Quick Facts
- Canadian music streaming subscribers
- Families looking for shared streaming plans
- Students seeking discounted subscriptions
- Individual plan now costs $12.69 CAD/month (up from $10.99) and includes 15 hours of audiobook listening
- Family plan offers best value at $3.50 per person when maxing out 6 accounts
- Gift cards can ONLY be used for Individual plans - not Family, Duo, or Student plans
- Canadian gift cards never expire due to provincial consumer protection laws
Despite recent price increases, Spotify Canada remains competitively priced globally. Best value is the Family plan for households, while students should note they miss out on audiobook features.
Streaming music in Canada isn’t as cheap as it used to be. With the late 2025 price hikes pushing the Individual plan to $12.69 CAD, many Canadians are looking at their monthly statements and asking: is it still worth it?
The short answer is yes, but the value proposition has shifted. It is no longer just about music; it is about the ecosystem. Spotify has aggressively added audiobooks and podcast features to justify the cost. However, there are strict limitations on gift cards and family plans that catch subscribers off guard every day.
The Real Cost of Spotify Canada in 2025
Forget the old pricing models you might see on outdated forums. As of December 2025, Spotify has restructured its Canadian pricing tier. While it remains cheaper than the UK or US markets when converted to currency, it is a significant jump for long time local subscribers.
Here is the breakdown of what you actually pay and what you get:
1. Individual Plan ($12.69 CAD/month)
This is the standard standard for most users. It recently increased from $10.99.
- Audio Quality: Up to 320kbit/s (High Quality).
- The Big Bonus: Includes 15 hours of audiobook listening time per month from a catalog of 500,000+ titles.
- Ad Free: Unlimited skips and offline downloads.
2. Duo Plan ($17.89 CAD/month)
Designed for couples or roommates. You get two separate Premium accounts, but you must reside at the same address. Spotify occasionally verifies location data to enforce this.
- Cost Efficiency: Works out to roughly $8.95 per person.
- Audiobook Caveat: Only the plan manager gets the 15 hours of audiobook time; the second member does not.
3. Family Plan ($20.99 CAD/month)
This offers the best ROI for households. It supports up to 6 accounts for family members living under one roof.
- Parental Controls: Includes filters for explicit content and access to the Spotify Kids app.
- Cost Per User: If you max out all 6 slots, you are paying roughly $3.50 per person.
4. Student Plan ($6.39 CAD/month)
This is strictly for students at accredited higher education institutions. You cannot just claim to be a student; Spotify uses a third-party service called SheerID to verify enrollment.
- Duration: Valid for up to 4 years max.
- Warning: Student plans do not include the 15 hours of monthly audiobook listening.
The “Gift Card Trap” You Need to Avoid
If you are planning to gift a subscription, proceed with caution. There is a major misunderstanding regarding how Spotify gift cards work in Canada.
The Restriction: Spotify gift cards can ONLY be redeemed for standalone Premium Individual plans. You cannot use them to pay for:
- Premium Family plans
- Premium Duo plans
- Student discounts
If you buy a $60 card for a friend who is on a Family plan, they literally cannot use it unless they cancel their family subscription and revert to an Individual account.
The Good News (Expiration Update): Contrary to older reports or confusion with other regions, Spotify Canada gift cards do not expire. Provincial laws in places like Ontario and Quebec strictly prohibit expiration dates on retail gift cards, and Spotify’s terms comply with this indefinitely.
If you are looking for safe places to buy digital goods or verify if a shop is legitimate before purchasing a card, check our guide on how to verify online shops.
Is Spotify Canada Worth It vs. Competitors?
While the $12.69 price tag stings compared to the old $9.99 days, Spotify Canada remains competitively priced globally. For context, subscribers in the UK pay nearly $16.50 USD equivalent, while US subscribers pay roughly $11.99 USD.
However, if you are purely looking to save money, digital subscriptions stack up. Sometimes it is better to look for physical deals or alternative markets. We have broken down where to find the best flea markets in Canada if you want to save your budget for physical goods instead of digital rentals.
Editor’s Verdict: If you use the audiobook feature (which costs $15-$20/month on other platforms like Audible), the Individual plan is a steal. If you only want music, the price hike makes it harder to justify without a Family or Duo split.
Tech and Shopping Context
Canada’s digital economy is robust, but prices vary wildly compared to other tech hubs. For a global perspective on electronics pricing, you can compare how online electronics stores in Singapore handle digital goods and hardware pricing.
