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Entertainment · head to head

Spotify vs StubHub

Spotify logo

Spotify

Entertainment

Music for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StubHub logo

StubHub

Entertainment

Ticket resale marketplace charging both buyers and sellers, with combined fees often a large share of face value

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Spotify ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month; StubHub combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • They diverge on capability: Spotify covers Music streaming, StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Spotify and StubHub actually diverge.

Attributes where Spotify and StubHub differ
AttributeSpotifyStubHub
Pricing modelfreemiumFree to browse, two sided transaction fees on buyers and sellers
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakersiOS, Android, Web
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Spotify

  • Music streaming
  • Podcast streaming
  • Playlist creation
  • Music discovery
  • Social sharing
  • Offline downloads
  • Cross-device sync
  • Audio quality options

Only in StubHub

  • Buy and sell marketplace
  • FanProtect guarantee
  • Price alerts
  • Interactive seat maps
  • Mobile and PDF ticket delivery
  • Seller payout tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Spotify

  • Music listeningnot StubHub
  • Podcast consumptionnot StubHub
  • Playlist sharingnot StubHub
  • Music discoverynot StubHub
  • Background musicnot StubHub

StubHub

  • A fan trying to buy a ticket to a sold-out event no longer available at face value from the primary sellernot Spotify
  • Someone who bought tickets they can no longer use and wants to resell themnot Spotify
  • A buyer wanting a guarantee that a resold ticket will be valid and delivered on timenot Spotify
  • Comparing seat locations and prices across multiple listings for the same event before buyingnot Spotify

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Spotify

  • Ad-free listening, offline downloads, lossless audio and unlimited skipping all require Premium at $12.99 a month
  • Lossless streaming tops out at 24-bit/44.1 kHz
  • The Duo plan at $18.99 a month covers two people and the Family plan at $21.99 covers a household, with no per-seat option between them

StubHub

  • Combined buyer and seller fees can amount to a large fraction of a ticket's face value, so the printed listing price understates the real total cost by a wide margin.
  • Buyer fees are typically not shown until near checkout, which regulators in the US and UK have specifically targeted as a form of drip pricing in the ticketing industry.
  • Sellers receive less than their listed price after StubHub's seller fee is deducted, which can surprise first-time sellers expecting to net the full listed amount.
  • As a secondary market, prices for popular events can be well above face value, and there is no guarantee of a cheaper option appearing before the event date.
  • Refund and guarantee terms depend on FanProtect policy conditions, and disputes over cancelled or changed events can take time to resolve through customer support.

Pricing, plan by plan

Spotify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad-supported listening
    • Standard audio quality
  • Premium Individual$12.99/month
    • 1 account
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads
  • Premium Student$6.99/month
    • 1 verified account for eligible students
    • Hulu access included
    • Ad-free listening
  • Premium Duo$18.99/month
    • 2 accounts for couples at same address
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads

StubHub

Free
  • Buyer fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee added at checkout, commonly around 20 to 30 percent or more of ticket price
    • Fee amount varies by event and is shown before final purchase confirmation
  • Seller fee$undefined/per transaction
    • Service fee deducted from the sale proceeds, historically around 10 to 15 percent
    • Rate can vary by event and seller volume

Which should you pick?

Choose Spotify if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
  • You also want podcast streaming.
Spotify review

Choose StubHub if

  • You need buy and sell marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want fanprotect guarantee.
StubHub review

Questions people ask

Is Spotify or StubHub better?
Neither clearly leads. Spotify starts at Free and StubHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Spotify or StubHub?
Spotify starts at Free and StubHub at Free.
Does Spotify or StubHub run on more platforms?
Spotify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers. StubHub runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Spotify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Spotify best used for?
Spotify is most often used for music listening, podcast consumption, playlist sharing, music discovery. Of those, music listening and podcast consumption are not what StubHub is typically brought in for.
What can Spotify do that StubHub cannot?
Spotify covers Music streaming, Podcast streaming, Playlist creation, Music discovery. StubHub covers Buy and sell marketplace, FanProtect guarantee, Price alerts, Interactive seat maps.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Spotify: Does Spotify offer a free plan?

Yes, Spotify offers a free ad-supported tier with standard audio quality. Users can listen to any song but do not get offline downloads, full playback control, or ad-free listening.

Source
StubHub: Does StubHub charge fees to both buyers and sellers?

Yes, it charges a service fee to sellers deducted from their proceeds, and a separate service fee to buyers added at checkout.

Spotify: What is the difference between Spotify Premium Student and Premium Individual?

Premium Student costs $6.99/month (half the price of Premium Individual at $12.99/month) and includes Hulu access. Premium Student is available only to verified higher education students with an introductory offer of $0 for 1 month, whereas Premium Individual has a $0 for 3 months introductory offer.

Source
StubHub: How much are StubHub fees in total?

They vary by event, but buyer fees are commonly in the range of 20 to 30 percent or more of the ticket price, and seller fees historically around 10 to 15 percent, so combined fees can be a large share of face value.

Spotify: How many people can share a Spotify Premium Family plan?

Spotify Premium Family plan allows up to 6 accounts for family members living at the same address, includes parental controls, and provides Premium access (including ad-free listening and offline downloads) for members under 13. The plan costs $21.99/month.

Source
StubHub: Are resold tickets guaranteed?

StubHub's FanProtect guarantee covers ticket validity, on-time delivery and event cancellation or significant changes, subject to its terms.

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