Spotify changes developer mode API to require premium accounts, limits test users

Spotify is modifying how its APIs function within Developer Mode, the environment that allows developers to test third-party applications using the platform’s audio APIs. The update introduces several restrictions, including a mandatory Premium subscription, fewer test users, and limited access to API endpoints.

The company first introduced Developer Mode in 2021, enabling developers to test applications with up to 25 users. Under the new rules, Spotify will cap each application at five test users and require developers to have an active Premium account. Developers who want to make their apps available to a larger audience will need to apply for an extended usage quota.

Spotify said the changes are designed to address growing risks associated with AI-assisted and automated usage of its developer tools. “Over time, advances in automation and AI have fundamentally altered the usage patterns and risk profile of developer access, and at Spotify’s current scale, these risks now require more structured controls,” the company wrote in a blog post.

The company emphasised that Developer Mode is intended primarily for individual learning and experimentation.

“For individual and hobbyist developers, this update means Spotify will continue to support experimentation and personal projects, but within more clearly defined limits. Development Mode provides a sandboxed environment for learning and experimentation. It is intentionally limited and should not be relied on as a foundation for building or scaling a business on Spotify,” the company said.

As part of the update, Spotify is also deprecating several API endpoints. Developers will no longer be able to retrieve data such as new album releases, an artist’s top tracks, or information about the markets where a track is available. In addition, actions like requesting track metadata in bulk, accessing other users’ profile details, or pulling information about an album’s record label will no longer be supported. Data points such as artist follower counts and popularity metrics are also being removed.

The decision follows a series of steps Spotify has taken over the past few years to restrict how developers interact with its APIs. In November 2024, the company removed access to specific endpoints that exposed users’ listening behaviour, including data on frequently repeated tracks across different listener groups. That update also blocked access to technical details about tracks, such as structure, rhythm, and audio characteristics.

Then, in March 2025, Spotify revised its requirements for extended API quotas. Developers were required to operate a legally registered business, maintain at least 250,000 monthly active users, be available in key Spotify markets, and run an active, publicly launched service. Both changes sparked backlash from developers, many of whom argued that the platform was limiting innovation and favouring larger companies over independent and individual developers.