- Spotify is currently testing a new ad-supported tier that gives users more control of the service.
- Dubbed Spotify Plus, it includes a few Premium features but costs just $0.99 per month.
- There’s no word that it’ll roll out as an official plan.
Spotify is trialing a new ad-supported tier that lumps in select Premium benefits at a much lower price.
First spotted by The Verge, Spotify Plus costs $0.99 per month, a fraction of the cost of the Premium plan. With that lower price, users also get the core features of Premium like unlimited track skips per hour (as opposed to six on the free tier) and the ability to play any track they so desire.
It’s yet unclear if Plus packs further Plus-exclusive benefits, like higher bit-rate playback or song downloads for offline playback. Nevertheless, at its price, Plus seems an excellent way to enjoy Spotify without forking out ten times more cash per month.
There is one big caveat, though. A core reason why Plus is so cheap is its reliance on advertising. Some users might be fine paying an additional $9 for uninterrupted service, especially if they rely on Spotify during social gatherings. Spotify doesn’t specify how it will implement ads.
See also: How to get more out of your Spotify Premium or free account
Even so, Plus does seem to be a smart play by Spotify. A gateway plan for those who either can’t afford Premium or simply want more control over the platform should help it onboard more users.
For now, Spotify Plus is only available to a “limited number” of users, per a statement sent to The Verge. There’s also no confirmation that it’ll roll out as an official part of Spotify’s offerings.