Posted 25 July 2023
Spotify Just Increased Their Subscriptions Prices And Amazon Music Unlimited Is Next: What Are The Alternatives?
Update 1
As of 19th Sept, the price of the Amazon Music Unlimited individual plan will increase from £8.99 to £9.99
Hello everybody,
I just came across the news, so I thought it could be good to have a chat about this:
Spotify has decided to increase the price of all of its Premium subscriptions in the UK but also in other countries, from yesterday - Monday July 24, 2023.
This news was announced in an official statement: "In order to continue to innovate, we are modifying our Premium prices in a number of markets around the world. These updates will help us continue to provide value to fans and artists on our platform".
This is probably not a shocker as loads of other streaming services are upping their prices (Apple and Deezer did the same thing in 2022) but obviously is an important thing to be aware, especially in terms of understanding if any other platform is providing a similar at a lower price.
The new price tiers are already reflected on Spotify's sign-up pages while existing subscribers will get a one-month grace period before the new pricing comes into effect.
These are the new rates - if you choose to subscribe to any of the available plans on-site:
The obvious tip would be to buy a family plan and then split the cost between the 6 people using the account and the increase is virtually not as "steep" as it is pretty much a pound per month, but if you feel like you need to find some alternatives as you are not particularly satisfied with Spotify service, you can either use some "tricks" to go around the price increase, or find for an alternative platform to subscribe to.
Another platform that JUST about changed its prices is Amazon Music Unlimited. As you know, you don't need a Prime Subscription to be able to get Music Unlimited and if you are not a Prime Member the price still stands at £10.99 for an Individual account.
Prime Members though will see a £1 increase in the Individual and Family Plans, while luckily the student plan's price will stay the same:
Individual Membership: From £8.99 to £9.99 per month / From £89 to £99 per year
Family Plan: From £16.99 to £17.99 per month / From £159 to £169 per year
The company began notifying customers of the pricing change on Wednesday, saying the following: “To help us bring you even more content and features, we’re updating the prices of select Amazon Music Unlimited plans,”
Considering that all other major players in the music streaming industry are applying changes and increasing prices for their offers, it seems only logical that Amazon pulled a similar move and went for it.
The new prices will go into effect immediately for new customers and after September 19 for existing customers, which means that if you signed up with a promotional offer, nothing will change for the remaining time of this promotion. Afterwards the original subscription price for your first full-price billing cycle will be honoured. As of the second full-price billing cycle. your subscription will be changed with the new increased prices.
What are the current alternatives to Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited that offer a similar service?
APPLE MUSIC
1 Month Free Trial
Individual Plans: £10.99
Student Plan: £5.99 with Free Access To Apple TV
DEEZER
1 Month Free Trial
Premium Plan: £11.99
Student Plan: £5.99
YOUTUBE MUSIC PREMIUM
1 Month Free Trial
Individual Plan: £9.99
Family Plan (up to 5 accounts): £14.99
Students Plan: £4.99
As you all know, there are always ways to get the subscription in a cheaper way using VPN tricks - so if you want to give it a try this could be a good article to read to make sure you know all the correct steps:
cybernews.com/how…er/
The full list of countries getting a Spotify Premium price increase includes:
Andorra, Albania, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Croatia, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Thailand, Türkiye, United States and Kosovo.
At the moment, the Amazon Unlimited price increase has been confirmed for UK and US customers.
If any other country will be involved, I'll report when the news comes out.
In the meantime some helpful links:
I just came across the news, so I thought it could be good to have a chat about this:
Spotify has decided to increase the price of all of its Premium subscriptions in the UK but also in other countries, from yesterday - Monday July 24, 2023.
This news was announced in an official statement: "In order to continue to innovate, we are modifying our Premium prices in a number of markets around the world. These updates will help us continue to provide value to fans and artists on our platform".
This is probably not a shocker as loads of other streaming services are upping their prices (Apple and Deezer did the same thing in 2022) but obviously is an important thing to be aware, especially in terms of understanding if any other platform is providing a similar at a lower price.
The new price tiers are already reflected on Spotify's sign-up pages while existing subscribers will get a one-month grace period before the new pricing comes into effect.
These are the new rates - if you choose to subscribe to any of the available plans on-site:
- Individual: £10.99 per month
- Duo: £14.99 per month (2 accounts)
- Family: £17.99 per month (up to 6 accounts)
- Students (remained the same in terms of price): £5.99 per month
The obvious tip would be to buy a family plan and then split the cost between the 6 people using the account and the increase is virtually not as "steep" as it is pretty much a pound per month, but if you feel like you need to find some alternatives as you are not particularly satisfied with Spotify service, you can either use some "tricks" to go around the price increase, or find for an alternative platform to subscribe to.
Another platform that JUST about changed its prices is Amazon Music Unlimited. As you know, you don't need a Prime Subscription to be able to get Music Unlimited and if you are not a Prime Member the price still stands at £10.99 for an Individual account.
Prime Members though will see a £1 increase in the Individual and Family Plans, while luckily the student plan's price will stay the same:
Individual Membership: From £8.99 to £9.99 per month / From £89 to £99 per year
Family Plan: From £16.99 to £17.99 per month / From £159 to £169 per year
The company began notifying customers of the pricing change on Wednesday, saying the following: “To help us bring you even more content and features, we’re updating the prices of select Amazon Music Unlimited plans,”
Considering that all other major players in the music streaming industry are applying changes and increasing prices for their offers, it seems only logical that Amazon pulled a similar move and went for it.
The new prices will go into effect immediately for new customers and after September 19 for existing customers, which means that if you signed up with a promotional offer, nothing will change for the remaining time of this promotion. Afterwards the original subscription price for your first full-price billing cycle will be honoured. As of the second full-price billing cycle. your subscription will be changed with the new increased prices.
What are the current alternatives to Spotify and Amazon Music Unlimited that offer a similar service?
APPLE MUSIC
1 Month Free Trial
Individual Plans: £10.99
Student Plan: £5.99 with Free Access To Apple TV
DEEZER
1 Month Free Trial
Premium Plan: £11.99
Student Plan: £5.99
YOUTUBE MUSIC PREMIUM
1 Month Free Trial
Individual Plan: £9.99
Family Plan (up to 5 accounts): £14.99
Students Plan: £4.99
As you all know, there are always ways to get the subscription in a cheaper way using VPN tricks - so if you want to give it a try this could be a good article to read to make sure you know all the correct steps:
cybernews.com/how…er/
The full list of countries getting a Spotify Premium price increase includes:
Andorra, Albania, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Croatia, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Serbia, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Thailand, Türkiye, United States and Kosovo.
At the moment, the Amazon Unlimited price increase has been confirmed for UK and US customers.
If any other country will be involved, I'll report when the news comes out.
In the meantime some helpful links:
- If you want to know more, I wrote a little guide about music streaming services - you can find it HERE
- All About Spotify Supremium Plan - HERE (Thanks )
Community Updates
466 Comments
sorted byIt is about time one of the offered a pay as you go service at 2 or 3p per track. I have a spotify 2 year contact that I got for $10 but it ends in December.
In all that time I doubt I have listened to more than 250-300 tracks, if that. (edited)
The end game of this is Spotify etc raising their fees in poorer countries, to combat VPN usage. Which means local poor people will be deprived of the service.
Not cool man.
When Spotify was launched it was a gamechanger (edited)
I shouldn't imagine they get much from a poster that says they listen to 3000 tracks a month.
Now, when you work out how much gets paid out for each track listen to then you could get a pay as you go service when I can listen to my 250 tracks a year & you guys can get double your money.
Now, you say I might be moaning about the cost, I am, but it doesn't mean things would work out worse for the artists.
Better with additional revenue with payg than no secondary source at all.
If not payg by track then payg by hours. (edited)
More than happy to pay that (plus inflationary increases) for life for music.
Oh, and if you use free Spotify with ads (or, God forbid, YouTube...) as your source of music within earshot of other people, they're definitely judging you. Just saying... (edited)
I have about 300 CDs and think that's too many
https://spotube.netlify.app/
Still seems a good deal to me as I use both services a lot. YT Music has a big library and the audio quality has always sounded better to me than when I had Spotify. The mobile app is fine on Android and I just use the desktop extension when on my PC.
You can upload your own music as well and listen to it across devices.
fildo.net/android/en/ (edited)
Does anyone else notice this?
OK they have a good app, but how are they getting away with such low quality in this day and age
If its ok for the likes of megacorps like Google, Amazon, Spotify to move their money around the world to fiddle taxes/costs, then its only fair I copy their pious example
We are going back where we was. Download the contents for free if this trend continues. Or sit next to the radio and record the song as we have done in the beginning. Shame but I only see darkness in the future because of the profit hungry companies. And I have not even mentioned that on top of these prices obviously they track you and use or sell our data for free making even more profit. Nice isn't it?
for the price of what used to be 1 CD or even a single, per month.
and some people are complaining. all the pleasure people get from unlimited access to music without ads.
£12 a month is too much for that? it's better value than Netflix... stop being cheap. Jesus H Christ. music has value. (edited)
When I signed up to Apple Music, I was playing music very rarely TBH. I doubt even an hour a week. For others they might play music all day long. Years back I'd buy and play CDs. I'd listen to music a lot back then.
The BBC has an article suggesting that for an £8 cover price the artist got £1. Spotify requires a stream to be played 314 times for an artist to receive $1 (2022). Its difficult to compare streaming with media sales. Spotify has brilliant (and I'm guessing global) distribution which could equal wider exposure and more overall plays. Copying a digital file costs pretty much nothing. Pressing a vinyl costs something.
Listening habits have changed. I'd only ever buy a CD of an artist I suspected I'd play lots. Whereas with streaming I might dip my toes in and try something out that I would never buy. I rarely play the same music twice anymore mainly because there is such a glut. I'll pick up the odd CD, but don't really care for collecting anymore, whereas in the past I would buy two CDs a week. So yeah comparatively streaming services are a bargain. I probably did get value out of physical media back in the day. Now my pile of CDs and boxes of vinyl sit about a metre away from me and barely any of it gets touched and my partner wants me to dump the lot as it takes up space! I'm pretty sick of most of my record collection and don't care for it.
In the past some bands repackaged great tunes and had exposure where the originals didn't. And those same super bands I bet are still raking it in on the streaming services. Heck they might even create more revenue now than back in the day. When some poor sap probably got paid nothing for the original recording. Such a twisted and difficult thing to measure art, its appreciation and worth.
Pretty crazy industry. Radio pays better for artists and that's based on listening figures. Quite how this is calculated is beyond me.
Anyway sorry for going off-piste, forgot what my point was. (edited)
I still buy a lot vinyl, and just one LP is more than the Spotify family plan I have.
And the bottom line is, the artists making the music need to be compensated for doing it, otherwise all we will have in the future is generic AI generated dross.
amazon.co.uk/Spo…OCP
I don't know if it's just not been updated, or how many years you can stack if it is still fine.
Have Revanced on a spare android and the interface is clunky at best