Streaming Royalty Calculator
Estimate what your streams actually pay across every major platform — after your share of the master and your distributor's cut.
If all 100,000 streams were on one platform
Payouts differ enormously by platform — the same stream count is worth roughly 6× more on Tidal than on Pandora.
| Platform | Per stream | Gross | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | $0.0038 | $380.00 | $380.00 |
| Apple Music | $0.0079 | $790.00 | $790.00 |
| YouTube Music | $0.0020 | $200.00 | $200.00 |
| Amazon Music | $0.0040 | $400.00 | $400.00 |
| Tidal | $0.0125 | $1,250.00 | $1,250.00 |
| Deezer | $0.0056 | $560.00 | $560.00 |
| Pandora | $0.0013 | $130.00 | $130.00 |
Spread evenly across all seven platforms, you would keep roughly
$530.00
Real splits are never even — most independent artists see the large majority of streams on Spotify, which pays near the bottom of this range.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Spotify pay per stream?
Spotify pays roughly $0.0038 per stream on average, though the real figure varies by listener country and whether the listener is on the free or premium tier. Spotify does not pay a fixed per-stream rate — it pools subscription and ad revenue and divides it by total streams, so the effective rate moves month to month.
Which streaming service pays artists the most per stream?
Tidal pays the most per stream of the major services at roughly $0.0125, followed by Apple Music at about $0.0079. Pandora and YouTube Music pay the least. However, per-stream rate matters far less than audience size: Spotify pays less per stream but has the largest listener base, so it usually generates the most total revenue for independent artists.
How many streams do I need to make $1,000?
On Spotify at roughly $0.0038 per stream, about 263,000 streams before any splits. If you own 100% of the master and use a distributor that takes no revenue share, you keep that full amount. A 15% distributor cut raises the requirement to roughly 310,000 streams.
Do these numbers include publishing royalties?
No. This calculator estimates master recording royalties only — the payment for the recording itself. Songwriting and publishing royalties are paid separately through your PRO and a mechanical rights body, and typically add a further 10 to 20% for a writer who owns their publishing.
Per-stream rates are widely published averages, not contractual figures. Actual payouts vary by territory, listener tier, and the terms of your distribution and label agreements. Use these numbers for planning, not for accounting.