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

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.