Rumor has it Spotify is planning to raise prices next year, and considering the service already costs $11.99 per month, that's not news anyone wants to hear. However, in the spirit of today's Cyber Monday deals, I've found a workaround that could help you save a bit of cash before that happens.
While it's more convenient to subscribe to Spotify Premium through the app, a savvy way is to pick up a gift card and add it to your account. These gift cards will give you the same level of access, but at a discounted rate. You can currently pick up an annual Spotify Premium subscription for $99 at Best Buy.
Picking up a gift card is a cost effective way to beat the price hike, but if you've never signed up to Spotify before, things get even better.
4 months free for new subscribers
Spotify is currently running an offer that lets new subscribers grab four months access for free. All you need to do is follow this link to find the offer, which runs through until December 31.
Of course, if you've had an active Spotify Premium subscription in the past, you won't be eligible. But if some unscrupulous individual were to recommend that you create a new email address, you could more than likely try signing up for the introductory offer without issue. If that were combined with the above $99 gift card — well, it would certainly save some money over the long run.
In fact, according to my math, combining the two would net you 16 months of Spotify Premium for $99, or $6.19 per month. Which would be effectively half what you'd pay for a full subscription over the same timescale — and that's before any price hikes take place.
Is a price hike likely to happen?
Yes, almost certainly. Streaming services will continue to keep rising prices and it's just a question of when and by how much.
According to The Financial Times, "three people close to the matter" say Spotify is preparing to raise its prices in the first quarter of 2026, following those in other territories. If it does, that will make it one of the most expensive music streaming services on the market.
Apparently, we're looking at a $1 per month price rise, taking the final price up to $12.99 per month. That's more than Apple Music ($10.99), Tidal ($10.99), and the same price as Qobuz ($12.99).
This is still very much in the rumor camp — there's been no official word from Spotify itself — but I wouldn't bet against it happening.
There's still the free option, which now provides more than ever, thanks to a recent update that lets you choose the music you listen to, but I can see how this price hike might make users consider switching to one of the other best music streaming services.
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