How much data does Spotify use? A lot of Spotify users ask this question. After all, Netflix and Spotify have become household names when it comes to entertainment.
The data depends on what sound quality you choose. If you go for a higher sound quality, the more data the streaming service will consume. However, Spotify uses mcuhless data than the video streaming apps and Spotify does use a large chunk of data but not as much as we seem to think.
How much data do Spotify use? How streaming affects your mobile Internet Allowance
- If you choose the Low sound quality which runs at 24kbps, then it will consume the least data. If you have network issues then go for it or if your unlimited data pack often ends then this is what you should go for.
- However, if you choose Normal sound quality which operates at 96kbps then it will consume slightly more data but not too high. This is the best for saving data and getting the value out of the money that you have invested into Spotify.
- Then comes the High sound quality that operates at 160kbps which means it consumes more data and if you want to listen to better quality music then may be you have to invest in data as well as Spotify premium.
- For the absolute music lovers, Very high sound quality that runs at 320kbps is the best. If you love music and absolutely refuse to compromise when it comes to sound quality then go for it.
- And what if your network connectivity fluctuates a lot or you travel a lot to those places where you get poor internet speed? Automatic sound quality is what you should choose as it is dependent on your network connection. So, you get uninterrupted music of various qualities but the entertainment never stops.
If you are wondering how you should reduce the data consumption by choosing a lower sound quality then this is for you. Just use these options by going to Settings in your Spotify app.
There, you will find the option for Music Quality on your Android phone.
To make things easier for you to understand and compute, I’ve prepared a chart of how much data each sound quality uses per minute and per hour. Also, how long you’d have Spotify has to stream music to utilize 1GB of internet data. Please remember that these values are not exact.
A song may burn data from 0.5MB to 8MB. If Spotify has cached songs you listened to earlier then it will not consume as much data as the second time as it had done the first time.
Here Are the Figures for Various Sound Qualities
Low (24kbps):
- Per minute: 0.18MB
- Per hour: 10.8MB
- How long until you reach 1GB: 92.5 hours
Normal (96kbps):
- Per minute: 0.72MB
- Per hour: 43.2MB
- How long until you reach 1GB: 23.1 hours
High (160kbps):
- Per minute: 1.2MB
- Per hour: 72MB
- How long until you reach 1GB: 13.8 hours
Very high (320kbps):
- Per minute: 2.4MB
- Per hour: 144MB
- How long until you reach 1GB: 6.9 hours
We have noticed how much data Spotify uses. If it sounds too high then compare the numbers to video streaming apps. Watching HD content on Netflix at high definition uses even 3GB of data per hour. Run it at Ultra HD and it runs at 7GB.
Medium quality (SD) uses lesser data at 0.7GB per hour. But, that’s more than four times as high as Spotify with the greatest sound quality at (320kbps).
Now let us talk about Spotify’s competitors. Deezer has a maximum audio speed of 320kbps, which is about 144MB of data per hour. And considere Tidal which, despite having a Hi-Fi version with a speed of 1.411kbps for a good sound quality.
It uses a little more data, which is about 635MB per hour. Master Quality runs and streams music at a shocking 7.5MB per minute if you think that Tidal is too high.
Also consider Apple Music and YouTube Music which have the highest streaming speeds of 256kbps, which means it is almost 115MB of network data per hour.
Also read: Spotify Wrapped 2021 — How to see it, and how to get more Spotify stats
I should also mention here that Spotify and the other streaming services we have discussed here in this post will also let you download songs to your device. This means no data is burned out when you are listening to music.
Conclusion
I have tried to explain how much data a popular app like Spotify uses and how you could reduce the data usage while listening to your favourite songs and podcasts. Hope this article helped.
If there is something that I missed out then feel free to leave it in the comments below. Our readers will find it useful. Also, which feature of Spotify is your favourite? Leave in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Catch With Spotify?
Spotify pays artists when you listen to their songs. Check out the amazing functionalities that spotify provides by clicking this link. https://support.spotify.com.
Spotify is the place where you find the best music for all kinds of tastes and moments. There is music for relaxing and music for parties.
How Long Does Spotify Last Without Paying?
Spotify will advertise and mention the price. You can then submit your account details and sign up. There will be a three month free trial period.
Is Spotify Worth Using Without Premium?
Spotify is a great platform to listen to music. If you are wondering whether to invest in a premium version or not, I think the premium version is worth every dime you pay.
You work so hard all day and all week. It is worth spending for your own hobbies and listening to your favourite music. The premium version of Spotify allows you more control over streaming.
Without the premium version, you cannot hear the full album nor will you have the choice to hear the songs you want. Spotify will randomly choose and play songs for you.
All devices do not support Spotify but Spotify premium is best synced with all devices and allows amazing User Experience. The premium version also has a better sound quality.
While using the free Spotify, you cannot listen to music offline. Premium version of Spotify lets you download and hear the music offline as well.
How Does Spotify Work if You Don’t Pay?
You can access Spotify music and all other stuff with free Spotify only offline listening and downloads will be impossible without the premium version. Besides, free to use Spotify will shuffle between songs and you will not be able to listen to whole albums or even choose the songs which you want to hear.
Why Is Spotify So Expensive?
Spotify is very expensive because it is a business after all to provide you the best quality music. The web hosting and equipment at Spotify’s end cost a lot of money. Then there is the maintenance and updating the latest features. Yes, Spotify is making a lot of money.
