Showcase and Marquee are Spotify's in-app advertising tools, available through the Campaign Kit in Spotify for Artists. Unlike Discovery Mode, which takes a royalty cut in exchange for algorithmic boosting, these tools use a traditional pay-per-click model.
Both are designed to put your music in front of listeners who are likely to stream. The difference is where they appear and what they can promote.
What is Marquee?
Marquee is a full-screen pop-up that appears when a targeted listener opens the Spotify mobile app. It shows your new release with album art and a "Listen Now" call to action.
Key characteristics:
- New releases only - must be within 21 days of release
- Full-screen takeover - impossible to miss
- 10-day campaign window - or until budget is exhausted
- Mobile app only - does not appear on desktop
Marquee is aggressive. The listener cannot use Spotify until they dismiss the pop-up or click through. This high visibility comes with a tradeoff: some listeners find it interruptive.
What is Showcase?
Showcase is a banner on Spotify's Home feed. It appears as a sponsored recommendation alongside the personalized content that listeners normally see.
Key characteristics:
- New and catalog releases - promote anything, anytime
- Home feed placement - blends with organic recommendations
- 14-day campaign window - or until budget is exhausted
- Customizable headlines - add context like "On tour" or "New music"
Showcase is subtler. It looks like a native recommendation with a "Sponsored" label. Listeners who engage are more likely to have clicked intentionally.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Marquee | Showcase |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Full-screen mobile pop-up | Home page banner |
| What you can promote | New releases (within 21 days) | Any release |
| Campaign duration | 10 days or budget exhausted | 14 days or budget exhausted |
| Device | Mobile only | All devices |
| Visibility | Cannot be ignored | Can scroll past |
| Pricing model | Cost per click | Cost per click |
| Minimum budget | $100 per sub-campaign | $100 per sub-campaign |
Eligibility requirements
Both tools require:
- At least 1,000 streams in the past 28 days in your target market
- A payment card issued in an eligible country
For Marquee specifically, you also need at least 5,000 monthly active listeners in the selected market. Showcase has no additional listener threshold.
Available markets include the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Brazil, Mexico, and about 30 other countries.
Cost structure
Both tools charge on a cost-per-click basis. You set a total budget, and Spotify deducts each time a listener clicks through to your release. Prices vary based on your target audience and market.
Reported click costs typically range from $0.20 to $0.50, though this varies. You only pay for clicks delivered, so you may not spend your full budget if demand is lower than expected.
Unlike Meta or Google Ads, you cannot optimize bids or adjust targeting mid-campaign. Set your budget, pick your audience, and let it run.
Which performs better?
There is no universal answer. Performance depends on your music, audience, and campaign goals.
Marquee tends to perform better for:
- High-intent audiences who already follow you
- Releases with strong visual identity
- Artists who want maximum visibility on mobile
Showcase tends to perform better for:
- Reaching new listeners through "Growth" targeting
- Catalog tracks that do not qualify for Marquee
- Artists who prefer a less intrusive format
One artist's campaign data showed Marquee delivering $0.04 per stream versus $0.15 per stream for Showcase in the same market, with higher intent rates on Marquee. But other artists report the opposite. Test both and track your own results.
How these compare to Discovery Mode
Discovery Mode is not a paid ad. It is a royalty-sharing arrangement where you accept a 30% commission cut on streams generated from Radio, Autoplay, and Spotify Mixes in exchange for increased likelihood of recommendations.
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