Are you someone who has stuck to the Spotify version? If so, please announce yourself to me so I can unpack why on earth you’d put yourself through that for so long. Must be agony. If you weren’t aware, people who use Spotify free version famously can barely select what songs they’d like to listen to. Not just that, but they also have to endure adverts. However, one big update to the Spotify free tier of subscription has just landed and it’s a huge win for those who refuse to spend any pennies when they want to listen to music.
Spotify free version used to be, quite simply, abysmal
Before Spotify’s update this week, the free version of the streaming service came with several notable limitations compared to Premium. Users could only listen to playlists and albums in shuffle mode, and were restricted to just six song skips per hour. Searching for or playing specific tracks wasn’t possible, and clicking on shared Spotify links didn’t directly play the song.
Audio quality was lower, capped at 160 kbps, and the experience was ad-supported, with no option to skip ads. These restrictions defined the free tier for years, making it a more limited, interrupt-driven experience than the ad-free, on-demand Premium option.
Via Spotify
The new update to Spotify makes free an actually viable option
With the September 2025 update, Spotify’s free tier has become significantly more flexible. Free users can now select and play any song within a playlist or album, rather than being limited to shuffle mode, and they can search for specific tracks to play instantly. Clicking on shared Spotify links now opens the song directly, and users can create and customise their own playlists, including adding songs and designing cover art. This is such a dealbreaker for me because I cannot STAND the default way playlists look. Everything needs a vibey lil’ piccy!
The update also introduces Daylist for the free tier. Everyone’s seen people sharing their Daylists because you know full well Spotify calls you out and says your music vibe is like “Horny crying angsty sadlist”. While ads still play and there is a daily “on-demand time” cap, these changes mark the most substantial enhancement to Spotify Free in years, making it a more enjoyable option for casual listeners.
So, basically, if you feel like being a cheapskate with Spotify free version – this update makes your life less boring.
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