Spotify: Free Users Will Be Limited to 10-Hour Monthly Cap

Spotify

Music streaming services are all the rage lately, with European crossover Spotify leading the pack. Now, the Verge reports that the beloved free program may soon cost you a few bucks a month.

As detailed in Spotify's original terms of service, early U.S. sign-ups gave users six months of unlimited free streaming from its launch on July 14, 2011. As of this January, the Swedish company has ended the honeymoon phase and will soon implement a 10-hour monthly cap on all free accounts.

According to Billboard (via Social Times), Spotify's earnings jumped from just under $18 million in 2009 to $99 million in 2010. Despite the tremendous increase, Spotify still lost $41.5 million due to the extreme costs of licensing thousands of songs.