[2025 Update] A thorough comparison of the differences between the free and paid versions of Spotify! How to choose between the free and paid versions

As of 2025, Spotify has grown into one of the world's largest music streaming platforms with a huge user base. Unlike fully paid services like Apple Music, its growth is closely related to its strategy of offering a free service alongside a paid version. So, what are the differences between the free and paid versions of Spotify? What are the benefits of the paid version compared to the free version?

In this article, we'll explain the specific differences between the free and paid versions of Spotify in terms of sound quality, offline playback functionality, whether or not there are ads, playback functions, and more. Finally, we'll also introduce some tips and tricks to enjoy music without restrictions even with the Spotify free plan. Be sure to read until the end!

What are the free and paid versions of Spotify? A summary of the differences between them

Spotify is one of the world's largest music streaming services, boasting a vast library of over 100 million songs. With over 500 million monthly users, it is extremely popular. However, many people are unsure whether Spotify is truly free. In fact, Spotify has both a free and paid version. The free and paid versions of Spotify are the "Free Plan" which can be used for free, and the "Premium PlanBoth plans allow you to enjoy most of Spotify's music, but there are significant differences in usability and service content. We've created a comparison table to help you understand the differences between the free and paid versions of Spotify, so please refer to this table before proceeding further.

Sound quality

There are also differences in the offline playback features between the free and paid versions of Spotify. The free version of Spotify allows you to enjoy almost all of Spotify's music, but since it's only available online, you can't download your favorite Spotify music to your device for offline playback. On the other hand, the paid version of Spotify allows you to freely download songs you want to save and play them offline. This is the difference between the offline playback features of the two versions.

Advertisement availability

Spotify free and paid versionsWith or without adsThere are also differences. If you use the free version of Spotify, it does not include the ad-free feature, so ads are displayed frequently, which can be annoying for many users. If you want to enjoy music comfortably without ads, you will need to switch to the paid version of Spotify. If you subscribe to a paid Spotify plan, you can enjoy music in an environment completely free of ads. This is the difference between the two services in terms of whether they include ads or not.

Playback Function

There are differences in playback functions between the free and paid versions of Spotify. While you can listen to music with the free version of Spotify,Song forward/backward functionThere is a limit to the number of times you can play music, up to six times per hour. While this won't cause any problems in everyday use, it may have some impact on usability. In contrast, the paid version of Spotify allows you to skip forward and backward freely, so you can enjoy music without worrying about the number of times you can play it. This is the difference in the playback functions of the two services.

Spotify free or paid version, which one should you choose?

We've explained the differences between the free and paid versions of Spotify, and hopefully you now understand the differences between the two. Given these differences, some of you may be wondering, "Which one should I choose?" Next, we'll explain which users each version is best suited to, so that you can use this information to help you make your decision.

If you just want to try out Spotify, don't mind ads while you're listening to music, and don't care about sound quality, we recommend the free version of Spotify. The free version of Spotify is a great option for users who want to try it out, as it allows you to experience most of the music on Spotify without having to pay.

On the other hand, if you are bothered by frequent advertisements or want a certain level of sound quality, the paid version of Spotify is recommended. Not only does the paid version of Spotify eliminate advertisements, but you can also enjoy high-quality music at up to 320 kbps. Furthermore, if you want to listen to music offline, it is also a good idea to choose the paid version.

However, music downloaded from SpotifyDRM protectionBecause the music is protected, you cannot move or manage it freely, and it can only be played within the Spotify app. If you want to freely manage and move downloaded music, please use theStreamByte for MusicYou will need to use dedicated music download software such as "Spotify Music Converter" or "TuneFab Spotify Music Converter".

Tips for enjoying unlimited music with Spotify's free plan

From the explanation above, we can see that while Spotify's free plan allows you to enjoy music for free, it has some limitations compared to the paid version. So, is there a way for free users to download music without any restrictions and enjoy it whenever they want, just like the paid version?

So, you can enjoy music offline even with the free plan.Secret Tricks-- "StreamByte for Music" is introduced. With this software, even free plan users can download Spotify music with the same high quality as the paid version. The biggest advantage is that it achieves high speed processing and excellent sound quality. Furthermore,Removes DRM restrictionsYou can convert Spotify music to common formats like MP3 and WAV to save it while listening. This allows you to enjoy downloaded music on any device, including smartphones and PCs, without any restrictions. "StreamByte for Music" is free to use, so please give it a try.

Steps to download Spotify music with the free plan using "StreamByte for Music"

So, "StreamByte for MusicWe will show you how to easily download music from Spotify even with the free plan using ``Spotify Downloader.''

step 1Install "StreamByte for Music" on your computer and launch it.Log inThe main interface will then display all major music streaming services, including YouTube Music. Select Spotify.

Step 2After logging in with your account (you can also do this with a free Spotify membership), find the music you want to download,Add to conversion listClick the button.StreamByte for Music" supports bulk downloads, so you can add multiple songs at once.

Step 3You can adjust the output format, bitrate, etc. Select MP3 as the output format.

Step 4Once you've added all the music you want to save,"Convert All"Click the button. You can check the conversion progress on the screen, and the downloaded songs will be"Conversion complete"You can check it in the tab.

"StreamByte for MusicBy using this app, you can bypass the various restrictions of the free version of Spotify and download music in high quality just like the paid version.Up to 35xdownload speed andNo adsThe simple and easy-to-understand interface greatly improves the user experience.DRM RemovalIt has the functionality to help you manage your downloaded Spotify music freely, enriching your music life with high quality anytime and anywhere.

Fun fact: How do I go from free to paid on Spotify?

I'm using the free version of Spotify and want to upgrade to the paid version. What should I do? In fact, you can smoothly upgrade from the free version of Spotify to the paid version in just a few simple steps. The specific steps are as follows.

step 1First, open the Spotify app and log in to your account.Log inThen tap "Settings".

Step 2,and,"Upgrade to Premium"Select to enter the purchase screen."Change plan"You can change to any of the paid plans from here.

Step 3After selecting your payment method and entering all the information correctly,"buy now"Tap . This will complete the upgrade from free to paid Spotify.

Upgrading to the paid version of Spotify will give you a better experience than the free version. In addition to the added benefit of no ads, you can enjoy music in high-quality sound at 320kbps. However, even with the paid version, there are certain restrictions on music downloads. Specifically, you should be aware that downloaded music can only be played within the Spotify app, and there is also a limit on the storage period. If you want to save and enjoy music without any of these restrictions, you should use the "StreamByte for MusicWe recommend using music download software such as ".

Spotify Free and Paid Plan FAQs

Is the Spotify free plan always free? Can I download music for free?

Unlike fully paid services like Apple Music, Spotify relies on free users to make up a large portion of its customer base, which is a fundamental element of its business model. Therefore, as long as Spotify continues to operate, you can theoretically enjoy music forever with the free plan. So far, there has been no indication that the free plan will end, so please rest assured.

Unfortunately, if you use the free version of Spotify, you cannot download music, but you can download podcasts for free. Music download and offline playback features are only available with the paid version of Spotify. If you want to download music with the free version, please click "StreamByte for MusicYou will need to use dedicated music download software such as ".

What happens to the music I downloaded when my Spotify subscription ends?

If you cancel your Spotify subscription, you will no longer be able to play downloaded songs offline. This is because the downloaded data is DRM-encrypted and stored on your device as a "cache" that requires license authentication. Saved data cannot be moved or shared to other devices, and cannot be played on general-purpose players.

If you want to download Spotify music without DRM and keep it for a long time, please check the terms of use of each service andStreamByte for MusicPlease consider using music download software such as ".

How many paid plans does Spotify offer and how much do they cost?

As of 2025, Spotify's main pricing plans are annual plan, monthly plan, family plan, duo plan,Student Planof5 typesTo make it easier to compare, we have summarized the basic information and fees for each paid plan in the table below. Please take a look.

summary

In this article, firstSound quality, offline playback function, presence of ads, playback functionWe have briefly explained the specific differences between the free and paid versions of Spotify from these points of view. Furthermore, we have explained in detail the advantages of the paid version compared to the free version of Spotify. This shows that although it is possible to enjoy most music without any problems with the free version, there are still some restrictions. Finally, we will introduce a trick to avoid these restrictions and enjoy music offline even with the free plan - "StreamByte for Music" was introduced.

With this software, you can play Spotify even with the free version.Up to 320kbpsYou can download music in high quality, and enjoy the same sound quality as the paid version. In addition, it has a DRM removal function, so you can freely change the storage location of saved Spotify music.Converts to MP3 and other common formatsYes, you can. The software has an easy-to-use interface and no ads, so even beginners can easily download music from streaming music services like Spotify.

"StreamByte for Music"teethfree trialThis is possible, so if you want to download unlimited music with the free version of Spotify, feel free to download it and try it out!