Soundcloud’s New $9.99 Streaming Service to Compete With Apple Music [Updated]

[MacRumors]

In a recent update to its iOS app, popular streaming music platform Soundcloud added a subscription model into the service that will provide users with a few premium monthly upgrades on top of the discoverability and personalization previously offered.

As discovered by The Verge, the service is called "Soundcloud Go" and will run users $12.99 on a monthly basis if purchased through the App Store, with a free 30 day trial to test the waters beforehand. Outside of the iOS App Store, SoundCloud Go will cost $9.99/month.

The announcement has yet to be made official by Soundcloud, but in the version 4.0.0 update release notes, the company lists a few ways upgrading to the monthly subscription could benefit its users. These advantages include a bolstered track list, the ability to listen offline, and the removal of interspersed advertisements within playlists.

Upgrade to SoundCloud Go to:
- Play all tracks
Access a newly expanded catalog of everything from Grammy-winners to garage bands

- Listen offline
Listen to your favorite tracks anytime, anywhere, with or without a signal

- Go ad-free
Listen without any ad interruptions

Soundcloud Go joins a growing list of streaming music services on offer for users to choose from, most of which are available on iOS for $9.99 per month: Apple Music, Spotify Premium, and Tidal, among others. There are variations on monthly subscriptions when factoring in family plans and an upper-tier "Tidal HiFi" offering that promises better quality sound for $19.99/month, but for the most part SoundCloud Go will enter the streaming music market at the same level as its rivals.

SoundCloud can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Update: A previous version of this article stated the monthly cost of SoundCloud Go was $12.99 everywhere, but the company has confirmed that price is only due to the fee Apple charges for App Store subscriptions.

Article Link: Soundcloud's New $9.99 Streaming Service to Compete With Apple Music [Updated]

 

[Paradoxally]

$12.99 to listen to crappy mixtapes and EDM samples? You're having a laugh.

 

[Mjmar]

Are they kidding

 

[Fuchal]

$12.99 a year?

 

[BlueCreek]

$12.99 for a seriously lacking music library.

Edit: Now looking at the updated app, I cannot see any of these features or anyway of getting to 'Soundcloud Go'. Am I missing something?

 

[_Refurbished_]

Today, I'm subscribing to Soundcloud.

- said no one ever

 

[WarHeadz]

Wow. Apple Music is already at the top of how much I'm willing to pay for music streaming. The only reason I don't use Spotify is Apple Music's Siri integration. I use it very often in my car because there's a Siri button on my steering wheel.

 

[Rob198612]

Not impressed for that price

 

[Zimmy68]

I just don't get how these companies sit around and come up with this $12.99 price point.
That horse has left the barn. There are too many other options to survive with that.
You charge $2 - $5, people wouldn't think twice, but $13? Are you kidding me?

 

[Statusnone88]

Another day, another low-brow, overpriced for what you get, music streaming service that most people won't subscribe to. Cool

 

[Techyguy]

Should be priced at 9.99 same as Apple. Competition is good for everyone

 

[69Mustang]

Day late and a dollar short. $12.99 is a pretty dumb price point when $9.99 is the current high watermark for the most popular streaming services (Tidal doesn't count cuz I said popular). Moreover, for $2 more you can get a family plan with Apple Music or All Access (which includes YouTube Red).

 

[mbh1976]

The only way I'm changing music services is if Pandora magically brings Rdio back.

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

This announcement disappoints me as an apple customer. I don't care at all about the new streaming service but I think the price increase due to apples 30% is just an apple tax. It's a bit of a slap in the face to customers who don't know about apples policy or the ability to purchase a cheaper subscription outside the App Store and just reinforces the "everything *apple* costs more"

 

[Rogifan]

Should be priced at 9.99 same as Apple. Competition is good for everyone

It is if subscribed outside of App Store. Apple shouldn't be getting 30% of monthly subscription fees anyway. Apple isn't hosting the content so what is the 30% for? A commission for having access to the iOS install base? Does that warrant $3/mo for every subscription? I don't think so.

 

[Star Brood]

What one of these streaming services needs to do to entice me to one of these obscene monthly subscriptions is to give 5-10 songs of the user's choice per month permanently, even when the subscription runs out.

 

[Studioman]

This announcement disappoints me as an apple customer. I don't care at all about the new streaming service but I think the price increase due to apples 30% is just an apple tax. It's a bit of a slap in the face to customers who don't know about apples policy or the ability to purchase a cheaper subscription outside the App Store and just reinforces the "everything *apple* costs more"

You miss the point. If you want access to customers Apple has paid to market to and build the service as well as handle the credit card processing returns and customer service as well as be linked to their brand which increases your brands value, then you pay 30%. If you product and marketing is good enough to stand on its own, then market yourself, drive customers to your site and sign them up there. You can then offer a free app to access on the App Store. The reason companies offer in app purchase is because they know their customer acquisition cost are going to be much higher than 30% to get those same customers, especially for a new company or product. The bump in price is really a slap in the face from the merchant. Remember using the in app subscription model or purchase is optional. If it wasn't more profitable they would just go with their own site and not try to feed off Apples efforts.

 

[12vElectronics]

Lol no thanks. I have run into a lot of people who do use Sound Cloud but I doubt any of them will be subscribing. The only reason they were using soundcloud was because they're too cheap to pay for Apple Music or any of the other streaming services..

 

[dannyyankou]

Soundcloud, April Fools is on Friday.

 

[69Mustang]

It is if subscribed outside of App Store. Apple shouldn't be getting 30% of monthly subscription fees anyway. Apple isn't hosting the content so what is the 30% for? A commission for having access to the iOS install base? Does that warrant $3/mo for every subscription? I don't think so.

Agreed. I could even see an initial $3 fee and then $9.99 thereafter. I think that sucks as well, but it's a compromise that seems livable. Personally, I'd just subscribe outside the App Store and be done with it. It's no harder or less convenient.

Why anyone would have a reoccurring subscription through the App Store is beyond me.

 

[2457282]

What one of these streaming services needs to do to entice me to one of these obscene monthly subscriptions is to give 5-10 songs of the user's choice per month permanently, even when the subscription runs out.

That could actually be something for folks like me that prefer to own over rent. Still, at over 20k songs in my library, my rate of purchase has slowed (partially because of the bonehead move by Apple to kill the radio feature preventing me from discovering anything new to purchase). But I like the idea and applaud you for the innovative thinking.

 

[Kaibelf]

In other news, Kim Kardashian is starting a streaming service. And then Bieber Music will launch, followed by GrubHub Tunes, and then Samsung S-Stream.

 

[mbh1976]

What one of these streaming services needs to do to entice me to one of these obscene monthly subscriptions is to give 5-10 songs of the user's choice per month permanently, even when the subscription runs out.

How is $10/month obscene? That is basically the cost of one album.

 

[Kaibelf]

This announcement disappoints me as an apple customer. I don't care at all about the new streaming service but I think the price increase due to apples 30% is just an apple tax. It's a bit of a slap in the face to customers who don't know about apples policy or the ability to purchase a cheaper subscription outside the App Store and just reinforces the "everything *apple* costs more"

To be fair, it's not really Apple's job to provide a storefront for a direct competitor for free.

 

[PowerBook-G5]

Are they kidding

You can't be serious!

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tvfhmhITkYY/hqdefault.jpg