Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo Credit: Marcin Skalij
Spotify has once again adjusted its prices in several international markets, among them Canada (where subscribers are paying a bit more across the board) and India (where monthly charges have decreased).
Spotify just recently informed the relevant subscribers of the recalibrations via email; local outlets then covered the changes, which the platform has yet to confirm in a standalone release. The lack of a formal announcement doesn’t quite come as a surprise given Canada’s double-digit bumps, and some customers are venting about the upticks on social media.
On the other hand, the major labels and investors have long urged Spotify to plow ahead with upward price adjustments, and the company, many know, has been increasingly willing to do so as of late.
In fact, it was only in November that Spotify overhauled its subscription model in India, where the DSP is reportedly adding subscribers despite the longstanding dominance of free content. Bearing this momentum in mind, the pricing pivot appears to represent a bet on the existing strategy as opposed to a retreat.
The changes are best summed up in a chart, though it’s worth highlighting that Spotify India has done away with its comparatively bare-bones Lite plan, which featured ad-free 160 kbps audio and cost ₹139 (currently $1.41) per month. Standard, which offers 320 kbps audio, offline listening, and more, has adopted the same price tag.
Spotify India Price Adjustments — May 2026
| Plan | Old Price | New Price | Change |
| Standard | ₹199/$2.06 | ₹139/$1.41 | -30.2% |
| Platinum | ₹299/$3.11 | ₹299/$3.11 | No Change |
| Student | ₹99/$1.03 | ₹69/$0.72 | -30.3% |
(Regarding the absence of Duo and Family, Spotify’s Platinum tier supports three accounts and includes AI features, monthly audiobook listening credits in certain markets, and lossless audio.)
A couple additional notes on Spotify India’s prices: Despite the reduced cost, Standard still offers subscribers a discount for buying a whole year upfront. And an introductory offer for new Standard customers (who will pay $1.03/₹99 monthly) now lasts three months instead of two.
Meanwhile, Spotify has likewise axed Lite – besides shifting its lower price to Standard and slicing Student’s cost – in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and other countries that, alongside India, received the aforementioned overhaul in November 2025.
Back to Spotify Canada, the price changes are straightforward enough: A vocal opponent of the nation’s “streaming tax,” the company has, with the exception of Student, upped its monthly charges across the board.
Spotify Canada Price Increases — May 2026
| Plan | Old Price | New Price | Change |
| Student | C$6.39/$4.65 | C$6.39/$4.65 | No Change |
| Individual | C$12.69/$9.23 | C$13.99/$10.18 | +10.2% |
| Duo | C$17.89/$13.02 | C$19.99/$14.55 | +11.7% |
| Family | C$20.99/$15.27 | C$23.99/$17.46 | +14.3% |
Time will tell how these maneuvers factor into Spotify’s subscribership positioning and financials. But at present, it seems safe to say that the DSP isn’t hesitant about adjusting pricing – including in the States – or concerned about shedding cost-conscious customers in the ultra-competitive streaming arena.
As things stand, each of Apple Music’s plans costs less than its Spotify counterpart in Canada, where Spotify currently charges $5.09/C$7 more per month for Family.
