There's no fixed amount per stream. Stores share out the money they earn based on how much of the total listening your music makes up. That's why your earnings can change from month to month, even with similar stream numbers.
How stores work out what you earn
Spotify, Apple Music and most major streaming services use a stream share model:
The store collects money from subscriptions and adverts in each country.
It sets aside a share for music royalties. Spotify, for example, says about two-thirds of its revenue goes to recording and publishing royalties.
It works out your share of the listening. If your music makes up 1% of streams in a country that month, your recordings earn 1% of the recording royalties paid there.
It pays the rights holders. For your recordings, that's us as your distributor. We then pay you.
Because it's a share, there's no fixed "rate per stream". The same number of streams can earn different amounts in different months.
What changes how much you earn
Where your listeners are. Subscription prices and advertising income differ by country, so streams in some countries earn more than in others.
How they listen. Streams from paying subscribers usually earn more than streams from free, ad-supported listeners.
The total listening on the store that month. Your share depends on how much everyone else streamed too.
Which store it is. Each store has its own prices, listeners and rules.
Whether a track qualifies. On Spotify, a track needs at least 1,000 streams in the previous 12 months to earn recording royalties, plus a minimum number of different listeners. Spotify doesn't publish that minimum.
Whether the streams are real. Streams that don't come from real listeners earn nothing, and they can lead to your music being removed. Artificial Streaming
Your recordings and your songs earn separately
Every stream earns two kinds of royalties:
Recording royalties for the recording (the master). Stores pay these to us, and we pay them to you.
Publishing royalties for the song itself, earned by songwriters and publishers. Stores pay these to collecting societies and publishers, not to distributors. To collect them, register your songs. Publishing royalties: how to register your songs
What reaches you
We don't take a commission. You receive 100% of the recording royalties stores pay us for your music, minus only taxes and fees charged by the stores. If you share a track with collaborators through royalty splits, each person gets their agreed share.
Stores report and pay a few months after the streams happen, usually two to six months later. How money works on The Artist Platform explains the timeline, the payout minimum and how you get paid.
Common myths
You may have heard | What's actually true |
"Every stream pays the same amount." | No. Stores pay a share of their revenue, so the value of a stream changes by country, listener and month. |
"Free listeners don't count." | They do. Streams from free listeners earn from advertising, usually less than streams from subscribers. |
"My distributor keeps part of my royalties." | Not with us. You keep 100%, minus only taxes and third-party fees. |
"More streams always means more money next month." | Usually, but not always. Your share also depends on total listening and where your listeners are. |
"Buying streams helps you earn more." | No. Artificial streams earn nothing and can get your music removed. |
Need help?
Questions about what your music earned? Message us through the chat in The Artist Platform with your artist name and the months you're asking about. We aim to reply within 1 business day.