Spotify vs Apple Music Earnings Comparison
Estimate and compare how much an artist earns from Spotify and Apple Music streams after distributor and label cuts and band splits.
Which Streaming Service Pays You More?
Enter your monthly streams, per-stream rates, distributor or label share and number of band members. The calculator estimates monthly and yearly income and the streams needed for a target.
Streaming Earnings Estimator
Per-stream rates vary by country, listener subscription type and deal.
Understanding Streaming Pay
Key concepts for artists
Per-Stream Rates
Platforms pay from a revenue pool, so rates vary by month, country and subscription type rather than being fixed.
Deductions
Distributors, labels and publishers take shares before you are paid. Writers and performers may be paid separately.
Splits
Divide net income by the number of band members or rights holders sharing the track.
Streams Needed
Streams needed = target income ÷ (rate × share kept). It shows the scale needed for a living.
Typical Per-Stream Rates
Approximate ranges. Platforms do not publish a fixed rate.
| Platform | Typical Rate | Per 1,000 Streams | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify | $0.003 – $0.005 | $3 – $5 | Pro-rata model |
| Apple Music | $0.006 – $0.010 | $6 – $10 | Higher rate |
| YouTube Music | $0.001 – $0.003 | $1 – $3 | Mix of ad and premium |
| Tidal | $0.008 – $0.013 | $8 – $13 | Smaller audience |
| Amazon Music | $0.004 – $0.008 | $4 – $8 | Varies by plan |
| Typical Pattern | Apple pays ~2x per stream | Spotify has the volume | Diversify income |
Spotify vs Apple Calculator FAQ
Answers to common questions about this calculator.
Per stream, usually yes. Apple Music is commonly reported at around double Spotify’s rate, but Spotify often delivers more total streams.
At around $0.0035 per stream after fees, you need roughly 300,000 streams. Apple Music needs far fewer at its higher rate.
Payouts depend on the pool of subscription revenue, your listeners’ countries and plan types.
No. This covers master recording revenue only.