Royalties
Royalty and Recoupment Calculator
Estimate streaming revenue, distributor fees, collaborator splits, and the streams needed to recoup a budget.
Royalties
Tool inputs
Generated output
Royalty Calculator
Gross revenue · Spotify
$400 USD
100,000 streams
Net after distributor fee
$400 USD
Your share · 100%
$400 USD
Estimated gross across DSPs
Same 100,000 streams · USD · gross before fees and splits
| Platform | Est. rate | Gross (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | $0.0040 | $400 |
| Apple Music | $0.0100 | $1,000 |
| Amazon Music | $0.0040 | $400 |
| Tidal | $0.0125 | $1,250 |
| Deezer | $0.0064 | $640 |
| YouTube Music | $0.0020 | $200 |
| YouTube Content ID | $0.0008 | $80.00 |
| Meta (Instagram / Facebook) | $0.0010 | $100 |
| TikTok | $0.0030 | $300 |
Use this as a planning range
No DSP pays a fixed per-stream rate. These figures are third-party estimates of an average that varies by territory, subscription type, currency, and reporting period. Treat this as a directional model in USD, not an accounting statement.
Next best move
Velveteen handles distribution, release validation, royalties, and label-style pitching in one workflow. Use this result to tighten the release, then move it into a real distribution plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is this royalty calculator accurate?+
It's an estimate, and it's honest about that. Spotify doesn't pay a fixed per-stream rate, so the calculator uses a payout range you set rather than promising one number. Treat the result as a planning model to size a release, not an accounting statement. Your real payout depends on listener country, plan, and your distributor deal.
What payout per stream should I enter?+
A common third-party estimate is $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. Pick your platform and the calculator fills in an estimated average (Spotify defaults to about $0.004), or choose Custom rate to enter your own. There's no official rate to plug in, so model a low and a high end rather than betting on one figure. Whatever you pick, it's an average that moves month to month.
Does it store my numbers or need an account?+
No. The whole calculation runs in your browser, nothing is sent to a server, and there's no signup. You can run as many scenarios as you want, and nothing is saved when you leave.
What does 'streams to recoup' mean?+
It's how many streams it takes to earn back a budget you spent, at the payout rate you entered. If you're about to spend on promo or a video, that number tells you the streaming you'd need just to break even, which is worth knowing before the money goes out.
Related guides
All guidesPillar guide
Spotify royalties guide
What Spotify actually pays, why there's no real per-stream rate, the 1,000-stream rule, and what reaches you after splits and recoupment.
Guide
How streaming royalties work
The pro-rata pool model, plainly: net revenue, streamshare, and why two songs with the same play count can earn different amounts.
Guide
Recoupment explained
What recoupment is, how advances and recoupable costs net against royalties, and when you're finally in the black.
Guide
Read your statement
Line by line: gross vs net, DSP and territory splits, fees, FX, reporting lag, and why your payout never matches the Spotify for Artists stream count.