Long-awaited, often postponed, but now the time has finally come: Spotify has officially announced the arrival of its Lossless mode for all Premium subscribers, at no extra cost. A major development, marking a turning point in the Swedish giant’s music streaming history. Here’s what we know.
A long wait
Spotify, the streaming pioneer and leader, lost some of its appeal with more discerning users in recent years due to the absence of an HD catalog. To reassure its subscribers, the Swedish platform first hinted at a HiFi service as early as February 2021, promising lossless CD-quality audio streams. But the road from announcement to launch has been a long one: negotiations with record companies, technical developments, competitor constraints… All these factors have delayed the actual launch of Lossless streaming. Rivals such as Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz and Amazon already launched Hi-res music several years ago, often at no extra cost to the user. As a result, Spotify found itself lagging behind, both in terms of technology and image, on this increasingly decisive criterion. The company is therefore seeking to reaffirm its leading position by launching Lossless audio.
What quality does Spotify Lossless offer?
Spotify presents its Lossless offering as a significant improvement in audio quality, compared to its current maximum stream (320 kbps), but without reaching the full range already offered elsewhere. The format chosen is FLAC, with a resolution of up to 24-bit/44.1kHz, which is slightly higher quality than CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz). The platform therefore surpasses Deezer Hi-Fi, which is limited to CD-quality, but remains below the standards of many competitors such as Qobuz, which can achieve 24-bit/192kHz resolution.
Not all, but “almost all” tracks will be in this maximum quality according to Spotify. Users will be able to activate Lossless mode in the settings, for Wi-Fi, mobile data, or downloads, depending on their preferences. Spotify also indicates that streaming via Spotify Connect is the best way to take full advantage of Lossless. As for compatible devices, we already know that brands such as Sony, Bose, Sennheiser and Samsung are involved, while Sonos and Amazon will see an extension of compatibility shortly.
Availability and conditions
Lossless audio is not active everywhere just yet. The service will be made available in over 50 countries by October 2025. Among the first to benefit are Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom. France is not among the immediate launch countries, but Spotify has confirmed that Lossless mode will be available “in the coming weeks”.
Lossless quality at no extra cost
One of the most important points in this announcement is that Lossless is included for all Premium subscribers at no extra cost. This was not a given: rumors mentioned a surcharge, or even a more expensive subscription, to benefit from the improved audio quality. Spotify has clearly decided against these options so as not to fall behind its competitors. The €12 per month Premium subscription will therefore remain the entry ticket. It should be noted, however, that the costs to the user in terms of data (streaming) or storage (downloads) will automatically increase in this mode. As Spotify points out, Lossless files are larger, streams consume more data and downloadable tracks require more storage space.
The arrival of Lossless on Spotify can be seen as a way for the company to catch up with its competitors, but also as an affirmation of a new standard that is more in line with listeners’ expectations: audio quality is now the priority. Spotify is once again an appealing service for those who listen to music on high-quality equipment. However, the platform does not currently offer immersive audio (spatial, Dolby Atmos, etc.) in this Lossless format. This is not necessarily a disadvantage for everyone, but it should be taken into account when comparing Spotify to the competition.
