Spotify introduces restrictions for free users in India; Find what's new

Streaming giant Spotify is restricting some critical features for free users in India, forcing them to shell out some money for the company's premium service.

Spotify-free users in India will no longer be able to play songs in a specific order, repeat songs or play their previous songs; instead, these features will only be available to Premium subscribers. The Swedish company says free users can still listen to their favourite artists, albums and playlists and get song recommendations.

Spotify has been introducing these features for free since launching in 2019, but the company says it is making changes to the free tier as the market has matured, TechCrunch reported. The new restrictions for free-tier Spotify users will make it similar to the company's service in Brazil.

According to a Redseer study published in April 2023, Spotify is India's most streamed music platform, with a market share of around 26%.

Spotify Premium Plans in India:

Spotify premium subscription in India starts at ₹7/day and offers ad-free music on mobile devices and the ability to download up to 30 songs on a single mobile device. Additionally, Spotify's Rs 119/month subscription allows you to download up to 10,000 songs on five devices.