Spotify HiFi could cost an extra $5 a month, if it ever launches

You'll have to pay more for Spotify's lossless audio tier

• 🆕 New details have leaked regarding Spotify’s HiFi audio tier

• 💰 It’s expected to cost an additional $5 a month

• 📈 It means a Premium subscription with HiFi will cost $16.99 a month

• 🆚 That’s $6 more than Apple Music, which already offers lossless audio

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Spotify HiFi – the streaming platform’s long-rumored lossless audio tier – will never launch. It’s been hinted at for years, as Spotify remains the only platform to not offer Hi-Res audio streaming, even though it’s the world’s most popular music service.

But it appears we’re edging one step closer to Spotify releasing its new high-fidelity audio option, according to a new report from Bloomberg, and it’ll cost $5 extra. Spotify is set to increase in price for the second time in the space of the year on July 1 to $11.99, which means you’ll have to pay $16.99 in total if you want the best audio quality possible.

The add-on will also let users generate custom playlists for specific activities, dates, and times of the year, which seems like a rather niche benefit but it could appeal to some.

It means that Spotify HiFi will cost $6 more than Apple Music, which has offered lossless audio for several years and only costs $10.99 a month. That might not deter some who are heavily invested in Spotify’s ecosystem, but it’s quite a discrepancy between the two services.

In a statement to The Verge, Spotify spokesperson Grey Munford said: “At Spotify, we are constantly exploring ideas to improve our product offering and offer value to users. But we don’t comment on speculation around possible new features and do not have anything new to share at this time.”

At this point, it’s impossible to predict when Spotify’s new tier will arrive. When it does, though, expect to pay more for higher-quality audio and some additional features.

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.