A Spotify Premium Subscription gives you access to many additional features including the ability to listen to music offline and the HiFi feature. However, you can also use the service for free. You might find that a lot of people are confused when it comes to choosing between the two. So, here are some things to consider when you are trying to decide between the two.
Free vs premium
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services available. It offers users access to millions of songs. You can listen to these songs on your computer, mobile device, games consoles, or even through a TV set.
When you first sign up, you’re offered a free trial. After your trial, you can either continue to use the free service or opt for a paid subscription. If you decide to go for the Premium service, you’ll get more features and more content.
The free version of Spotify allows you to listen to songs, but you can’t download any of them. This is especially true if you want to listen offline. However, if you do choose to subscribe to the Premium service, you can save tracks to your device and listen to them whenever you like.
Another perks of the Premium service is that you can access the new releases of many artists. For example, the Premium version of Spotify is available for a two-week period when the artist releases a new album.
The Premium version of Spotify is also a great way to support your favorite artists. The company will even pay you a small amount of money for each stream you make.
Whether you’re using the Free or Premium version of Spotify, you can also enjoy a number of social features. These include the ability to create and share playlists, as well as collaborate with friends.
Ad-free listening
For people who don’t want to be bothered with ads on their music service, Spotify offers a Premium subscription. It costs $9.99 a month, but you get an ad-free listening experience and access to a larger catalog.
With Premium, you can also download music and podcasts to listen to offline. That means you won’t have to upload local files to the desktop app if you want to listen to music from a different location.
One of the perks of the Premium subscription is the ability to skip songs at will. You can skip up to six songs per hour. When you’re listening to music on mobile, you can skip up to 12 songs at once. Whether you’re on a long flight or at a concert, it’s nice to be able to take a break and enjoy your music.
Spotify Free, on the other hand, has ads interrupting playback. Some listeners complain about ads popping up every two or four songs. While that’s not a huge issue for non-paying users, it can be a big problem for those who expect ads.
Premium also gives you access to more devices. The Spotify app supports over 40 speaker models. If you’re using a Mac, PC, Android, or iOS device, you’ll also be able to listen to your favorite Spotify tracks.
Whether you choose a Premium subscription or not, you should test out some of the ad-free features. For example, you can view the activity of friends who are listening to music. You can also make your playlists private and disable active listening feed.
Offline listening
Spotify is a music service that offers a paid subscription with lots of features. You can download podcasts and music to listen to offline. If you aren’t sure if you want to shell out the cash, you can try the free ad-supported tier.
Offline listening is one of the more popular features. Spotify allows you to keep your favorite songs, albums, and playlists stored and listened to offline. The best part is that you can listen to these songs while traveling without sacrificing internet connection. It’s especially useful for people who travel a lot.
If you’re a Premium subscriber, you’ll find the offline listening feature in the desktop version. While the desktop version isn’t a whole lot different from the mobile app, it has a few features that aren’t available on the smartphone or tablet.
One of the more notable features is the Spotify mobile app’s ability to stream podcasts. This is not something you’d expect from a music streaming app, but it’s a great way to get the latest podcasts while you’re on the go.
Offline listening with Spotify is also a great way to avoid having to pay for data when you’re not at home. However, it’s worth noting that you can rack up several hundred dollars in phone charges while using the app.
With Premium, you’ll be able to download up to 10,000 songs for offline listening. In addition, you’ll be able to download unlimited podcasts, and get access to higher-quality audio.
HiFi feature
Spotify recently revealed a new feature for Premium subscribers – the HiFi tier. This will offer CD quality, lossless audio streaming. It will also work with Spotify Connect-enabled speakers.
There is no word on pricing or when the HiFi tier will go live, but it is expected to be an add-on for Premium subscribers. Those interested in the service will be able to sign up for a trial or upgrade their account.
The feature is slated to launch in select markets later this year. According to Spotify, users will see the new feature in the Spotify app’s list of playlists, where albums will be showcased. They will be able to toggle the HiFi feature by tapping on the icon at the bottom of the screen.
Users can expect to see a slide-out menu, which will show their device’s compatibility with the streaming mode. The audio will be in Ogg Vorbis, a lossless format that delivers high quality sound without a heavy bandwidth requirement.
Spotify executives told analysts that they had not determined the pricing of the HiFi tier yet. However, they said they expected the service to be available by the end of 2021.
Unlike Tidal and Apple Music, Spotify does not currently offer a lossless audio setting. However, they do say all of their catalogue is already available in lossless.
At the StreamOn event, Spotify executives did not have much to share about the HiFi tier. In fact, they hinted that licensing issues were a big part of the delay.
Family Mix
Spotify has launched a new Premium Family Plan. It allows up to six members of the family to share a single subscription. The plan includes a personalised playlist and parental controls.
The Premium Family Plan offers the same benefits of the Premium plan but comes with a discount of US$2 per member. It allows you to create playlists and download songs for offline listening.
You also get access to the Spotify Kids app. This is available to Premium Family subscribers only. Designed for young listeners, this app provides sing-alongs and kid-friendly playlists. Parents can control what kids listen to through the family hub.
Unlike other plans, you don’t need to share your password with your family. Each account holder has a unique username and password.
The Family Mix playlist is similar to the Duo playlist, but the former is created based on the tastes of the whole family. In addition, it is constantly updated and features a variety of recommended tracks.
Another feature of the Family Plan is the explicit content filter. With this, you can prevent children from seeing or hearing explicit content. However, children won’t be able to change the filter without parent permission.
Lastly, there’s the Blend feature. Inspired by the Duo and Family Mix, this is a collaborative playlist for up to ten people. It allows you to combine musical tastes into a single playlist and compare what each member likes.
Kids plan
If you’re a Spotify Premium Family subscriber, you’ll receive a free trial of the Spotify Kids app. This is a new application that offers a curated selection of kid-friendly content. It is designed for kids between three and ten years old, and is available for download on iOS and Android.
The app lets parents curate content for their children. They can customize the styles of songs and artwork, as well as set an avatar for their child. Various children’s companies and experts work with Spotify to bring you this new and innovative way to experience music.
Parents can also filter explicit content, block certain songs, or even restrict access to specific types of audio. However, this functionality is not as extensive as other services. Moreover, there is a limit to how many family members can share a plan.
For this reason, the family plan is a better choice for families with young kids. Each member of the family will have their own account, enabling them to listen to different playlists.
Using the family plan also allows you to control your child’s purchases and browsing. You can monitor how much they spend and restrict them from making purchases.
As a family, you can create a list of your favorite artists and songs. You can then share this list with your children. Additionally, you can have a fun conversation about how the musicians’ images and clothing are marketed.
