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Spotify royalties calculator
Estimate what your Spotify streams pay, after your distributor or label takes its share.
What streams pay
| Streams | Estimate |
|---|---|
| 1k streams | $3–$5 |
| 10k streams | $30–$50 |
| 100k streams | $300–$500 |
| 1M streams | $3,000–$5,000 |
The band is $0.003–$0.005 per stream before your split, the range this site already quotes, then multiplied by the default share you keep (100%). Spotify does not publish a per-stream rate. The calculator’s own default is $0.004.
How much Spotify pays for 1,000 and 1 million streams
Spotify does not pay a fixed rate per stream: it shares royalties out by each track’s share of total streams. Averages reported by artists commonly fall between about $0.003 and $0.005 per stream. That is roughly $3 to $5 per 1,000 streams and $3,000 to $5,000 per million, paid to whoever owns the recording before any label or distributor split. The calculator’s default of $0.004 sits in the middle of that range.
With the defaults, 100,000 monthly streams at $0.004 with 100% kept gives $400 a month, $4,800 a year and $4 per 1,000 streams. To earn $1,000 a month at that rate you would need 250,000 streams. If you are signed and keep 20% of recording income, the same 100,000 streams pay you $80.
This calculator covers recording (master) royalties only. If you also wrote the song, publishing royalties are paid separately: performance royalties through your collecting society and mechanical royalties through a publisher or, in the US, the MLC. Register your songs with each so that money does not go unclaimed.
At the time of writing, a track has to reach at least 1,000 streams over the previous 12 months, plus a minimum number of unique listeners that Spotify does not publish, before it earns recorded-music royalties on Spotify, and Spotify counts a play as a stream after 30 seconds. Short tracks and very small catalogues are the most affected, so check your distributor’s guidance for the current rules.
Spotify is one service among several. Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music and others each pay their own averages, and your distributor’s statement breaks income down by store. To estimate all of your streaming income, run the calculator once per service with that service’s average from your statements, or use your blended average across all of them.
Statements usually arrive a couple of months after the streams happen, and distributors may convert currency and deduct fees on the way. When your numbers look lower than the calculator, compare the same month on both sides before assuming the rate dropped.
| Streams per month | You keep 100% | You keep 80% | You keep 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | $40 | $32 | $8 |
| 100,000 | $400 | $320 | $80 |
| 1,000,000 | $4,000 | $3,200 | $800 |
How it works
Spotify does not pay a fixed rate per stream: royalties come from a pool shared by listening share, and the average payout per stream depends on listeners’ countries and subscription type.
The default is an editable average often reported by artists; your distributor’s statements give your real figure.
Independent artists using a flat-fee distributor keep close to 100%; signed artists keep their contract share. Songwriting and publishing royalties are paid separately.
Questions
How much does Spotify pay per stream?
There is no fixed rate. Averages reported by artists are a fraction of a cent per stream; your own statements show your real average.
Is there a minimum to get paid?
Spotify has introduced minimum stream thresholds for tracks to earn royalties. Check your distributor for the current rules.
How many Spotify streams do you need to make $1,000?
At $0.004 per stream and keeping 100%, 250,000 streams. At $0.003 you would need about 333,000. If your label or distributor takes a share, divide by the share you keep.
Does Spotify pay songwriters separately?
Yes. Recording royalties go to the owner of the master, through a label or distributor. Songwriting royalties go through publishers and collecting societies, so register your songs there to collect them.
What counts as a stream on Spotify?
A play of 30 seconds or more. Skips before that point do not count towards royalties.
Why are my Spotify royalties lower than the calculator shows?
Common reasons are a listener mix with more free users or lower-paying countries, tracks under the minimum stream threshold, distributor fees, currency conversion, and reporting delays that put streams into a later statement. Use the average per stream from your own statements.
How long does it take to get paid for Spotify streams?
Royalties reach your distributor or label some time after the month of the streams, and they then pay you on their own schedule. A delay of a couple of months is common; your distributor’s help pages give its exact timing.