Spotify Changes Developer Mode API To Require Premium Accounts, Limits Test Users
Spotify Developer Mode now requires Premium accounts and cuts test users to five. See how API changes impact indie developers.
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Spotify Changes Developer Mode API To Require Premium Accounts, Limits Test Users
Spotify Developer Mode Now Requires Premium Accounts—Here's What Developers Lose Spotify is tightening access to its Developer Mode, requiring all testers to hold Premium subscriptions and slashing the number of allowed test users from 25 to just five. The audio giant also deprecated key API endpoints that previously enabled developers to pull artist popularity metrics, album label details, and bulk track metadata. These changes, effective immediately for new apps and rolling out to existing projects through March 2026, aim to curb AI-driven automation risks—but many indie developers warn the move stifles grassroots innovation on the platform. Credit: Spotify Why Spotify Says These API Restrictions Were Necessary In a detailed blog post published Thursday, Spotify framed the restrictions as a necessary evolution. "Over time, advances in automation and AI have fundamentally altered the usage patterns and risk profile of developer access," the company stated. At Spotify's …