Spotify is raising its price for the second time in a year, leaving some subscribers wondering if there’s a way to bypass the hike.
The good news is you can avoid it, just as long as you’re willing to pay more upfront. In the long run, however, this nifty trick could save you as much as £57 – and it’s completely above board, so there’s no chance of you getting in trouble with Spotify.
Here’s what you need to know about bypassing the Spotify price hike.
How much is Spotify?
Spotify is ramping up prices for all of its pay-monthly subscription tiers in May.
Consequently, a Premium plan will rise to £11.99 for individuals, from £10.99 previously.
The Spotify Premium Duo plan will rise to £16.99 for two listeners, from £14.99 previously; and £19.99 for families, or up to six listeners, from £17.99 previously.
Only students are off the hook as their subsidised plans will remain unchanged.
How to dodge the Spotify price hike
The main way to put off the Spotify price rise is to buy a Spotify premium gift card.
Currys is selling a 12-month gift card for £99 and a six-month gift card for £60.
You can stack these gift cards to get up to 18 months of Spotify in one swoop for £159, earning you a total saving of £57 compared with a monthly rolling subscription.
Or, if that’s too much, you could stick to 12-months for £99 and still pocket £45 compared with the regular price.
Before you take the plunge, though, bear in mind that these gift cards apply to only the individual tier and not the plans for students, families and duos.
Also, the gift card will only work in the country it was purchased in, so be sure not to buy one as a gift for someone living abroad.
How to redeem a Spotify gift card
To redeem a gift card log into spotify.com/redeem, enter the code from the back of the card, and click redeem.
The gift card should then start on your plan’s next payment date, or immediately if you’ve upgraded from a free account.
Speaking of which, you can also avoid the price rise by switching to the free version of Spotify.
Of course, you should only do this if you’re happy to sit through ads, and can stomach not being able to choose specific tracks, unlimited skips and downloads.
What’s behind the Spotify price rise?
Spotify is reportedly increasing the price of its Premium subscriptions to claw back the money it has splurged on audiobooks. In a shot across the bow to rival Amazon’s Audible service, Spotify started offering free audiobook listening time to paying customers last October.
Earlier this year, it also introduced video learning courses that cost between £11 and £240.
“We’re increasing the price of [subscriptions] so that we can continue to invest in and innovate our product offerings and features, and bring you the best experience,” Spotify said in an email to customers.
Spotify previously raised subscription prices in the UK by £1 extra a month last summer.
