Founded in 2006, Spotify has gone on to become the most-used streaming platform around the world. Renowned for its excellent user interface and a vast selection of music and podcasts, the platform continues to thrive despite its many competitors.
Will Spotify work in Europe?
Spotify is available in over 80 European countries, meaning the platform works in most places on this continent. An existing Spotify account will automatically work in Europe, providing the country is included in Spotify’s compatible markets.
Using Spotify in Europe should be straightforward, but there are some things that you should be aware of to ensure that the app runs smoothly.
If you’re visiting a European country for a vacation or another reason, you’ll need to know whether Spotify is compatible with your destination and other important information.
We’ll cover all of this and more in this guide.
What Countries Can’t Use Spotify?
If you’re traveling to Europe or any other continent, you’ll want to take your favorite music and podcasts. Spotify is a great streaming platform to use abroad, expanding its services to over 80 countries worldwide.
However, some countries cannot currently use Spotify. This may be for political reasons or simply that Spotify has not yet moved into the market in that particular location.
The European countries that can’t use Spotify are:
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Russia
In Asia, China does not have Spotify, and in the continent of Africa, the following countries do not have access to the streaming platform.
- Central African Republic
- Eritrea
- South Sudan
- Sudan
When an app like Spotify is developed, the company must ensure that it has all of the necessary permissions to be made available in European countries and other parts of the world. As you can see from the list above, the vast majority of European countries now have access to Spotify.
If you’re traveling to one of the popular European destinations, such as France, Italy, Spain, or the United Kingdom, you should have no problem using your Spotify account and app. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an Android or Apple user; the app should work the same in a compatible foreign country.
On the other hand, if you’re traveling to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Russia, you won’t be able to use Spotify in these countries. The particular reasons for this vary depending on the country, but it’s primarily down to political reasons and government permission issues.
One thing to be aware of is that if you use the free version of Spotify, you can only listen to music in another country for 14 days.
Spotify will then ask you to either change your country, or you will have to stop using the platform until you return to your native country.
Does Spotify Premium Work in Europe?
Spotify Premium allows users to access various benefits that aren’t available on the free membership. These include offline downloads, higher audio quality, and no ad interruptions.
The combination of these benefits is why Spotify Premium has over 160 million subscribers worldwide. These users pay a fee of $9.99 per month, which provides them access to the many perks of a Premium subscription.
Spotify Premium is available in all European countries where the free version of Spotify is available. You can refer to the list in the above section to remind yourself which counties in Europe do not currently have access to Spotify.
As with Spotify Free, all music and podcasts platforms’ rights must be cleared and have the necessary permissions from the European country’s governments.
However, there is one key difference that you should be aware of. Spotify Premium users can access the platform for unlimited time in a different country as the 14-day restriction is removed.
If you’re from the USA and are planning to travel to Europe, your Spotify Premium app will likely work in the county you’re going to. Spotify tends to steer clear of some countries due to political issues, but most of Europe can now enjoy the Spotify Premium membership.
Indeed, things change constantly as far as tech companies and their relationships with certain countries go. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check for any announcements from Spotify regarding the accessibility of their Premium service in European and other foreign countries.
Spotify’s 14 Days Restriction
Spotify allows its Premium users to enjoy listening to music in any country where the streaming service is available. On the other hand, free users either have to declare that they have permanently relocated to the other country after 14 days or cease using the platform until they return to their country of residence.
If you’re subscribed to Spotify Premium, you don’t need to change settings or notify Spotify when traveling to Europe or other parts of the globe.
Spotify will automatically work in the country you travel to as long as it isn’t one of the few countries in which Spotify doesn’t work.
If you use the basic free version of Spotify and you are going to be in another country for longer than 14 days, it might be worth subscribing to the Premium membership to avoid losing access to your favorite music.
Alternatively, suppose you’re moving to another country long-term. In that case, you can change your Spotify profile settings to notify them that you are relocating, allowing you to use your free account still indefinitely.
Check out this YouTube video to see if Spotify Premium is worth it for you.
To change the country that is registered to your Spotify account, follow these steps:
- Go to the Spotify website on either your smartphone or a desktop device.
- Log into your Spotify account.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner
- Open the “Account” menu
- Click “Edit Profile”
- Scroll down to find the country settings, and change it to your new country of residence
Spotify will then check your I.P address to figure out if you’re actually in the country you say you are. This means it’s impossible to change the country before arriving there.
Can You Use a VPN With Spotify?
A simple solution for people who are traveling to another country but would like to continue to use their Spotify account in the same way that they can in their home country is to use a VPN.
A VPN works by keeping your I.P address hidden by using a VPN server, making it impossible for your location and activity to be tracked. They’re great tools for ensuring internet safety and can also be useful for apps like Spotify or Netflix.
You can use a VPN with Spotify in the same way you would for any other purpose. If you want to use it abroad, simply choose a VPN server in your home country, and Spotify won’t know that you’re not in the country.
Some streaming platforms have to hide some of their content or make it unavailable in certain countries. This can be frustrating if you want to listen to a song or watch a TV show that isn’t available in your country, but using a VPN is a great way to get around this problem.
There are many great VPNs available, and some are not so great. Using a reputable VPN is essential to ensure that it entirely hides your activity and prevents you from being tracked when using the internet.
Most VPNs that you can use with Spotify are available for a small monthly fee, and some offer free versions that are more limited but may still do what you require of them.
Related Questions
Is Spotify cheaper in some countries?
The cost for Spotify Premium or any other paid subscription plans the streaming platform offers varies depending on the location. For example, in the USA, the price is $9.99 per month, but in the UK, it costs £9.99 per month, which is considerably more when converted into US dollars.
Why is Spotify not working with a VPN?
If Spotify is not working with a VPN, this is probably because the VPN is not capable enough. VPNs vary widely in terms of quality, so if you’re using one that isn’t up to scratch, it won’t work as effectively with Spotify.
Can two people use a Spotify account?
Two people can use a Spotify account, thanks to the introduction of the new Premium Duo membership. The two people must be living at the same home address to sign up for this type of subscription.
