COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do streaming platforms pay per stream?
The platforms do not post a per-stream rate. They pay by streamshare: your streams in a market, divided by the total streams in that market, give your share of that market's royalty pool, and each pool is funded by the subscription and advertising revenue generated there. On working averages from independent analyses, Tidal sits highest at $0.008–$0.013, followed by Apple Music at $0.007–$0.01, Spotify at $0.003–$0.005 and YouTube Music at $0.002–$0.005, all gross before splits. Apple is the only one to have published a figure of its own, an average of $0.01 for individual paid plans in 2020 that included label and publisher royalties. Treat these as planning averages rather than posted prices: what a stream is worth depends on the listener's country, subscription tier, and market conditions, and what you keep depends on your distribution, label and publishing agreements.
Why do royalty rates vary by country?
Streaming services charge different subscription prices in different markets. A Premium subscription in the US costs significantly more than in regions like Southeast Asia or Latin America. Since royalties come from subscription revenue, streams from higher-priced markets generate more per play. Our calculators include regional multipliers to give you accurate estimates.
Which streaming platform pays artists the most?
No platform publishes a per-stream rate, so this is a comparison of working averages rather than posted prices. Tidal sits highest, followed by Apple Music; neither runs an ad-supported free tier, so all of their listening is subscription-funded, which is why their averages sit above the platforms that do. Total earnings still depend on where your listeners are. A large audience on Spotify may earn more overall than a small audience on Tidal, even though Spotify's working average is lower. Use our individual platform calculators to compare based on your actual stream distribution.
How are streaming royalties calculated?
Most platforms use a streamshare model. Each month, total platform revenue is pooled and divided among all tracks based on their share of total streams. Your per-stream rate depends on the overall revenue that month, total platform streams, and the markets where your listeners are located.
Can I use these calculators for label revenue estimates?
Yes. Enter your total expected streams and select the primary listener region to get gross revenue estimates. For label catalogs with multiple artists, you can run calculations per release or aggregate across your roster. Keep in mind that net revenue will depend on your distribution agreement and any applicable fees.