Podcast locked

[26415474]

Plan

Free/Premium

Country

Device

(iPhone 8, Samsung Galaxy 9, Macbook Pro late 2016)

Operating System

(iOS 10, Android Oreo, Windows 10,etc.)

My Question or Issue

I am on a premium plan but a podcast I want to listen to is locked? What is the issue? 

[Ivelina]

Hey there @26415474,

Thanks for posting this thread in the Community!

It's worth mentioning that podcast paid subscriptions are independent from Spotify Premium subscriptions, so this is why the podcast that you want to listen to is locked.

In order to be able to access this content, you'd have to subscribe and more info on podcast paid subscriptions you can find in this help article. 

If you encounter any issues, however, don't hesitate to let us know so we can assist you further.

Keep us posted and we're here if anything else comes up 🙂

[Bruinsmamaarten]

Dear Spotify, locking the final episode of a podcast season behind a paywall is unacceptable. This kind of paywall tactic feels exploitative and undermines the trust and loyalty of your users. Please reconsider this approach and prioritize a fair experience for everyone.

[dan_mcloughlin]

Firstly, I pay for Spotify premium so why am I getting ads in the middle of podcasts? I understand the embedded ads but the separate ads are a joke.

Now my podcast feed is full of episodes I can’t play because they cost extra? I don’t want to see them.

ive been with Spotify for over a decade and I’m on the verge of cancelling over this. 

[Dito3]

I want to know if this is permanent. I haven’t seen Spotify say anything about this being an error or bug. If it is I will be promptly moving on. I will not log into a computer everyday to get rid of these episodes I don’t need to see. Amazon music sucks but at least it’s an add on and not an annoyance I’m actively paying for. 

[bombshelltom]

If they are separate from Spotify, stop promoting them on Spotify. They can get subscribers to go to their platform. This is nonsense. It has to stop. 

[feralmillennial]

If I already pay for Spotify premium, there is no way I am willing to subscribe to another service within the platform. Paying an additional $6/month is absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!! It is expensive enough, either make everything available or do not show me things I cannot access. This practice is an enormous slap in the face to supporters of spotify who already pay for premium. Shame on you!!!!

[feralmillennial]

This response is deliberately worded to confuse users.

The reality is that Spotify Premium subscribers are now seeing locked content in the app that requires an additional payment to access.

This isn’t a glitch or a mistake—this is a deliberate change.

Do not waste our time with confusing, nonsens responses: paying for Spotify Premium no longer means full access to content, and now some podcasts require an extra fee. Shame on you!