After announcing it is raising prices in regions including Europe, South Asia and Latin America, Spotify is reportedly about to increase prices again in the US.
The US is included in the latest Spotify price hike on its Premium services starting in early 2026, according to the Financial Times, which cited sources familiar with the music streaming company's dealings. For now, the least expensive Premium plans in the US start at $12, but the price hike would likely put it in line with the other regions, where the Premium plan costs about $14 a month.
Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Spotify also offers a Premium Family plan that covers six people in the same household for $20 and plans for students ($6 a month bundled with Hulu) and couples ($17 a month). Spotify also offers a Basic plan that doesn't include access to audiobooks for $11 a month. A representative for Spotify did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A steady increase
If the report is accurate, this would be the third price increase on Premium plans in the US since 2023. Before those hikes, Premium plans were $10, but Spotify raised its minimum price by $1 in 2023, then again in 2024.
Just this week, Spotify added the ability to seamlessly import playlists from other music services including Apple Music and Tidal.
Spotify has faced some controversy this year, including some music acts abandoning the platform and some customers canceling subscriptions over advertising for Homeland Security's ICE program. CNET has a guide for canceling your Spotify subscription.
Will customers balk and walk? Maybe not
If Spotify's price increases have caused customers to jump ship, it doesn't seem to be reflected in the service's subscription numbers. According to Statista, Spotify is still adding Premium subscribers worldwide, growing to 276 million in the second quarter of 2025 from 246 million the year before.Â
The company is the market leader among music streaming apps, with about 32%Â market share as of the end of 2024, according to Statista.
But even in its dominance, Spotify may have some concerns about customers' reactions to its pricing, and has been making its increases gradually.
"The 2023 price raise was arguably overdue, and Spotify waited too long in part because they tend to be really shy of bad press," said Wren Graves, managing editor of music publication Consequence. "Spotify is now incrementally getting back to a more realistic market price without trying to spook the market, like the Fed signaling rate cuts."
Graves said competitors, including Apple Music and Tidal, have been priced lower than Spotify and that the increase could prompt them to increase their rates as well. It could also benefit musicians, depending on labels.
"This could lead to more money in artists' pockets, though the labels will still have the biggest say in how the pie gets divided," Graves says.
Given Spotify's continued growth, it appears many are putting a premium, so to speak, on what Spotify offers and accepting the price increases in the US and other markets.
"Subscribers value access and convenience enough to absorb modest price hikes, proving the strength of the brand and the appeal of a premium, personalized experience," says Shoshana Winter, CEO of Converge Marketing.