Spotify will begin showing in-app pricing details for iPhone users in the European Union, marking a notable shift after years of legal disputes with Apple. This update will allow EU users to view promotional offers and detailed pricing for Spotify’s subscription tiers directly within the app, including the cost of plans after promotions expire.
While users can now see this information, they will still be unable to make purchases through links outside of the Apple App Store. This decision aligns with Spotify’s efforts to sidestep Apple’s “music streaming services entitlement,” a policy introduced after Apple faced a €1.84 billion fine from EU regulators in March 2024 for anticompetitive behavior in the music streaming market. The entitlement would have permitted developers to link to external payment options, though Apple would still claim a cut from off-platform sales—something Spotify has labeled “illegal and predatory.”
Spotify’s feud with Apple dates back to 2019 when the streaming giant filed an antitrust complaint over App Store policies. As recently as March, Spotify accused Apple of blocking updates similar to the one introduced today. However, following months of negotiations, Spotify has finally secured approval to display pricing information in its iOS app for EU users, a decision influenced by the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, which targets app store practices in music streaming.
The app update will allow users to see subscription plan pricing, including new features like audiobook streaming and top-up hours for additional listening. However, Spotify remains prohibited from linking directly to its website for purchases, as this would subject the company to Apple’s 27% commission on external sales. Instead, Spotify can only reference its website textually, without providing a clickable URL.
To coincide with the launch, Spotify is rolling out a promotional campaign across the EU, offering new subscribers the first three months free, with regular subscription rates applying thereafter.
Despite this progress, Spotify maintains that it is far from satisfied. In a blog post, the company emphasized that while the ability to display pricing is a step forward, it is still fighting for the right to link directly from its app to its website for purchases without paying Apple’s commission.
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