From the beaches to the slopes, let Spotify be the soundtrack to your travels. You can use Spotify in a country different than the one registered on your account for up to 14 days.
The blurb above, taken from Spotify’s official support pages, neatly sums up how the music streaming service works when abroad. It refers to non-Premium Spotify accounts, and most people would be pleased that they can access the music for free, at least for the first couple of weeks of their trip. But that “14 days” should arguably come with an asterisk, as it doesn’t make clear what your options are after that time is up.
Accessing music abroad is fairly easy, but it often comes with several caveats. For instance, if you had a free Spotify account and were on a trip to the United Kingdom for a month, you would simply update your location on your account, and you’re good to go for another two weeks. But if your trip was to somewhere like China, Croatia, Kenya or South Korea, i.e. countries that don’t have Spotify, then you hit difficulties. The first 14 days are fine, but after that, you’ll be prompted to sign up for the Premium account.
VPN gives access, but also protects
If you don’t want to pay for the Premium account, there are other options to explore, such as using a VPN. This allows you to hide your location, meaning you can adjust the settings to your home country and keep listening to Spotify for free. Of course, the use of a VPN has an added bonus – protection from the dangers of public Wi-Fi, which you are obviously more likely to use when abroad. In short, with the right tools at your disposal, you’ll be able to protect yourself while listening to music online anywhere in the world.
Indeed, there is another caveat that comes with accessing your music abroad, even if that country hosts Spotify or you have a Premium account; namely, the variation of content from country to country. Spotify has complex licensing agreements, and while the company strives for uniformity in a global approach, it’s just not possible to give every country the same content. Again, the answer lies in manipulating your location setting through a VPN.
Price for Premium varies dramatically
Finally, an interesting aside on the price of Spotify Premium globally: The typical price in the United States is $9.99, whereas it might be half that cost at 100 pesos ($5) in Mexico, cheaper still somewhere like Indonesia. The US, however, doesn’t pay the highest subscription prices, with countries like the UK paying around $13 per month (£9.99).
Even if you are not traveling, it is possible to take advantage of price fluctuations in the same manner as you would access different content, i.e. by using a VPN. It’s worth noting that the use of VPNs is legal in the United States (as it in most countries), although you might breach Spotify’s terms of service at times. However, be aware that in many countries – usually those with limited internet freedoms – the use of a VPN can be illegal, and it can come with some hefty penalties. Will you suddenly end up in jail in Moscow for accessing Cold War Kids on Spotify? Probably not, but it’s always best to check ahead and be careful.
