Spotify tests super-cheap subscription plan that’s got some perks — but still has ads

Spotify is testing a cheaper subscription tier that gives users more control over their listening but still features ads.

Known as Spotify Plus, the plan was first reported by The Verge. The streaming giant confirmed the trial in a statement:

We’re always working to enhance the Spotify experience and we routinely conduct tests to inform our decisions, We’re currently conducting a test of an ad-supported subscription plan with a limited number of our users.

Users spotted the tier advertised at just $0.99 per month — a tenth of the $9.99/month price of Spotify Premium — but the company says the service is being offered at a range of prices as part of the trial. Spotify also emphasized that the service may never get a full release. 

Nonetheless, the experiment appears to be targeting streamers on a budget. The main perks that they’ll get are unlimited track skips and the freedom to play any track they like. That’s a decent upgrade on Spotify’s free tier, which limits track skips to six per hour and only lets you listen to shuffled songs and tracks from specific playlists.

The retention of ads, however, is a major downside. But Spotify Plus could be a compelling option for people who want a bigger music library and more control but don’t want to splash out on Premium.