Streaming Royalty Calculator
Find out how much money you can make from your music streams across different platforms.
Why use a royalty calculator?
The music industry is notoriously complicated when it comes to getting paid. If you have a song going viral on Spotify or Apple Music, trying to figure out exactly how much money you are going to see in your bank account next month can be incredibly frustrating.
Streaming platforms don't pay a flat fee per stream, but this calculator uses the most up-to-date industry averages to give you a highly accurate estimate of your earnings.
How to calculate your earnings
Type in the total number of streams your song has received. Select the platform you want to calculate for, since Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal all pay vastly different amounts per stream.
If you are signed to a record label or use a distributor that takes a cut, make sure to enter your royalty split percentage. The calculator will crunch the numbers and tell you exactly how much money goes directly into your pocket after everyone else takes their share.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the actual payout sometimes lower?
Spotify pays drastically different amounts depending on the country the listener is from and whether they have a Premium subscription or a free ad-supported account. The calculator uses a global average to estimate.
Which platform pays the most?
Historically, Tidal and Apple Music pay significantly higher per-stream rates than Spotify or YouTube. However, Spotify has a vastly larger user base, so artists usually make the most total money there.
Do I have to pay my distributor?
Most modern distributors (like DistroKid) let you keep 100% of your royalties. However, some older labels or deals take anywhere from 15% to 50% of your streaming revenue.