Spotify moves shared plan users to free tier if they miss QR scan

Spotify has begun requiring members of Duo and Family plans to scan a QR code in person on the primary account holder's device. The company is enforcing its existing residency rules through this new digital verification step. Users must complete the scan within seven days to maintain their paid status.

The deadline is strict for those who miss the window. Any member who fails to scan the address-verification code within seven days will have their account moved down to the free tier. They will also be blocked from joining any other Duo or Family plan for 12 months. Spotify's support documentation confirms the policy details.

The policy follows a wave of user reports on Reddit describing the new prompts. The company's move aligns with its long-standing rule that plan members must live at the same address. This requirement aims to distinguish between actual household members and groups of friends pooling subscriptions to cut costs.

The enforcement strategy may affect a wide range of households. Families with members away at college or spouses traveling for work may find their arrangements challenged by the in-person requirement. The crackdown could reach beyond casual groups to legitimate families who believed they were using the plans as intended.

Financial analysts have identified this area as a revenue opportunity. A report by Goldman Sachs dated October 15, titled "Music in the Air: 10 Years On," estimated that a meaningful share of family plan users are not actual household members. The firm noted that enforcement of residency rules has been minimal in practice up to now.

The Goldman Sachs team sees additional monetization upside from tightening these checks. They argued that most multi-user plans require members to reside at the same address. The new QR code step suggests Spotify is moving to close the gap between its written rules and how it has applied them in the past.