Spotify finally arrives in India: Plans start at Rs 119/month, students get 50 percent discount

Spotify's launch in India has been a hot topic for several months now and it looks like the anticipation for the popular international music streaming service is finally over for Indians. After several delays, Spotify is available for download on Android smartphones via Play Store and users can customise the app as per individual preferences to get started.

But the most important piece of information that is now available about Spotify in India is the premium plans. Users get a 30-day free trial, post which users can choose to upgrade or continue using the service with ads and without some premium features.

We downloaded the Spotify app from Play Store and successfully registered as a new user. Users can choose to connect their Facebook accounts or create an account using an email address. Once the account is created, you can select the languages you'd like your music in and pick at least 3 artists. In a matter of seconds, Spotify will be ready to use.

When we tried to upgrade for Spotify Premium from within the app, the option wasn't available in the country. It looks like the premium plans will go active in a matter of days (within 30 days).

Ahead of Spotify's arrival in India, concerns had surrounded users regarding the pricing of the service considering the stiff competition from rivals like Gaana, JioSaavn, Apple Music and others. And looking at the plans, Spotify seems to have taken on Apple Music and sits in the premium tier of subscription-based music streaming services in India.

Spotify India plans

Users get multiple options to choose from. Spotify offers annual and monthly plans, but there are daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and bi-annual one-time top-ups to avoid recurring subscriptions.

• Monthly: Rs 119
• Yearly: Rs 1,189

Top-ups

• Rs 13 per day
• Rs 39 for 7 days
• Rs 129 for 1 month
• Rs 389 for 3 months
• Rs 719 for 6 months

Spotify vs Others

In comparison, Apple Music costs Rs 120 per month, while Google Play Music, JioSaavn and Gaana cost Rs 99 per month. Amazon Music is part of the Prime membership, which costs Rs 999 per year. JioSaavn also has an annual plan at Rs 999, while Gaana is the cheapest option at Rs 499 per year.

If Spotify plans seem a bit costly, students won't feel the heat. Spotify is offering a student membership, which gives a 50 percent discount on the plans. Students will need to provide school-issued documents to avail the offer.