How to cancel your Spotify subscription

Are you considering canceling your Spotify subscription? You’re not alone. Whether it’s due to recent price increases, frustration over the still-missing high-quality audio feature promised years ago, or legal concerns about where platform leadership invests money, many music lovers are rethinking their streaming choices.

The good news is that you have options. Canceling your Spotify Premium is simple, and the streaming world is full of excellent alternatives that might suit your needs better. This complete guide will walk you through the entire process, from clicking the “cancel” button to choosing your next favorite music service and taking your favorite playlists with you.

Why are people leaving Spotify subscriptions?

Spotify changed how we listen to music, but in 2025, the competition has caught up in key areas. Here are the most common reasons listeners are making the switch:

• Rising Subscription Costs: Spotify’s Premium plan has seen price hikes, making alternatives with more features for a similar price (or less) increasingly attractive.
• The Great Hi-Fi Wait: While competitors rolled out lossless and spatial audio, Spotify’s high-fidelity tier, originally announced in 2021, remains unrealized for most users, disappointing for music lovers.
• Artist Compensation and Ethical Concerns: The debate over how little streaming platforms pay artists continues. Some users are seeking services with better royalty models. This issue has been amplified by high-profile artist departures following news about Spotify’s CEO investing in defense technology, leading some to seek alternative platforms on moral grounds.
• Ad Interruptions on the Free Tier: The free, ad-supported version of Spotify can interrupt the listening experience, prompting a search for platforms with more expansive free tiers or better-value premium plans.

How to cancel your Spotify Subscription: A step-by-step guide

Canceling your Spotify Premium plan is simple and can be done at any time. You won’t lose access to your account or your carefully selected playlists; your account will simply switch to an ad-supported free tier at the end of your billing cycle.

Here’s how to do it on different devices.

Canceling on Desktop (Web Browser)

This is the most simplest method.

1. Go to spotify.com and log into your account.
2. Click on your profile name in the top-right corner and select “Account” from the dropdown menu.
3. On your account overview page, find the “Your plan” section and click “Change or cancel plans.”
4. Scroll down until you see the “Cancel Premium” option and click it.
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your cancellation.

Spotify will likely offer you incentives to stay, like a temporary discount, but you can proceed with the cancellation.

Canceling on iPhone and iPad

Important: Because Apple handles the billing for subscriptions made through the App Store, you cannot cancel directly within the Spotify app on iOS devices.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on your Apple ID name at the top.
3. Select “Subscriptions.”
4. Find and tap on Spotify in the list of active subscriptions.
5. Tap “Cancel Subscription.”

Canceling on Android

If you signed up for Spotify through the Google Play Store, you can cancel your account. However, if you signed up directly on Spotify’s website, you must use the desktop method above.

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile icon and go to “Payments & subscriptions” > “Subscriptions.”
3. Select Spotify from the list.
4. Tap “Cancel subscription.”

What happens after you cancel your Spotify subscription?

Once you cancel, here’s what to expect:

• You Keep Your Music: All your saved songs, playlists, and followed artists remain intact.
• Premium Until Billing End: You retain all your Premium benefits until the day your next payment is due.
• Switch to Free Tier: Thereafter, your account reverts to Spotify Free, which means:
  • Ads will interrupt your listening.
  • Shuffle play is required on mobile for most content.
  • Offline downloads become unavailable.
  • Audio quality is reduced from 320 kbps to 160 kbps.

The best Spotify alternatives to consider in 2025

The good news is that the music streaming environment is more exciting than ever. Here’s a comparison of the top contenders competing for your Spotify subscription in 2025.

Final checklist before you cancel Spotify

1. Choose Your New Service: Decide which alternative best fits your budget and listening habits. Take advantage of free trials—most services offer at least one month free.
2. Transfer Your Playlists: Use a tool like Soundiiz or SongShift to move your most important playlists to the new platform before you cancel Spotify Premium. This gives you time to verify everything transferred correctly.
3. Cancel Spotify Subscription: Follow the step-by-step guide above for your device.
4. Enjoy Your New Music Home: Explore the new features, whether it’s listening in stunning hi-res audio on Tidal or easily switching to music videos on YouTube Music.

The power of choice is in your hands. With this guide, you’re equipped to make a smooth exit from your Spotify subscription and find a world of music streaming that might just be a better fit for you.