Heardle
Heardle is a music-guessing game branded as the music version of Wordle, hosted under the spotify.com/heardle domain after being acquired by Spotify. The game serves consumers using a short-clip identification mechanic layered on top of Spotify's audio platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersStockholm, Sweden
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Heardle does
Heardle is a music-guessing game branded as the music version of Wordle, now hosted under the spotify.com/heardle domain following its acquisition by Spotify. The game presents short clips that players must identify, leveraging a music catalog and brand infrastructure that the acquirer already operated. In the input data, firmographic attributes (Stockholm HQ, 5,001-10,000 employees, 2006 founding year) align with the Spotify parent rather than Heardle as a standalone product, and no Heardle-specific revenue, headcount, management team, or funding data is disclosed.
The broader platform that hosts Heardle operates a freemium audio streaming service spanning music, podcasts, and audiobooks, with multi-device playback coordinated through Spotify Connect across smartphones, desktops, web, gaming consoles, smart TVs, speakers, smartwatches, and automotive systems. Revenue is generated through Premium Individual, Family, Duo, and Student subscriptions, an ad-supported free tier, audiobook add-ons and top-ups, and partner/carrier billing relationships, with bundles such as Hulu included for verified students. AI-driven personalization and recommendation algorithms are used to curate playlists and suggest content based on listening history.
Heardle's commercial role within this platform is not separately monetized or productized in the source data: there is no disclosed subscription, ad inventory, or transaction directly tied to the game. Strategic and competitive analysis at the Heardle level is therefore constrained, and any inference about its standalone trajectory, revenue contribution, or AI capability should be treated as low-confidence given the absence of Heardle-specific KPIs in the provided material.
Heardle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Heardle
- Website
- https://spotify.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Heardle is a music-guessing game branded as the music version of Wordle, hosted under the spotify.com/heardle domain after being acquired by Spotify. The game serves consumers using a short-clip identification mechanic layered on top of Spotify's audio platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Heardle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Streaming
- NAICS
- Other Sound Recording Industries (51229)
- akta.pro primary industry
- On-Demand Music Streaming (Interactive) (MPAIACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ad-Supported Music Streaming (Freemium Tiers) (MPAIACAO), Music & Audio Streaming Platforms (BPAMAJAC), Audiobook & Spoken-Word Streaming Platforms (MPAIADAE), Music Discovery & Curation Platforms (Recommendations, Playlists) (MPAIACAH)
Keywords
Where Heardle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stockholm
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Heardle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Premium Individual Subscription: Monthly recurring subscription for individual users providing ad-free listening, offline downloads, higher audio quality, and access to audiobook listening time.
- Premium Family Subscription: Household subscription covering up to 6 family members with separate accounts, parental controls, and shared audiobook listening time for plan manager only.
- Premium Duo Subscription: Two-account subscription for couples residing at the same address with separate accounts and shared audiobook listening time for plan manager only.
- Premium Student Subscription: Discounted individual subscription for verified students at US Title IV accredited higher education institutions, with potential access to partner services like Hulu.
- Spotify Free (Ad-Supported): Free tier supported by advertising revenue, providing access to shuffle-only playback on mobile with advertisements.
- Audiobook Add-ons and Top-ups: Additional audiobook listening hours purchased on top of plan allocation, with top-ups valid for 12 months from purchase date.
- Partner/Carrier Billing: Revenue from partnerships with telecom providers, cable companies, and other third-party distributors who bill customers for Spotify Premium.
- Hulu Partner Service (Student): Hulu streaming service included with Premium Student subscription as a bundled partner benefit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Individual - Single account for one person with full ad-free access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Family - Up to 6 accounts for family members living together |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Duo - 2 accounts for couples at same address |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Student - Discounted rate for verified college students |
| Freemium | Monthly | Spotify Free - Ad-supported free tier |
| Subscription | Monthly | Audiobooks+ Add-on - Extra audiobook listening hours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Audiobook Top-ups - Additional listening hours purchased as needed |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Heardle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Heardle is described in its firmographics as a daily music guessing game — the music version of Wordle — operating at spotify.com/heardle. The data attached to the entity shows a freemium audio streaming platform offering music, podcasts, and audiobooks across mobile, desktop, web, gaming consoles, smart TVs, speakers, smartwatches, and cars, with subscription tiers (Individual, Duo, Family, Student) and an ad-supported free tier.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Heardle (music guessing game) Daily music guessing game, the music version of Wordle. Players identify songs from short audio clips in a limited number of guesses; lives at spotify.com/heardle as part of the broader streaming platform.
- Premium Individual Subscription Monthly recurring subscription for individual users providing ad-free music and podcast streaming, offline downloads, higher audio quality, and monthly audiobook listening time.
- Premium Family Subscription Household subscription covering up to 6 family members with separate accounts, parental controls, and shared audiobook listening time for plan manager only.
- Premium Duo Subscription Two-account subscription for couples at the same address with separate Premium accounts and shared audiobook listening time for plan manager only.
- Premium Student Subscription Discounted individual subscription for verified students at US Title IV accredited higher education institutions, with potential access to bundled partner services like Hulu. Discount Period of up to 12 consecutive months, extendable up to 3 additional periods with re-verification. Not eligible for audiobook listening time.
- Spotify Free (Ad-Supported) Free ad-supported access with shuffle-only playback on mobile, full podcast access, and advertisements; no offline downloads.
- Podcast Streaming Integrated podcast streaming platform accessible on Free and Premium tiers across supported devices.
- Audiobooks Service Subscription-based access to audiobook subscriber catalog, with monthly listening time allocation for Premium Individual, Family (manager only), and Duo (manager only) plans.
- Audiobooks+ Add-on Recurring monthly add-on providing additional audiobook listening hours beyond plan allocation, billed alongside the Premium subscription.
- Audiobook Top-ups One-time purchase of additional audiobook listening hours, valid for 12 months from purchase date; multiple top-ups can be accumulated.
Companies that use Heardle
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Heardle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Heardle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SheerIDcoreStudent verification partner for Premium Student subscriptions. SheerID processes qualifying student information to verify eligibility for Spotify's discounted student pricing program.
- HulucoreHulu streaming service is bundled as a Partner Service with Premium Student subscriptions, providing Qualifying Students access to Hulu content included with their Spotify subscription at the advertised price plus applicable taxes.
- AmazonminorSpotify app available for download from Amazon Appstore for Android devices.
- MicrosoftminorSpotify app available in Microsoft Store for Windows devices.
- Device Manufacturers (Samsung, Sony, LG, etc.)coreSpotify Connect integration pre-installed or available on smart TVs, speakers, and other connected devices from major manufacturers for seamless audio streaming.
- Automotive ManufacturerscoreIn-vehicle Spotify integration through car infotainment systems, enabling driver and passenger access to streaming service.
- Gaming Platforms (PlayStation, Xbox)coreSpotify app integration on PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles for music streaming during gaming sessions.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Heardle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SiriusXM: Satellite radio and streaming incumbent offering music, talk, sports, and podcasts through in-car hardware plus a streaming app. Broader incumbent with overlapping content categories (music, podcasts) and automotive distribution advantages.
Direct peers
- Apple Music: Apple's on-demand music streaming service with subscription tiers, AI-curated playlists, and Dolby Atmos/lossless audio. Direct competitor across the same Premium Individual/Family/Student price ladder and overlapping device ecosystem (iOS, Android, HomePod, CarPlay).
- Deezer: Global on-demand music streaming service with subscription tiers, AI-driven Flow recommendations, and podcast/audiobook offerings. Competes directly across international markets with similar freemium-to-Premium conversion mechanics.
- SoundCloud: Creator-focused audio streaming platform with a freemium tier (SoundCloud Go/Go+) and a deep catalog of independent and emerging artists. Competes for the same listener base and artists, particularly in independent/electronic music segments.
- YouTube Music: Google's on-demand music streaming service bundled into YouTube Premium, offering music videos, songs, podcasts, and AI-generated radios. Direct competitor across freemium/subscription tiers and Android device pre-installations.
- Amazon Music: Amazon's music streaming service bundled into Prime, offering on-demand streaming, podcasts, and audiobook integration via Audible tie-ins. Competes head-to-head on subscription tiers, freemium tiers, and device coverage (Echo, Fire TV, automotive).
- Tidal: HiFi-focused music streaming service owned by Block, emphasizing lossless audio, direct artist payouts, and exclusive content. Competes in the same on-demand streaming category with audiophile positioning.
- iHeartRadio: Free, ad-supported music streaming and live radio service from iHeartMedia, with on-demand tiers and podcast platform. Competes in the same freemium streaming and podcast categories with strong U.S. terrestrial-radio ties.
- Pandora: SiriusXM-owned music streaming service with a strong U.S. footprint, offering personalized radio stations and on-demand tiers. Competes in the same U.S. freemium music streaming market with overlapping recommendation-engine technology.
Emerging players
- Audible: Amazon-owned audiobook and spoken-word subscription service with a deep exclusive catalog. Emerging overlap as Spotify expands into audiobooks via Premium listening-time allocation and Audiobooks+ add-on, directly competing for the same consumer audiobook wallet share.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Heardle social profiles
Digital presenceHeardle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Heardle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Heardle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Heardle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Heardle
What does Heardle do?
Heardle is described in its firmographics as a daily music guessing game — the music version of Wordle — operating at spotify.com/heardle. The data attached to the entity shows a freemium audio streaming platform offering music, podcasts, and audiobooks across mobile, desktop, web, gaming consoles, smart TVs, speakers, smartwatches, and cars, with subscription tiers (Individual, Duo, Family, Student) and an ad-supported free tier.
When was Heardle founded?
Heardle was founded in 2006. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Heardle based?
Heardle is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Heardle make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Premium Individual Subscription is the primary driver. The others are premium Family Subscription, premium Duo Subscription, premium Student Subscription, spotify Free (Ad-Supported), audiobook Add-ons and Top-ups, partner/Carrier Billing and hulu Partner Service (Student).
Who are Heardle's main competitors?
SiriusXM is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Apple Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, iHeartRadio and Pandora. Audible is listed as an emerging player.
Does Heardle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Heardle.
What industry is Heardle in?
Heardle's product category is Music Streaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIACAA, On-Demand Music Streaming (Interactive), with a secondary code of MPAIACAO, Ad-Supported Music Streaming (Freemium Tiers). Its NAICS code is 51229.