Spotify Restricts Family Plan Sharing Similar to Netflix

Spotify is intensifying its enforcement of the Premium Family plan by implementing new verification procedures. The company is now requiring some subscribers to complete an in-person QR code verification alongside the plan administrator. Failure to pass this verification could result in the loss of Premium Family access and a downgrade to Spotify's free, ad-supported service.

Earlier, Spotify had already mandated that all Premium Family members must reside at the same address and occasionally asked users to confirm their home address. The new QR code system makes this requirement more challenging to circumvent. When Spotify requests verification, the plan manager must open the app, tap their profile picture, select "Your Premium," then tap "Manage" to display a QR code.

The other family member must then scan that code using their phone while both are in the same location. Spotify asserts that the verification can only be completed through its mobile app, and the QR code updates every few seconds, preventing screenshots or easy duplication. Users are granted seven days to complete the QR scan after receiving the notification.

Non-compliance results in the user losing access to the shared plan and being unable to join a different Family or Duo plan for a year. They would need to subscribe to another eligible Premium plan or be relegated to Spotify Free, which involves ad viewing. Spotify has been requesting users' full home addresses during the sign-up process, when the plan manager updates their address, or when Spotify cannot verify the address.

Failure to pass these checks results in a notification to reverify within seven days, with successful checks maintaining the account on Premium Family and failed checks moving the user to the free version. According to Spotify, no location tracking occurs during address checks; they merely verify the submitted address.