JioSaavn, Gaana slash annual subscription prices by 70% to take on Spotify, YouTube Music

As two of the biggest music apps plant their feet on Indian soil, some of the country’s leading music applications are readying themselves for a major battle. JioSaavn and Gaana are making massive price-cuts in the wake of competition from YouTube Music and Spotify.

Although monthly fees JioSaavn and Gaana haven’t changed, the annual fee for both these services sees a price drop of around 70 percent. JioSaavn now costs Rs 299 a year, down from Rs 999, while Gaana is down to Rs 298 p.a. from Rs 1,098. Additionally, students can now get a year subscription to Gaana for just Rs 149 a year.

These numbers pale in comparison to Spotify monthly subscription of Rs 129 and a yearly subscription of Rs 1,198 and YouTube Music’s monthly subscription of Rs 99. YouTube doesn’t offer an annual subscription plan for its music app.

The primary objective for this price cuts seems to lock consumers down for a year. An entire year will also give both services to make improvements to several areas of their services to compete with the likes of Spotify and YouTube music. This seems evident considering both JioSaavn and Gaana are only offering discounted rates on their yearly subscription plan.

It’s worth noting that both JioSaavn and Gaana are free music apps. The subscription fees are only applicable for the paid versions of the service – JioSaavn Pro and Gaana Plus. YouTube music and Spotify are new entrants to the Indian market and are also offering free trails. YouTube music features a three-month free trial period without background play support, while Spotify is free to use for one month.

Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.