How much does Spotify pay?
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world. With over 345 million monthly active users worldwide, Spotify offers a vast catalog of music and podcasts that users can listen to for free or with a premium subscription.
But how much does Spotify pay its artists and content creators? This is a common question among those trying to understand how the modern music industry works. In this article, we will explore the different payment methods offered by Spotify and try to better understand how they work.
How does payment on Spotify work?
First of all, it should be said that the way Spotify pays its artists is not as simple as it may seem. There are several factors to consider, including:
- The type of user subscription (free or premium)
- The number of streams for each individual song
- The percentage of royalties agreed upon by the artist with their record label
Let's take a closer look at these elements.
How payment on Spotify works
Spotify offers several payment options for premium users. Here's how they work:
Credit card or PayPal payment
Most premium users pay for the service using either a credit card or PayPal. To use this option, you need to enter your credit card or PayPal account details into the application and select the "Save payment information" option.
This way, the cost of the subscription will be automatically charged to your credit card or PayPal account every month.
Payment via phone bill
Users who do not have a credit card or PayPal account can opt for payment via phone bill. This option is only available in some countries and only for certain telephone companies.
To use this option, you need to select it in the application and follow the instructions provided. The cost of the subscription will be charged to your monthly phone bill.
Prepaid card payment
Spotify also offers the option to pay for the service with prepaid cards that can be purchased from authorized retailers. This option can be useful for those who do not wish to associate a credit card with their Spotify account.
To use this option, you need to purchase a prepaid card, enter the code into the application, and select the "Activate prepaid card" option. The cost of the subscription will be charged to the prepaid card every month.
- To pay for Spotify Premium, you can use a credit card, PayPal, phone bill, or prepaid cards.
- Credit card or PayPal payment requires entering payment details into the application.
- Payment via phone bill is only available in some countries and for certain telephone companies.
- Payment with prepaid cards can be useful for those who do not want to associate a credit card with their Spotify account.
How much does an artist earn on Spotify
Spotify has become one of the main distribution channels for music artists. But how much do they really earn on this platform? The answer is not simple, as it depends on several factors.
Spotify royalties
Firstly, artists earn through royalties, which is the percentage of money that Spotify pays them every time a user listens to one of their songs. According to official information from Spotify, the company pays about 70% of its total revenue in royalties.
However, this money is then divided among all the artists present on the platform based on the number of streams of their songs. For example, if an artist has 1 million streams on a song and the total number of streams on Spotify is 10 billion, then the artist will receive 0.01% of Spotify's total revenue.
This means that more famous artists with a large following will have greater chances of earning significant sums through royalties. However, there are also many variables that influence an artist's earnings on Spotify.
Variables that influence an artist's earnings
- Number of streams: As already mentioned, the number of streams is a key factor in determining an artist's earnings. Artists with a large following will have greater chances of being listened to and therefore having more streams.
- Country of origin: Earnings per stream vary depending on the country where the user listens to the song. For example, users in the United States tend to have a higher rate per stream than users in other countries.
- Type of subscription: Users with a Premium subscription tend to have a higher rate per stream than users who use the free version of Spotify.
- Song duration: Longer songs tend to have a slightly higher rate per stream than shorter songs.
Example of earnings on Spotify
To give a more concrete idea of artists' earnings on Spotify, let's take the album "Fine Line" by Harry Styles, released in 2019, as an example. According to some calculations, the album generated about 45 million streams in the first three days after its release. Assuming that each stream is worth about $0.00318 (the average of data provided by various sources), then Harry Styles would have earned about $143,100 in just the first three days since the album's release.
However, it is important to emphasize that this is just an example and that artists' earnings on Spotify can vary considerably depending on several factors, as described above.
How much does a Spotify subscription cost
Spotify offers different subscription options to meet the needs of its users. Here is a list of prices for various options:
- Spotify Free: free, but with advertising and some limitations such as the ability to skip only a limited number of songs per hour.
- Spotify Premium: €9.99 per month or €99.90 per year. No ads, with the ability to listen offline and skip as many songs as desired.
- Spotify Student: €4.99 per month for university students who can prove their enrollment in a high school or university.
- Spotify Family: €14.99 per month for up to six Premium accounts. Each account has its own personal profile and can be managed by the main account owner.
In addition, Spotify also offers special deals for new users such as three months of free trial for Spotify Premium. This way you can try the service without having to pay anything for a limited period of time.
In any case, if you choose to subscribe to Spotify Premium or other paid options, you can cancel your subscription at any time without additional costs.
In conclusion, the cost of subscribing to Spotify varies depending on the chosen option, but there are many options available to meet the needs of users. In addition, there are also special deals and the possibility to cancel your subscription at any time without additional costs.
Conclusion
In summary, Spotify is a very popular music streaming platform that offers a wide range of both paid and free musical content. Although the free version is limited by advertising limits and the lack of advanced features such as offline listening, the Premium version offers many interesting options for users.
If you are a music lover and want to access a wide range of songs, albums, and playlists without advertising interruptions, then Spotify Premium might be the best choice for you. However, if you are willing to listen to ads or prefer to use other music streaming platforms, there are many alternatives available on the market.
Finally, remember that the price of Spotify may vary depending on your geographic location and the promotions active at the time of subscription. Always make sure to check current prices before deciding which subscription plan to choose.
- Spotify Free is free but with limitations;
- Spotify Premium costs €9.99 per month;
- Student Premium costs €4.99 per month;
- Famiglia Premium costs €14.99 per month for up to 6 accounts.
Whatever your final choice is, we hope this guide has helped you better understand how much Spotify pays and what options are available to you. Happy listening!

Michael Anderson - Software Engineer
My name is Michael Anderson, and I work as a computer engineer in Midland, Texas.
My passion is sharing my knowledge in various areas, and my purpose is to make education accessible to everyone. I believe it is essential to explain complex concepts in a simple and interesting way.
With GlobalHowTo, I aim to motivate and enrich the minds of those who want to learn.





