There's no denying that Spotify has quickly positioned itself to be one of the top streaming music services out there. If you'd rather have a Smörgåsbord of millions of tracks to listen to rather than actually owning any of it, then Spotify offers a huge music library to tap in to. It also offers a good deal of flexibility on how you connect to music and interact with others via social networking.
But, which option do you choose?
Spotify Free: If you're lucky enough to get an invitation code to access Spotify Free (not needed for Spotify Open (Europe)), then you can try out their service without having to part with your money. However, keep in mind that you'll only have unlimited streaming for the first six month and the tracks you listen to will sometimes have advertisements in them -- upgrading to subscription doesn't have these limits. Another hurdle you'll face by following the Spotify Free route is trying to get an account in the first place. This could prove difficult if you don't know anyone who has a spare invitation code. Spotify do have a facility via their website to request a code, but you'll be waiting in a very large queue with no word on how long you'll have to wait.
Spotify Unlimited: If you simply have to try Spotify and want to jump straight in, then the basic subscription tier, Spotify Unlimited, gives you a never-ending supply of music that is free from advertisements for $4.99 a month. This is a great starting point that's good value for money, but remember you won't have access to enhanced features like Offline Mode or be able to stream Spotify's music library to your phone or compatible home entertainment system. If mobile music and offline listening are important to you, then Spotify Premium is recommended.
Spotify Premium: For the price of an album every month, Spotify Premium gives you both barrels. The Premium option opens up the world of mobile music with good support for smartphones and home entertainment systems like Sonos, Squeezebox, and others. You also get better sound definition in your audio streams with many tracks being provided at 320 Kbps. One of the big boons of having a premium subscription is undoubtedly Offline Mode. We tested this feature out and was very impressed with its seamless integration with the desktop and mobile devices. With all the extra features that this subscription tier provides (including exclusive content), Spotify Premium is recommended if you want maximum flexibility to listen to millions of songs without having to be tied down to just one device.
Overall, if you're looking for a flexible online music service for streaming content rather than purchasing songs to keep, then Spotify is a well-balanced service that has enough options to probably suite most people's needs.
