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How to Convert Spotify Song/Playlist to MP3 (7 Helpful Ways)

By Iris Holmes

Updated on October 25, 2023

It is becoming increasingly common to convert Spotify to MP3 in high quality. This is due to the limitation that songs downloaded on Spotify are only played on the app, leaving those with a free account unable to use this feature. And Spotify only allows its Premium users to download songs. You can't enjoy this feature if you are using a Spotify Free account.

To help you successfully convert Spotify songs to MP3 and stream them on any device you prefer, I will introduce an effective way, using a professional Spotify converter that enables you to transform any Spotify music into common formats. In addition, I will present four alternative methods for your consideration.

Part 1. Why Do You Need to Convert Spotify to MP3?

Since Spotify encrypts its music delivery due to DRM protection, listeners are unable to play the songs outside the app, modify or transfer Spotify songs. That's why people want to remove DRM from Spotify music to have flexible playback or further processing. For more information, let's take a look below.


Differences in Playback and Other Usage
Audio downloaded on Spotify are cache files and can only be recognized by the Spotify app. Every time you move them to other devices for playback or import them to an audio editor like WavePad for editing, it disappoints you with errors. But after converting them to MP3, you can play them or edit them easily and flexibly.

Spotify Format and Quality
Spotify uses the Ogg Vorbis audio format for music streaming encoded in AAC, which ensures a smaller file size and better audio quality. That means it can provide a better streaming experience even if the internet is dodgy.

It delivers different audio quality for free users and premium users. Also, it may vary from where your stream Spotify music. Meanwhile, you should note that the higher bitrate and sample rate are, the better the sound quality will be.

● For Spotify free listeners, the highest quality is at AAC 128kbps on a web player and 160kbps on its app.
● For Spotify premium listeners, the highest quality goes up to AAC 256kbps on a web player and 320kbps on the app.

Compared to MP3, OGG Vorbis offers slightly better compression than MP3 and better sound quality at the same bitrate.


Where Does Spotify Download Music to?
The locations vary from device to device as follows. Even if you find out the downloads, they are totally DRM-protected and cannot be played outside the Spotify app.

● For Windows PC, the location is C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Spotify\Storage.
● For macOS, Spotify music will be saved in /Users/ username/Library/Application Support/Spotify/PersistentCache/Storage.
● For Android, go to this directory: Android/data/com.spotify.mobile.android.ui/files/spotifycache/Storage/.
● For iOS, the downloaded Spotify music is encrypted and hidden.

However, even though you find the downloaded files, you can't directly convert them with common format file converters because they are encrypted. So, the problem here is how to decrypt Spotify songs without quality loss. In this case, you should find a way to convert Ogg Vorbis to MP3 and then enjoy DRM-free playback of Spotify music. To keep the highest quality, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter works like a charm to retain the original quality of up to 320kbps.

tunefab-logo

Spotify Music Converter

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Part 2. How to Convert Spotify to MP3 with Professional Software

There are many Spotify to MP3 converters you can find on the internet, whether they are shareware or freeware. But the best way to convert songs from Spotify smoothly and at a high speed is definitely using a professional tool.

TuneFab Spotify Music Converter is the one providing you great converting experience and saving Spotify songs in nearly original quality. Moreover, this tool is designed for not only Spotify Premium but also Spotify Free users to batch convert Spotify songs, tracks, albums, playlists, and even the whole music library to some playable file formats, like MP3.

TuneFab Spotify Music Converter

  • Convert Spotify songs to MP3 and other common formats in 320kbps
  • Customize bitrate, sample rate to match original sound quality
  • Support batch conversion and work at 35X faster speed, finishing conversion at once
  • Remove ads from Spotify Free when converting, guaranteeing interruption-free offline playback experience
  • Define the file title for the output audio and automatically archive them in folders.

More Amazing Features to Discover
Original Sound Quality Preserved - With output format MP3, FLAC, etc, and adjustable sample rate and bitrate, which are the two factors that determine the quality of digital audio, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter helps you convert Spotify music in original sound quality. MP3 provides you with flexible playback and if you prefer CD audio quality, this converter can also convert Spotify content to WAV/FLAC/AIFF/ALAC to ensure lossless quality.

Music ID3 Metadata Retained - It saves the title, artists, Track ID, and album artwork for the downloaded MP3 files. This information can be crucial for organizing and navigating your music library. Even though you transfer and listen to your converted songs on your MP3 player or your car, the song metadata can be well-displayed.

Unlimited Downloads - This software helps you easily convert Spotify songs albums, and playlists as many as you want. You can either change the output folder to other disks instead of the C drive or download tons of songs to your external hard drive if you have one, without worrying about your storage.

Instant Access - Obsoleting the mode of copying and pasting Spotify song links for song downloading, this tool is embedded with the Spotify web player, on which you can log in to your Spotify account, search for new songs, or navigate to your playlists, then directly drag them for music conversion easily.

For more info, please refer to the review on TuneFab Spotify Music Converter.

What makes it the best choice is its all-around functions & features listed above. With them, almost all your needs can be met. After getting the whole picture of TuneFab Spotify Music Converter, now you can follow the steps below to convert Spotify to MP3.

Step 1. Download and Launch Spotify to MP3 Converter

TuneFab Spotify Music Converter supports Windows 7/8/10/11 and Mac OS X 10.12 or higher. Choose the right version and download it from the download button above on your computer. After the installation, launch the program, and enter Spotify web player.


Spotify Music Converter Main Interface

Step 2. Login Spotify Web Player and Analyze Playlist

In the built-in Spotify web player, log in to your Spotify account and open the playlist or album you need to convert. Once you add the songs to the conversion list, you can sort the songs by song title, artist, album, or duration to change the conversion order before you start. Moreover, you can directly search for the song's title to locate the song you like most precisely. After finishing setting, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter will automatically analyze the playlist/album for you.

Analyze Spotify Playlist in TuneFab

Step 3. Choose MP3 as Spotify Output Format

When all Spotify songs are added, now please move on to the output settings step, by clicking to go to "Preference" settings.

#1 Go to the "Advanced" tab. You can customize the file format, bitrate,sample rate and other output settings. And as for the file format, TuneFab offers several popular file formats, MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, and AIFF. Here we recommend choosing MP3 as the output format.

Note that you may consider converting Spotify to FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, or WAV if you want a more lossy compression with higher quality than MP3 does.

Select Output Format

#2 Go to "General" (Optional), you can change the default output folder and output presets for audio file title and folder archive. If you don't make any changes, then it will store all the converted Spotify music by default.

Choose Output Folder

Step 4. Start to Convert Spotify to MP3

Now, you can just click on the "Convert All" or "Convert X Items" button and the program will start converting Spotify playlist or songs to MP3. When the whole conversion is finished, you can directly play the converted songs inside this program, or transfer the songs to any compatible device you like.

Convert Spotify Music to MP3

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

Convert Spotify music to MP3 in batch

Keep original song quality

Retain ID3 tags and metadata

Fast conversion speed to save time

Flexible customization settings

Cons

Offer limited functions in the free trial version

Only work on Windows or macOS.

Part 3. How to Convert Music from Spotify to MP3 with a Free Tool

Even though the professional tool TuneFab Spotify Music Converter lets you try it for free and convert Spotify to MP3 effectively in high quality, you still need to pay for it after 30 days. If you prefer a totally free tool instead of shareware, you can try AllToMP3 which is compatible with Windows, Mac and even GNU/Linux computers.

With this downloader, you can easily download Spotify single tracks or playlists with their URLs and save songs as MP3 in 256kbps. The best part is that the ID3 tags can be preserved and even though you paste a link of your Spotify playlist, this tool can get the songs downloaded in batches.

The downside of using AllToMP3 is that it's not stable. It sometimes fails to convert Spotify songs even though it can analyze the information from the song/playlist URL. Besides, it's free to use so the developers do not maintain the service frequently. That's why AllToMP3 not working occurs from time to time. Thus, the best alternative is to use TuneFab Spotify Music Converter.

Here's how to download Spotify music to MP3 with AllToMP3:

Step 1.

Open the AllToMP3 website and click the download button according to your computer OS. And install this tool.

AllToMP3 Interface

Step 2.

Go to the Spotify web player or launch the Spotify app. Log in to it with your account. Copy the link of the song or the playlist you want to download.

Step 3.

Launch AllToMP3, paste the URL to it and hit enter. After a while, the Spotify songs will be downloaded to your computer.

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

Preserve ID3 tags

Support batch conversion

Download songs from YouTube, SoundCloud as well

Open-source tool

Cons

Crash from time to time

Only support output quality 256kbps

Part 4. How to Convert Songs from Spotify to MP3 Online

There are also tunes of free online Spotify to MP3 converters that can help you convert Spotify songs to MP3 without installing any software. Among them, Spotifydown is a relatively amazing one that can help you quickly convert your favorite Spotify tracks to MP3 with a simple click. With this program, no matter if you are a Spotify Free user or a premium user, you can finally get MP3 Spotify downloads with relatively high quality and ID3 tag preservation.

Note: It's a pity that this online Spotify to MP3 converter can't help you convert Spotify playlists, albums or podcasts to MP3. And like most online tools, there are many pop-up ads on its webpage that can't protect your computer from malware attacks. Therefore, if you want to convert Spotify playlists/albums/podcasts to MP3, or if you want a security-guaranteed program, then TuneFab Spotify Music Converter is your best pick!

Step 1.

Launch the Spotify App or navigate to the Spotify website, and search for the Spotify songs that you want to convert to MP3.

Step 2.

Click the three dots near the song and click "Share" to choose "Copy Link".

Share Music Link

Step 3.

Paste the copied link on the text input and click "Download". Then it will start converting Spotify songs to MP3 automatically.

Online Converter SpotifyDown Interface

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

It's free and easy to use

Supports multiple audio formats such as FLAC to MP3, WAV to MP3, etc.

Get MP3 Spotify downloads with ID3 tags retained

Cons

Can't convert playlists/albums/podcasts from Spotify to MP3

Ads pop up on the main interface

Part 5. How to Convert Spotify Music to MP3 with an Audio Recorder

Another common solution is to recordopting advanced Spotify songs when playing music from your computer. Many third-party audio recording tools can meet the demands, for instance, Cinch Audio Recorder can be an ideal option. It is available for Mac and Windows. Adopting advanced recording technology, this is a professional audio recording tool that can flexibly capture sound from your computer. And no doubt that you can use it to convert Spotify to MP3 easily.

Using Cinch Audio Recorder to record Spotify to MP3 is easy, and you can ignore the OGG Vorbis protection and enjoy its editing feature after the recording. More surprisingly, you can also save the recorded songs at 320kbps and the ID3 tags & metadata can be well preserved. But it's obvious, you can only record one song at a time, which is more time-consuming than the two methods introduced before. Now let's see how to use it to record Spotify songs to MP3.

Step 1.

Free download Cinch Audio Recorder and install it on your computer.

Step 2.

Launch the program and simply open the Spotify web player or app. Due to the fact that streaming music from Spotify web player is in 128kbps, if you wish to convert Spotify music to MP3 in higher quality, it's better to use the Spotify app.

Step 3.

Navigate to the song you wish to convert, hit the round record button on the top left of the recorder, then play the music. When the music is playing, start recording it with Cinch Audio Recorder. When done, click the "Stop" button to end the recording.

Record Spotify Music to MP3

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

It's free

Easy to operate

Convert Spotify to MP3 in 320kbps

Keep all ID3 Tags

Cons

Can't convert Spotify songs in batch

Time-consuming

Part 6. How to Convert Spotify to MP3 via Terminal-Based Chimera

If you are a professional and advanced user that wants to convert Spotify to MP3 with more challenges, you can opt for the Chimera. Based on a command line, Chimera can help you grab tracks from multiple source of music, like SoundCloud, Tidal, Deezer, Spotify, Google Play Music, Qobuz, and more. This program is totally free to use and it's well available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. However, there is no GUI app, so you need to set it up from the command line. You can follow the detailed guide below to grasp the idea.

Note: It may be quite complicated when you use this program to operate the command line to grab your tracks. Therefore, if you are a non-technical person, then Chimera is not suitable for you. For those who just want to convert Spotify to MP3 with simple steps, you can go for TuneFab Spotify Music Converter instead.

Step 1.

Firstly, you need to download the python with the 64-bit version. Just click here to download and install. Make sure you choose the option "Add Python 3.8 to Path", or you need to add the path manually.

Step 2.

Extract the Chimera after downloading the latest version of Chimera. Then you can copy the Chimera folder to your C folder.

Step 3.

Tap on Windows+R and launch the command prompt by typing the CMD. Next, type in ''cd[the path to your Chimera]''.

Step 4.

Install the required requirements after typing the following command: pip install -r requirements.txt

Step 5.

Next, launch the Chimera by typing the '' main.py''. Then you can launch the ''Chimera Config page'' from the web browser.

Step 6.

Now, you can type Spotify and then paste the Spotify link to convert songs from Spotify to MP3.

Convert Spotify to MP3 Chimera

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

Be compatible with many devices

Support converting music to MP3 from multiple music sevice

A free open-source program

Cons

The setup of the tool is seriously complicated

Not suitable for a non-tech-savvy person

Part 7. How to Convert Spotify Songs to MP3 via RoutineHub Shortcut (For iOS)

RoutineHub is a website that you can get various shortcuts to convert Spotify to MP3 on your iOS devices with Siri Shortcuts. Spotify To MP3 is one of the shortcuts it provides, enabling you download Spotify as MP3 files for free with user-friendly bot interface and customizable workflows.

To convert Spotify songs to MP3 via RoutineHub shortcut, you will need an iPhone or iPad under iOS 15 with the Shortcuts app installed, as well as a free RoutineHub account. Once you have all of the necessary components, follow these steps:

Step 1.

Go to RoutineHub to get the shortcut and add it to your device.

Step 2.

Copy the link of song that you want to convert on your Spotify app, then paste the URL of the Spotify song into the "URL" field.

Step 3.

Once you enter the shareable link, the Spotify To MP3 Shortcut will begin to analyse the song and download it as an MP3 file. Once finished, you can navigate to " iCloud > Shortcuts > Music" to locate the downloaded Spotify music file.

Download Spotify to MP3 via iOS Shortcut

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

It offers initiative bot interface.

You can customize the workflows as preference.

Free for you to convert Spotify to MP3

Cons

Sometimes, it fails to use.

Only support downloading the maximum of 30 songs

Part 8. How to Convert Spotify to MP3 via SpotiFlyer (For Android)

SpotiFlyer is a free and open-source music downloader that allows you to download songs, albums, playlists, and podcasts from a wide range of music platforms, like Spotify, YouTube Music, SoundCloud, and Gaana. With this Spotify to MP3 program, you can get MP3 Spotify Music with ID3 tag preservation and 320kbps output quality.

SpotiFlyer is easy to use and does not require any technical knowledge. Better yet, not only is it available for Android, it's also compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. To convert Spotify to MP3 via SpotiFlyer, follow these steps:

Step 1.

Get the download source from Github and use the provided link to download and install SpotiFlyer to your Android device.

Step 2.

Run Spotify app to copy the URL of song you want to download.

Step 3.

Back to SpotiFlyer and paste the URL to the designated field. Then click "Download" to start downloading Spotify music to MP3.

Download Spotify to MP3 via SpotiFlyer

Pros and cons of this method

Pros

It's compatible with various device systems.

You can get the MP3 downloads in high quality and ID3 tag preservation.

It's totally free.

Cons

It may lack maintenance, causing it fails to convert sometimes.

It only works for those who are available for YouTube Music and JioSaavn.

FAQs About Converting Spotify Songs to MP3

1. Is It Legal and Ethical to Convert Spotify to MP3?

That depends. If you don't make profits out of Spotify MP3s, it's okay to download copyright-free Spotify music. There are some playlists that are royalty-free on Spotify, you can go and add them to your library for enjoyment or download them for offline listening. Or you can also burn audio CDs from Spotify, perform DJ, or add Spotify songs to videos using converted Spotify MP3s to make awesome MP4 videos. However, you'll violate the laws if you're selling or using Spotify music to earn money.

2. Can You Convert Spotify to MP3 If Using a Spotify Free Plan?

Yes. The methods provided in this post are applicable to those who are using either Spotify Premium or Spotify Free. All the methods enable you to convert Spotify to MP3 without premium. However, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter can ensure the best audio quality and batch convert songs, albums, and playlists with ease.

3. How to Convert Spotify Music to MP3 in High Quality?

Generally, only Spotify Premium users can enjoy a very high-quality sound (with a bitrate of 320kbps). But if you convert Spotify to MP3 on TuneFab Spotify Music Converter, you can get the files in the best Spotify music quality by setting the sample rate and bitrate from the preference advanced tab.

1. Hit the hamburger icon on the top right and go to "Preferences".
2. Click "Advanced" and select 48kHz for the sample rate, and 320kbps for the bitrate. Then save it. high-Quality Setting

Conclusion: Which Is the Best Way to Convert Spotify to MP3?

Up till now, you have got 7 ways to convert Spotify music to MP3 easily. If you are not sure which one to choose, check the comparison below and you can pick the one that suits you most.

Use TuneFab Spotify Music Converter Use AllToMP3 Use SpotifyDown Use Cinch Audio Recorder Use Chimera Use RoutineHub Shortcut Use SpotiFlyer
What Can Be Converted Spotify playlists, albums, podcasts and even all songs from an artist's page Songs or playlists from Spotify, YouTube and SoundCloud Spotify songs Any audio content Songs or playlists from Spotify, SoundCloud, etc. Spotify songs Spotify songs
Music Quality Lossless Medium High High High High High
Conversion Speed 35X faster Medium Medium Same as the song duration Medium Medium Medium
Batch Conversion form-tick form-tick form-fork form-fork form-fork form-fork form-fork
ID3 Preservation form-tick form-tick form-tick form-tick form-tick form-tick form-tick
Convert songs without ads form-tick form-tick form-fork

form-fork

(for Spotify Free)

form-tick form-tick form-tick
Stable form-tick form-fork

(sometimes crashes)

form-fork

(sometimes crashes)

form-fork

(sometimes crashes)

form-fork

(sometimes crashes)

form-fork

(sometimes crashes)

form-fork

(sometimes crashes)

form

As you can tell from the chart, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter obviously is taking the lead with its excellent features like lossless sound quality ensured, 35X fast conversion rate, batch conversion, and stable service. If you like spending a whole day listening to Spotify, it'll be your best partner with no doubt.