Rivian is facing backlash for its Connect+ subscription: Is it worth paying for?

When Rivian unveiled its second-generation R1 vehicles in June, software was the focus. The 2025 model year EVs introduced more advanced driver assistance systems, as well as enhanced infotainment and connectivity options. Electric vehicle startup announced a new user interface and native support for Apple Music, Apple Digital Key, and smartphone projection with Google Cast. However, the biggest announcement went largely unnoticed.

Rivian would put most of the new features, as well as some that were previously offered for free, behind a paywall. To get access to Google Cast, Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, TuneIn, as well as satellite imagery for maps and the Gear Guard Live Cam, you’d have to pay $14.99 a month ($149.99 a year) for the Connect+ package. That same package includes an in-vehicle hotspot with an unlimited data plan.

Things have been dormant for a while, but last week Rivian kicked off its Connect+ subscription with a 60-day free trial for everyone. Then all hell broke loose when people finally realized that the end of the trial would also mean the end of some of the features they had grown to love. That includes native music streaming apps like Spotify and satellite imagery for navigation.

To sweeten the deal, Rivian has made a change to its software (starting with the 2024.27 update) so that the vehicle maintains a connection to a Wi-Fi hotspot while in motion. This allows owners to use their phone’s hotspot to provide many (but not all) of the features that require a Connect+ subscription. Previously, Rivian vehicles would disconnect from Wi-Fi as soon as the vehicle exited Park.

However, this detail went unnoticed, so Rivian owners expressed their disdain for what they saw as corporate greed. Rivian appears to be following a similar path to other automakers, offering subscriptions for premium software features and connected navigation updates. However, it doesn’t put existing hardware features behind a paywall, something BMW has attempted.

Rivian’s Connect+ subscription is fairly priced, considering it comes with unlimited data hotspot access. That alone would be worth the price. However, Rivian also included all of the above features, as well as priority software updates, which has some fans excited. Rivian later clarified that the priority comes from always being connected to the internet, and that’s not a privilege. Other owners whose vehicles are connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot would also receive updates first.

Charging a subscription for connected features shouldn’t be considered outrageous. After all, offering these features comes with hidden costs for a car company. However, there’s another aspect that makes Rivian’s free Connect+ trial questionable. Not all Connect+ features are available, and they may not be until the trial period expires. Missing features include YouTube and Google Cast, which won’t be available until later this year. That eliminates one of the biggest reasons to pay for Connect+, and not having it as a trial could cost Rivian some customers.