Spotify is shaking up its subscription offerings with a new ‘Basic’ plan, but you might have to hunt for it. This latest tier, priced at $10.99 per month, essentially turns back the clock on Spotify’s recent price hike while removing the newly added audiobook perk.
Here’s the lowdown: Basic subscribers get all the benefits of Premium – ad-free music, offline listening, and on-demand playback – minus the 15 hours of monthly audiobook listening. It’s a clever move by Spotify, offering a slightly cheaper option for users who don’t care about audiobooks but balked at the recent price increase.
The catch? This new tier is playing hard to get. You won’t find it advertised on Spotify’s main subscription page. Instead, it’s only visible to “eligible” customers who are already subscribers. Desktop users and Android folks can see the Basic option when logged into their accounts, but iPhone users face an extra hurdle thanks to App Store policies. They’ll need to make the switch via a web browser.
Spotify’s not stopping at individual plans, either. A ‘Basic Family’ tier has also surfaced, priced at $16.99. It mirrors most Premium Family features, including Spotify Kids and parental controls, but caps accounts at the Basic level and nixes the audiobook hours.
This stealthy rollout isn’t limited to the US. Spotify confirmed that Basic plans are also available in the UK and Australia, with a Basic Duo option joining the lineup in those markets.
While Spotify’s being coy about these new tiers, they represent an interesting strategy. The company’s offering more granular pricing options without completely walking back its recent increases. It’s a balancing act between maintaining revenue growth and keeping price-sensitive subscribers on board.
As for the long-awaited HiFi tier? Spotify’s keeping mum, but recent leaks suggest it might arrive as a Premium add-on rather than a standalone service. For now, audiophiles will have to keep waiting and hoping.
