Is Deezer allowed in a restaurant or shop?
Deezer is a well-known streaming platform, but like its competitors, it is licensed for personal use. Playing it in a space open to the public is not allowed. Here is why, and what the right alternative looks like.
The short answer
No, Deezer is not licensed to play music in a business. Like other consumer platforms, its plans are licensed for personal use, not for soundtracking a space open to the public.
What the terms of use say
Deezer’s terms are unambiguous: you agree to use the services only for personal, non-commercial purposes. A restaurant, bar, shop or waiting room is a commercial space. Playing Deezer there steps outside what the contract allows.
No consumer plan covers businesses
The Deezer plans you know, Free, Premium or Family, are all designed for an individual. None of them unlocks a right to public performance. Upgrading improves audio quality or the number of profiles, but the licence stays personal.
The two risks you take
Playing Deezer in a business stacks two distinct problems.
- Breaching Deezer’s terms, which can lead to your account being suspended.
- Copyright infringement. Playing music publicly without the right licence is an infringement of copyright, exposing you to claims and damages.
Where public performance royalties fit in
Even with a perfectly legal source of music, you still owe public performance royalties to the collecting society in your country whenever you play music in public. Using Deezer in a business leaves you doubly exposed: an unauthorised source, and royalties left unpaid.
The right solution
To be covered on the source side, you need a source licensed for commercial use. Horra streams from its own catalogue, built for venues open to the public, with curated playlists, human support, and clear, public pricing. The music you play is licensed for commercial use, and your artists are paid as they should be.
To see the full picture, check our streaming for business page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use Deezer in a restaurant?
No. Deezer's terms of use reserve the service for personal, non-commercial use. Playing it in a restaurant open to the public breaches those terms and amounts to an unlicensed public performance.
Does Deezer offer a plan for businesses?
The Deezer plans you know, Free, Premium, Family, are all personal. None of them grants any right to play music publicly in a commercial space. To soundtrack a venue, you need a solution licensed for that purpose.
Does Deezer Premium or Family change anything?
No. These plans improve audio quality or allow multiple profiles, but the licence stays strictly personal. Paying more unlocks no commercial usage right.
What do you risk by playing Deezer in your business?
Breaching Deezer's terms of use, which can lead to your account being suspended, and copyright infringement: playing music publicly without the right licence exposes you to claims and damages. On top of that, you still owe public performance royalties.
What should you use instead of Deezer in a business?
A source licensed for commercial use, like Horra, which streams from a catalogue built for venues open to the public. It does not replace the public performance royalties you owe, but it makes your source of music legal.
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