Most people use Spotify because it's easy. But unless you pay for Premium, you have to deal with ads, limited skips, and nearly no offline listening. So what's the best way to try as many of the same Premium features before you actually decide to subscribe—and keep going online every month just to keep your downloads? Free trials definitely help. But something called Spotube might offer more than you think—for free.
As a workaround, Spotube works in a clever way. If you'd like to give it a try, it runs on Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and more. Just a preview: it's faster, has no ads, doesn't track you, and works surprisingly well. Interested? This post will guide you through everything. Let's get started.
Part 1. What Is Spotube?
Spotube was developed as a response to common frustrations among Spotify users. Ads interrupt the music experience, offline listening remains locked behind a paywall, and DRM restrictions limit how songs can be used. These features are only available with a Premium subscription, leaving many users wanting more without paying extra. Spotube attempts to address this gap by providing many Premium features free of charge.
How Does Spotube Work?
How does it achieve this? Spotube does not stream music directly from Spotify. Instead, it accesses Spotify's public data—playlists, artists, track details—and pairs that information with audio sourced from free platforms like YouTube. This hybrid approach allows Spotube to deliver ad-free playback and offline downloads while avoiding many typical restrictions.
Key Functionality
The app leverages Spotify's API to recreate a familiar user interface, making it easy for users to navigate. It is designed to be lightweight and respectful of privacy, operating across Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and more. Users have praised Spotube's design and functionality, noting its ability to combine Spotify's extensive metadata with freely available audio streams, all without ads or cost. This helps maintain a clean and authentic experience.
Key Limitations
That said, Spotube is not without its flaws. Playback can sometimes be delayed, as songs take a few seconds to load. Because the audio comes from YouTube and similar sources, users might occasionally hear instrumental or cover versions instead of the original tracks. Large music libraries can present challenges, with Spotube struggling to find exact matches or experiencing slowdowns and crashes.
These issues are part of the current experience, but overall, Spotube provides a flexible, cost-free way to keep music beyond the limits of Spotify's official app.
Part 2. Is Spotube Safe and Legal to Use?
Beyond the user experience, there's a more significant legal side to consider. Spotube doesn't host or distribute music files directly, but it automates playback from third-party sources while using Spotify's interface and metadata. That approach—technically clever but legally murky—has now drawn official attention.
Recently, Spotify sent a cease-and-desist letter to Spotube's developer, citing violations of its terms and potential infringement of music rights. In response, the developer halted all official distribution of versions relying on Spotify's API—removing them from GitHub, app stores, and the official website. Spotify login, synced playlists, and saved tracks are no longer supported. From here on, Spotube will operate independently—without Spotify's data, recommendations, or account features.
So… what now?
Even so, Spotube isn't going away. The developer is actively rebuilding the app to stay within legal and platform guidelines. The new version, still in progress, will no longer rely on Spotify at all. Instead, the focus is shifting toward a more flexible, standalone experience that stays fully compliant.
Spotube will continue to offer ad-free, offline playback with strong privacy, though the setup may look different. Whether that means a redesigned interface—or something more experimental, like a command-line version—remains to be seen. For now, users can either wait or explore other options like Zotify, Spowlo, SpotDL, or ViWizard, depending on what they're looking for.

Download Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks as MP3 and more. Keep full sound and listen offline anytime.
Part 3. How to Install and Use the Spotube Mod APK
Feature | Details |
---|---|
Name | Spotube |
Type | Spotify client & music player (streaming/downloading via public sources) |
Open-source | Yes (GitHub) |
Platforms | Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS (TestFlight) |
Audio Sources | YouTube, Piped.video, JioSaavn |
Audio Formats | OGG (streaming), download behavior depends on backend (not fixed format) |
Bitrate | Up to 160–320kbps (depends on source, not Spotify-limited) |
Features | No ads, login support, offline downloads, time-synced lyrics, playlist sync, multiple audio backends, themes, lightweight UI |
Interface | Flutter-based native app (cross-platform) |
Dependencies (Linux) | Flatpak, libffmpeg (if using video backends), optional AUR packages |
Mobile Support | Yes (Android, iOS via TestFlight) |
Pricing | Free |
Since Spotube isn't available on official app stores, you need to install it manually. Download the Spotube APK from trusted sources like GitHub or Reddit. Before installing, make sure your phone allows apps from unknown sources in the settings. After installation, open the app. You can use it without logging in and still search for songs, artists, or playlists. The app is lightweight and runs smoothly on most devices. It doesn't track you or slow down your device.
Note: These steps apply only to the previous version of Spotube. A full, brand-new upgrade is in development that will change how the app works and is installed. You may find it hard to locate the APK on Google Play, the official website, or GitHub because the developer has halted all distributions there.
How to Install and Use Spotube on Android
- Go to Spotube's official GitHub Releases page: https://github.com/KRTirtho/spotube/releases and download the latest Android APK file.
- Enable installation from unknown sources:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Special app access > Install unknown apps.
- Choose your browser or file manager and enable Allow from this source.
- Open the downloaded APK file and tap Install.
- Launch Spotube from your app list.
- (Optional) Log in with your Spotify account to access playlists and liked songs.
- Choose your preferred audio source: YouTube, Piped, or JioSaavn in Settings.
- Search for songs or browse your library, then play or download tracks.
- If playback fails, switch audio source or restart the app.
How to Install and Use Spotube on Windows
- Open PowerShell (do not run as administrator).
- Install Spotube using one of the following:
- WinGet:
winget install --id KRTirtho.Spotube
- Chocolatey:
choco install spotube
- Scoop:
scoop bucket add extrasscoop install spotube
- WinGet:
- If a DLL error appears (e.g.
VCRUNTIME140_1.dll
), install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable. - Launch Spotube from the Start Menu.
- (Optional) Log in and select your audio source to begin using.
How to Install and Use Spotube on macOS
- Open Terminal and install via Homebrew:
brew tap krtirtho/apps
brew install --cask spotube - Or download the latest
.dmg
file from GitHub and install it manually. - Open the app from Launchpad or Applications.
- Log in with Spotify, select your audio source, and start listening.
- If playback fails, try switching sources in Settings.
How to Install and Use Spotube on Linux
- Open Terminal and follow your distro's install method:
- Debian/Ubuntu: Download
.deb
from GitHub and runsudo apt install ./Spotube-linux-x86_64.deb - Fedora/openSUSE: Download
.rpm
and runsudo dnf install ./Spotube-linux-x86_64.rpm - Arch/Manjaro:
yay -S spotube-bin
- Flatpak (recommended):
flatpak install com.github.KRTirtho.Spotube
- Debian/Ubuntu: Download
- Launch Spotube from the applications menu.
- Log in and configure your preferred audio backend.
- If songs skip or fail, switch to a different backend.
Part 4. Top Alternatives to Spotube Mod APK
Using a Spotify APK like Spotube lets you listen offline and without ads, but it can have risks. These include security, privacy, and legal problems because the apps come from unofficial sources. If you want a safer and more reliable way to get the Spotify experience, try ViWizard Spotify Music Converter.
Why Choose ViWizard Spotify Music Converter?
ViWizard works by connecting directly to Spotify's official Web Player. This means you get the real Spotify look to browse your library, playlists, and podcasts easily. It removes the limits of Spotify's free plan—like ads, limited skips, and no offline listening—by letting you download and convert Spotify songs to your device. The downloaded music is free of ads and restrictions, and you can play it on any device.
To start, just download ViWizard Spotify Music Converter for Windows or Mac. Log in with your Spotify account using the built-in Web Player. Then you can import your songs, playlists, podcasts, or audiobooks (if you have them). It's easy to use and safe—no tricky installs or unofficial apps. If you want a safer and official way to get offline Spotify music, ViWizard is a great choice.

Key Features of ViWizard Spotify Music Converter
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- Download Spotify songs, playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks extremely fast at up to 15x speed
- Convert Spotify into MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B losslessly
- Lets you play Spotify tracks offline on any device without restrictions
- Works seamlessly on Windows and macOS, supporting the built-in Spotify Web Player
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