Spotify Free users can now play any song on demand
Big news for Spotify Free users: as of September 15, 2025, you can finally play any song on demand—no more shuffle-only mode on mobile.
With new features like Pick & Play and Share & Play, you can search for tracks or instantly play songs friends send you, all without needing Premium.
Some features still require a premium subscription
Some perks are still locked behind the paywall—think lossless audio, offline listening, and AI DJ playlists.
This update is part of Spotify's push to keep its 433 million free users engaged and boost ad revenue (which is just 11% of their total right now; they're aiming for 20%).
Spotify hopes to convert more free users into Premium subscribers
Spotify has a massive user base—696 million monthly listeners with 276 million on Premium.
By making the free tier more flexible, Spotify hopes to keep people around longer and maybe even tempt some to upgrade (Premium runs about $12/month in 2025 for extras like ad-free listening and unlimited skips).