SoundCloud doesn't pay a set amount per play. Through Fan-powered Royalties, each fan's subscription or ad revenue is shared among the artists that fan listens to, based on their listening time, so a fan who spends 100% of their time on your music sends their revenue to you. You need the Artist or Artist Pro plan and monetised original tracks to take part.
SoundCloud pays artists in a way that's quite different from the other big streaming services, and that changes how you should think about growing your income there. Instead of counting your plays against everyone else's, SoundCloud follows each fan's money. Here's how it works, who qualifies and what decides what lands in your account, all taken from SoundCloud's own help centre.
SoundCloud Fan-powered Royalties explained
Most streaming services pool all their revenue and split it by total stream market share. SoundCloud says it moved away from that for plays on its own platform. With Fan-powered Royalties, the money a fan generates goes to the artists that particular fan listens to. SoundCloud's own example is simple: if a fan spends 100% of their time listening to you, their subscription or ad revenue goes to you, not to the top global artists.
For independent artists with loyal listeners, that's a big shift. A small, devoted fanbase can count for more on SoundCloud than the same number of plays would on a pooled service, because each of those fans' revenue follows their listening.
What decides how much SoundCloud pays you
SoundCloud lists three factors behind Fan-powered Royalties earnings:
- Listening time. How much of each fan's total monthly listening went to your music.
- Ads and subscriptions. How many ads that fan viewed, or whether they pay for SoundCloud Go+.
- Revenue share. SoundCloud's share of the advertising and subscription revenue.
Put simply, a paying subscriber who listens mostly to you is worth more than a casual listener on the free tier who hears one of your tracks among hundreds of others. That's why SoundCloud pay per play varies so much between artists, and why any single per-stream figure you find online won't describe your account.
SoundCloud monetisation requirements
You don't earn from SoundCloud just by uploading. SoundCloud says any artist monetising through SoundCloud for Artists automatically takes part in Fan-powered Royalties, and both the Artist and Artist Pro plans include the SoundCloud for Artists dashboard. There's no minimum stream requirement: once your tracks are monetised, you're in.
The rules that matter are about the music itself:
- It must be yours. Monetisation is only available for original content that you own all the rights to.
- Some formats are excluded. SoundCloud says unofficial covers and remixes, mashups, DJ sets, audio recordings and podcasts aren't monetisable.
- Length counts. Tracks must be over 30 seconds and under 10 minutes to be monetised.
- You have to switch it on. SoundCloud doesn't set up monetisation automatically, and review usually takes up to 5 business days.
Royalties you keep from SoundCloud and its partners
SoundCloud says that when you monetise directly on SoundCloud, you keep 100% of your royalties. That's worth knowing if you've only ever released through a label or distributor that takes a share.
SoundCloud for Artists can also distribute your music to other services, but Fan-powered Royalties only apply to plays on SoundCloud itself. Plays on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and the rest follow those services' own royalty models, which are typically pooled. For those partner royalties, SoundCloud says it pays out 100% of what the partners send, minus a small processing fee. If you'd like to see how a pooled service works by comparison, my explainer on how Spotify pays per stream walks through it.
Checking your SoundCloud earnings
Your monetisation settings, track status and earnings all sit in the SoundCloud for Artists dashboard, under the monetisation section. That's the place to check whether a track has been approved, see which tracks are earning and find the payment and tax details SoundCloud asks for. The help articles I read don't set out a withdrawal threshold or schedule, so check the dashboard for the terms on your own account.
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If you earn from SoundCloud, keep a record of what's paid and when. Whether and how you report it depends on where you live, so an accountant or your national tax office is the right place to ask.
SoundCloud pay at a glance
| What | How it works | Source checked |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty model on SoundCloud | Fan-powered: each fan's revenue follows their listening | SoundCloud help centre |
| Plans that can monetise | Artist and Artist Pro | SoundCloud help centre |
| Minimum streams | None once tracks are monetised | SoundCloud help centre |
| Track length | Over 30 seconds and under 10 minutes | SoundCloud help centre |
| Royalties kept on SoundCloud | 100% when you monetise directly | SoundCloud help centre |
| Partner services | Their own models, small processing fee | SoundCloud help centre |
Growing your SoundCloud income
Because SoundCloud's money follows fans, the smartest move is to deepen relationships rather than chase one-off plays. Release regularly so fans have more of your music to spend their listening time on. Reply to comments, repost supporters and share private links with your mailing list. Encourage your most loyal listeners to follow you so new tracks reach them first.
It also helps to know who your paying listeners are. Fans on SoundCloud Go+ bring subscription revenue rather than ad views, so a thank-you post, an early release or a private track for your closest supporters can matter more here than on a service where every play goes into one shared pot.
SoundCloud income is usually one part of a musician's mix. Video is a strong way to reach new listeners, and my YouTube marketing strategy covers how to build a channel around your releases. Many producers also sell sample packs, presets and stems, and my guide to selling digital products online shows how to set those up.
Frequently asked questions
How much does SoundCloud pay per stream?
SoundCloud doesn't set a per-stream rate. Fan-powered Royalties share each fan's subscription or ad revenue among the artists they listen to, based on listening time.
Do I need a paid plan to earn on SoundCloud?
SoundCloud says Artist and Artist Pro subscribers set up monetisation through SoundCloud for Artists, which is how artists join Fan-powered Royalties.
Is there a minimum number of plays to get paid on SoundCloud?
No. SoundCloud says there's no minimum stream requirement for Fan-powered Royalties once your tracks are monetised.
Can I monetise remixes or DJ sets on SoundCloud?
No. SoundCloud says unofficial covers and remixes, mashups, DJ sets, audio recordings and podcasts aren't monetisable. Only original content you own all the rights to qualifies.
Does SoundCloud take a cut of my royalties?
SoundCloud says you keep 100% of your royalties when you monetise directly on SoundCloud. Royalties from distribution partners are paid out minus a small processing fee.
