While subtle and tucked into a global pricing update, this announcement has reignited conversations around the value of digital subscriptions in Kenya, especially in an era where inflation and digital consumption habits are evolving fast.
Wait, Wasn’t It Cheaper Just a Few Months Ago?
Yes. Around June 17th 2025, Spotify quietly reduced the cost of its Individual Premium plan from KES 369 to KES 339 without any major public announcement. This is after earlier increasing the Individual plan to KES 339 (from KES 299) on November 8, 2024, and shortly thereafter increasing it to KES 369.
Many interpreted this as a strategic move to retain users in price-sensitive markets like Kenya, where competition from Boomplay, YouTube Music, and Audiomack is growing fast
That brief price dip was welcomed by students, young professionals, and digital-first users who are heavily reliant on music streaming as part of their daily routine.
However, with the September 2025 price hike, Spotify’s pricing has essentially gone full circle, this time as part of a broader global strategy to increase revenue and offset rising operational costs.
So, Why the Price Increase?
Spotify says the price change reflects its investment in:
- Expanding its local and global music catalog
- Boosting podcast and audiobook content
- Rolling out AI-curated features (like smart DJ and real-time playlist personalisation)
- Paying higher royalties to creators under new licensing agreements
While these improvements add value, they also bring up a critical question:
Are Kenyan users seeing enough benefit to justify the higher cost?
The Kenyan Context: Every Shilling Counts
In Kenya, the cost of living continues to rise, and with the weakening shilling, even small price increases on digital products can feel steep. A KES 31 increase may seem small on paper, but for users juggling multiple subscriptions; from Netflix, Showmax, Amazon Prime Video to even data bundles, the pressure adds up.
In fact, many young users operate on tight digital budgets. Whether it’s music, video streaming, cloud storage, or AI tools, there’s a need to balance cost, convenience, and content.
The upcoming Spotify price hike will trigger a range of reactions — some users will stick with Premium for its unmatched quality and convenience, others will downgrade to the free, ad-supported version to save money. A number will explore alternatives like YouTube Music or Boomplay, especially if they're already using them for video content, while other users might opt to share Duo or Family plans to keep enjoying Premium at a lower cost.
Alternatives and Smart Workarounds
If you still love Spotify but feel the pinch, here are smart hacks to survive the hike:
- Go Family - For KES 579, you get up to 6 accounts. That’s less than KES 100 per person monthly.
- Try Student Plan - Still a student? Spotify Premium Student may cost as little as KES 179–KES 200 depending on verification.
- Compare Platforms - Boomplay, Mdundo, and YouTube Music offer free or lower-priced alternatives, though with trade-offs in features or catalog depth.
- Download and Switch - Use Premium for a month, download music, then switch to free for another month. Rinse and repeat.
Spotify remains one of the most polished streaming platforms globally, and its focus on personalization, podcast discovery, and playlist curation is hard to beat. But as pricing changes, value becomes king.
While it's unlikely that Kenyan users will abandon Spotify in large numbers due to the hike, many will become more intentional and thoughtful about their digital spending, and that’s a positive shift. As a long-time Premium user myself, I plan to stick with it for the unmatched quality and convenience it continues to offer. I'm just hoping this will be the last price increase we see this year.
