Spotify has over 230 million Premium subscribers worldwide. Whether you're switching to Apple Music, cutting costs, or just not using it enough, here's how to cancel cleanly — and what to watch out for.
How to Cancel Spotify Premium
On the Web (Required Method)
You cannot cancel Spotify Premium through the mobile app. You must use a web browser:
- Go to spotify.com/account
- Log in to your account
- Scroll down to "Your plan"
- Click "Change plan"
- Select "Spotify Free" (or "Cancel Premium")
- Confirm cancellation
- You keep Premium access until your next billing date
If You Subscribed Through Apple
If you signed up via the App Store:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions on your iPhone
- Find Spotify
- Tap "Cancel Subscription"
If You Subscribed Through Google Play
- Open Google Play Store
- Tap Menu > Subscriptions
- Find Spotify and tap "Cancel"
Important Cancellation Details
- You keep Premium until the billing period ends: Canceling today doesn't immediately downgrade you
- Playlists are saved: Your playlists, saved songs, and listening history remain intact on the free tier
- Downloaded music is lost: Offline downloads only work with Premium. They'll be removed after downgrade
- Free tier limitations: Ads, no offline listening, shuffle-only on mobile (for most playlists), lower audio quality cap
How to Get a Better Deal Instead of Canceling
Spotify Discounts You Might Qualify For
- Student plan: $5.99/month (half price) with valid student email
- Family plan: $16.99/month for up to 6 accounts (as low as $2.83/person)
- Duo plan: $14.99/month for 2 accounts living at the same address
- Military discount: Available through certain military benefit programs
Negotiate a Retention Offer
Spotify sometimes offers discounts to keep you:
- Cancel your subscription (you keep access until the billing period ends)
- Wait for a "come back" email — Spotify frequently offers 3 months at $9.99 total or similar deals
- Check the Spotify app for promotional offers before resubscribing
Quick Checklist
- [ ] Go to spotify.com/account (not the app)
- [ ] Click "Change plan" > select Spotify Free
- [ ] Confirm cancellation
- [ ] Check if you subscribed through Apple or Google instead
- [ ] Download any playlists you want to keep (as screenshots or third-party tools)
- [ ] Consider Student, Family, or Duo plans as cheaper alternatives
- [ ] Watch for re-subscription deals after canceling
Bottom Line
Canceling Spotify Premium is straightforward but must be done through the website, not the app. Before canceling, check if a Student, Family, or Duo plan makes more financial sense. If you do cancel, watch for promotional comeback offers — Spotify aggressively discounts for returning subscribers.
Sources
- Spotify account management and subscription policies
