Is Spotify Legal for Business Use?
No. Spotify's Terms of Service (§1.2) prohibit use for anything other than personal, non-commercial purposes. Playing Spotify in a restaurant, gym, retail store, or any other business is a breach of contract with Spotify and may also trigger claims from local collecting societies (GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, etc.) for the underlying music rights. Spotify for Business was discontinued in 2019.
Using Spotify in a business is a critical compliance risk. Civil claims from collecting societies can exceed €42,000 (Germany) or $150,000 per song (USA) in statutory damages.
What the Terms of Service Say
“§1.2: "The Spotify Service is only for your personal, non-commercial use."”
Source: Spotify Terms of Service
Business Product Discontinued
Spotify has been discontinued. There is currently no business-licensed version of Spotify available.
Legality by Country
| Country | Legal for Business? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Not legal | Not legal in Sweden. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Norway | Not legal | Not legal in Norway. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Denmark | Not legal | Not legal in Denmark. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Finland | Not legal | Not legal in Finland. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Germany | Not legal | Not legal in Germany. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Austria | Not legal | Not legal in Austria. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Switzerland | Not legal | Not legal in Switzerland. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Netherlands | Not legal | Not legal in Netherlands. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Belgium | Not legal | Not legal in Belgium. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| France | Not legal | Not legal in France. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| United Kingdom | Not legal | Not legal in United Kingdom. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Ireland | Not legal | Not legal in Ireland. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| United States | Not legal | Not legal in United States. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Canada | Not legal | Not legal in Canada. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| Australia | Not legal | Not legal in Australia. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
| New Zealand | Not legal | Not legal in New Zealand. ToS restricts use to personal, non-commercial purposes. |
The Legal Alternative
Track Studios is a business music service with an AI-generated catalog not registered with any collecting society. Venues using Track Studios are not invoiced by STIM, GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, or other PROs for the included music. €25/month per location.
Start free trialFrequently Asked Questions
- Is Spotify legal for business use?
- No. Spotify's Terms of Service (§1.2) prohibit use for anything other than personal, non-commercial purposes. Playing Spotify in a restaurant, gym, retail store, or any other business is a breach of contract with Spotify and may also trigger claims from local collecting societies (GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, etc.) for the underlying music rights. Spotify for Business was discontinued in 2019.
- Can I use Spotify in a restaurant?
- No. Restaurants using Spotify are in breach of its Terms of Service and may be liable to collecting societies (GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, etc.) for the underlying music rights.
- What is the alternative to Spotify for businesses?
- Track Studios is a business music service with an AI-generated catalog that is not registered with any collecting society. Venues using Track Studios' included music are not invoiced by GEMA, PRS, ASCAP, BMI, STIM, or other PROs. The subscription is €25/month per location.
- What does Spotify's Terms of Service say about business use?
- The relevant clause is: "§1.2: "The Spotify Service is only for your personal, non-commercial use."". Source: https://www.spotify.com/legal/end-user-agreement/.