What happens to your account after canceling
When you cancel Spotify Premium, you revert to the free tier at the end of your billing period - you don't lose access immediately. The free tier includes all the same music and podcasts, but with ads, shuffle-only mode on mobile, and no offline downloads. Your playlists, followed artists, saved albums, and listening history all remain intact.
If you want to fully delete your Spotify account (not just cancel Premium), that's a separate process done through Privacy Settings → Delete account. Most people only need to cancel Premium, not delete the account.
Spotify Premium plan differences
The cancellation process is the same for all paid Spotify plans - Individual, Duo, Family, and Student. If you're the account manager of a Family or Duo plan, canceling will remove Premium access for all members on the plan, not just yourself. If you're a member of someone else's plan and want to leave it, contact the plan manager rather than canceling through your own account.
Frequently asked questions
- Will I lose my playlists if I cancel Spotify Premium?
- No. Your playlists, saved songs, followed artists, and listening history are all tied to your account, not your subscription. Canceling Premium drops you to the free tier - everything stays.
- Does Spotify offer refunds when you cancel?
- Spotify does not offer prorated refunds. Your Premium access continues until the end of your paid billing period. If you were charged after canceling, that's a billing error - dispute it.
- Can I cancel a Spotify free trial without being charged?
- Yes - cancel before the trial end date using the same steps above. Spotify will not charge you if you cancel before the trial converts to a paid subscription.