Streaming Royalty Calculator
What you earn — and keep after your distributor
Enter your stream count to estimate earnings on each platform. These are honest industry-average rates — a ballpark, not a promise.
you keep 100% of royalties; pay a flat fee → you keep 100%.
100,000 streams × ~$0.0038 · ≈ $4,560/yr if that's monthly
Estimates only. Real per-stream payouts depend on listener country, free vs. paid tier, and your distributor's cut — verify against your own distributor statements. Figures are 2024–2026 industry averages (Apple Music, Spotify, etc. don't publish official per-stream rates). Distributor fee models are dated June 2026 and drift — confirm your plan.
Royalty FAQ
How much does Spotify pay per stream?
There's no official rate, but independent payout reports put Spotify around $0.003–$0.005 per stream on average. Your real rate depends on where listeners are, whether they're on the free or paid tier, and your distributor's cut.
How much do I actually keep after my distributor?
Most modern distributors (DistroKid, TuneCore, newer CD Baby plans) take 0% of your royalties and charge a flat fee instead — so you keep ~100%. A few free tiers (e.g. UnitedMasters free) take ~10%. Pick your distributor above to see your real take-home.
Which streaming service pays the most?
Per stream, Tidal and Apple Music typically pay the most (roughly $0.008–$0.013), while YouTube and Pandora pay the least. But total earnings follow where your audience actually listens — usually Spotify and Apple.
How many streams do I need to earn $1,000?
Set a goal amount and this calculator shows the streams needed on each platform (after your distributor cut). On Spotify it's very roughly 250,000–300,000 streams for $1,000 — but it varies a lot by platform and audience.
Are these numbers exact?
No — they're industry-average estimates. Royalties vary by country, subscription type and your deal. Use this for a ballpark and verify against your distributor statements.
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