Spotify’s Premium Duo and Family plans offer a cost-effective way for multiple people to enjoy ad-free music. However, to prevent abuse of these shared plans, Spotify requires all users on the plan to live in the same household. But how does Spotify actually determine whether you live together?
How Spotify Verifies Your Address
Spotify uses several methods to verify whether users on a shared plan live in the same location:
- Address Confirmation: When signing up for a Premium Family or Premium Duo plan, Spotify asks users to confirm their home address. The owner of the plan must enter a valid address, which is then used as the household location.
- GPS or IP Address Checks: While Spotify does not continuously track your location, it may request location verification via GPS or IP address when you join a shared plan.
- Periodic Verification: From time to time, Spotify may ask members of the plan to confirm their location to ensure they still live together.
The company states that the verification process helps ensure that only eligible users benefit from discounted family and duo plans.
Does Spotify Track Your Location?
Many people worry about privacy when using location-based verification. However, Spotify explicitly states that they only use location data at the moment of address verification and do not track users’ real-time locations continuously.
When a user joins a Premium Duo or Premium Family plan, they might be asked to allow Spotify to access their location via GPS for a one-time verification. Once that is completed, Spotify does not continuously monitor movement or track users in real-time.
Can You Use a Shared Plan in Different Locations?
Since Spotify requires members of these plans to live at the same address, using a Premium Family or Premium Duo plan while living apart (such as in different cities or countries) may result in being removed from the plan.
While many users have shared that they can still access their shared plan without issues, Spotify reserves the right to remove users who don’t meet the eligibility criteria.
Common Situations Where This Becomes an Issue:
- Students living away from home while on a family plan.
- Couples in long-distance relationships using Duo.
- Friends attempting to share a Family plan despite living separately.
Spotify’s policies are designed to prevent abuse of deeply discounted plans intended for people in the same household.
What Happens If Spotify Finds Out You Don’t Live Together?
If Spotify determines that you are not living at the registered household address, they may take action, such as:
- Asking you to verify your location again.
- Temporarily restricting your access to the plan.
- Removing your account from the shared plan.
While Spotify does not immediately ban users for violating the location policy, repeated violations may lead to being permanently removed from the plan.
How to Stay Compliant With Spotify’s Rules
If you want to avoid unexpected issues with your Premium Family or Duo plan, follow these tips:
- Make sure all users live in the same household. This means sharing a single address for verification purposes.
- Be prepared for occasional verification. Spotify may check your location from time to time.
- Avoid using VPNs or proxies that change your location. Spotify might flag accounts with inconsistent locations.
Final Thoughts
Spotify’s verification system helps enforce fair use of its Family and Duo plans, ensuring only those who genuinely share a household benefit from the discounts. While the company does not track users in real-time, occasional address confirmations and location checks help them determine whether users truly live together.
For those looking to share an account fairly and legally, following Spotify’s rules is essential to avoid losing access to Premium benefits. If multiple members of a plan frequently travel or live apart, separate individual plans may be a better option.
