topic I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium in Subscriptions

I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

somwhatparanoid — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 09:37:58 GMT

I've been a Spotify Premium subscriber more or less consistently since 2015. This morning I opened the Spotify app and was greeted by a full screen advertisement for a new Dua Lipa single -- it was labeled as a "Sponsored recommendation".

I pay Spotify 10.99€ per month for the purpose of NOT seeing advertisements, and "Ad Free Music Listening" is one of explicitly stated features of the premium subscription on Spotify's own page (https://support.spotify.com/us/article/premium-plans/). If I'm to see ads anyway then I want my money back as the subscription is obviously not working and Spotify is advertising falsely.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

Bittencourt — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:10:32 GMT

Hi @somwhatparanoid, thanks for writing!

My suggestion is that you go to Settings on your desktop app, and then scroll down to Display and disable "Show announcements about new releases".

Let me know if it works!

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

somwhatparanoid — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:12:57 GMT

Hey @Bittencourt and thanks for the reply. I've had this toggle disabled for years, and I've just verified again that it's disabled. So that is not the solution.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

Bittencourt — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:29:14 GMT

Hey @somwhatparanoid,

Thank you for the feedback.

While Spotify doesn’t play ads that interrupt the music listening experience of Premium subscribers, they might still see sponsored content in other areas of the app. This might include personalized recommendations based on their listening history, which is another way for artists to promote their music on Spotify.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

somwhatparanoid — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 21:41:12 GMT

I am afraid I do not share your point of view. Spotify advertises Premium as an "ad-free" plan, not as a "see less ads" plan. And I am honestly baffled at the concept of "pay us not to see ads and we will still show you ads". It's simply false advertising.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

tab73 — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:34:04 GMT

Just posting to bump this thread.

I too have the "show new releases" button switched off, but I still get my app cluttered with ads for concerts and new releases.

This makes me click wrong lots of times as the ad loads in on top of the thing I was about to click on.

These forced ads on premium does not make me like those artists more, only less.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

JAS37 — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:30:47 GMT

I agree. False advertising and quite annoying at times.

I can retaliate by not using this app for awhile.

Simply visit/use the site without logging in. If a few too many of us do this, it can change.

Corporate counts visits as we count pennies. They watch them closely.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

Jennerblank — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 15:25:54 GMT

Spotifly greedy pos"s

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

iToastie — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:20:58 GMT

This is currently a known bug. Follow this to say in the loop:
Premium users hearing ads - The Spotify Community

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

minimarizinha — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 12:44:25 GMT

I opened Spotify on my tablet and ads started appearing on the podcasts I listen to, which never had ads before. The blue screen ads, not the sponsor from the artist.

I tried to find a solution online, but all I saw were the same complaints from years ago and nothing... resolved.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

Yordan — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 06:13:33 GMT

Hey, @minimarizinha,

Some podcasts may occasionally include some advertising. This has been the case since the early days of podcasts, and continues to be true today, including on Spotify. Therefore, even as a Premium user, you may receive advertising or sponsored messages when playing a podcast.

Note that as a Premium user, you still enjoy an ad-free music listening experience.

More info on podcasts can be found here.

Hope this clears things up. The Community is just a post away in case there's anything you need assistance with.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

Nathan1989 — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 12:11:01 GMT

Im sory to say,I’ve registered twice so not only once but twice on the same account they deducted monthly fees,all within a day while at the gym i am deleting this music app cause something is clearly not right here ,am stil a victim of adds and all the shxt

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

GreenLight — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:41:15 GMT

I also have a premium account and have ads in podcasts. Those ads are not in the native language of the podcast but mine and are seasonal, so they are inserted by spotify, not the podcaster.

Why am I paying for no ads and getting ads?

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

d4n1b — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 09:06:21 GMT

This is the case for me too. When someone is abroad is even more clear and they ads on the podcasts are played in the local language, instead of the podcast's.

It's outrageous and Spotify doesn't do anything about it. Looking for alternatives now.

Mónica

Mónicas — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:57:43 GMT

Tengo spotify premium y no debieran de salirme anuncios, como hacer para que dejen de salirme?

Banner advertisements in the windows app despite being a premium user

nalojPrime — Wed, 06 May 2026 14:13:48 GMT

Plan

Premium

Country

Belgium

Device

Windows

Operating System

My Question or Issue

why do i get advertisements in my library as a massive banner that takes up more than 1/3 of the screen and has a dismiss option that only hides it until i interact with the client again.

Re: Banner advertisements in the windows app despite being a premium user

Bobpants — Thu, 07 May 2026 20:52:30 GMT

I have the same issue. It clearly says it is an Advertisement, yet we've paid for Premium. Must be a bug.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

7447 — Sun, 10 May 2026 15:53:23 GMT

Same problem as with last two posters, Ive tried reinstalling spotify, i thought it might be a bug from me changing to a family plan, but they keep pushing the same ad that takes up half the screen.

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

slyd1619 — Fri, 15 May 2026 11:40:24 GMT

I am having the same issue as the previous three commenters, i have been thinking of migrating to another service and suggest more people do the same

i didnt think it would have to be said due to how obvious it is, but an ad-free experience should NOT have ads, never, nowhere

as you can see in the screenshot it clearly says ADVERTISEMENT

Re: I see ads even though I'm paying for Premium

Yourcompanyisgreedy — Thu, 21 May 2026 01:16:17 GMT

How dare you. We are paying expressly for not getting these adds. I even get adds my podcastsers aren't remotely affiliated with. This is ridiculous, on top of all the premium features which were always part of premium being arbitralily assigned to a newly invented and more expressive version of premium. Stop with the greed and the condescending excuses too.