sayin’.

  • Mimi says:

    I am withdrawing from Hulu Prime since I rarely use it – and will enroll in Spotify Prime — I’ve already withdrawn from another service that I don’t value as much as I value Spotify

  • Bert says:

    There are countless sites that stream music, many with free apps for mobile devices. I am surprised any one pays for this, unless you simply refuse to enjoy the searches and stumbles* while exploring different genres. Spotify is great for locating a certain desired song, but that, also, is search able. *StumbleUpon.com.

  • MikeRAHfone says:

    Was a Premium subscriber for many months until family income got reduced. I’d plug my iPhone into the car- turn on the Spotify app and drive happily all over the country. Now things are 2x better financially & can once again afford to subscribe again. However I chose sat radio because I missed the news and sports broadcasts.

  • Property Marbella says:

    Spotify is worth every dollar. You can download the best and latest music, and you can put it in your smartphone and carry them out in the gym or on the headphones on the jogging track. etc.

  • AWaB says:

    I used one of the older music networks (I’m failing to recall its name right now). It was similar to spotify premium. I downloaded tons of music from it but I finally got tired of paying and quit. When you have no music for all of the $, it really makes me think twice about getting into another monthly plan. If you break down what you would pay to buy individual songs from Amazon, you’d come out a lot better than going with a service you know you won’t have forever.

    Now I just download the albums I really want and use Jango.com for streaming music that I don’t pick. iHeartradio is another good one if you actually want to listen to actual radio stations.

  • Jonathan says:

    I love spotify and I agree that the premium version is an excellent product, although to be fair, if you already have an extensive music collection on your iPod you probably don’t need the premium version if you can download your favourite msuic on iTunes

  • Educators Credit Union says:

    Wow, the premium version definitely sounds like its worth it! Thanks for sharing.

  • Jim says:

    Spotify Premium. Been a member for about 12 months. Love it. Worth every penny.

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