How many streams on Apple Music to make $5,000?

About 806,452 streams (500,000 to 806,452 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.

What if my distributor takes 15%?

On 1 million streams on Apple Music, you keep about $5,270 instead of $6,200.

Does Apple Music pay the same amount for every stream?

No: Apple Music shares a monthly pool across all streams, so the rate moves with the listener’s country, the plan type and the month. That is why this is a range, not one exact number.

How much do 1 million streams on Apple Music pay?

1 million streams on Apple Music pay the master owner between $6,200 and $10,000, about $6,200. Here is the breakdown by deal, the comparison with other platforms and what moves the number.

1 million streams on Apple Music

$6,200

Range: $6,200 to $10,000

about $0.0062 per stream. Rates checked on October 29, 2026.

1 million streams: what each platform pays

The same number of streams, before any commission.

Platform	Estimate	Range
Amazon Music	$8,800	$8,800
Tidal	$6,800	$6,800 – $13,000
Apple Music	$6,200	$6,200 – $10,000
Deezer	$5,500	$4,000 – $7,000
YouTube Music	$4,800	$4,800 – $7,100
Spotify	$3,630	$3,000 – $4,430
SoundCloud	$3,250	$2,500 – $4,000

What you keep from Apple Music, by deal

The platform pays $6,200; your distributor or label takes its share from that.

Flat-fee distributor (no commission)	$6,200
Commission distributor (9%)	$5,642
Commission distributor (15%)	$5,270
Label license deal (about 50%)	$3,100
Traditional label deal (label keeps about 80%)	$1,240

Run the numbers with your own deal

Platform

Number of streams

Your deal

Your share of the track (%)

If you share the master with a featured artist or producer, enter 50 for a 50/50 split.

What you keep

$6,200

Paid by Apple Music: $6,200
Distributor or label cut (0%): − $0
Collaborators’ share (0%): − $0
What you keep: $6,200

Across sources: $6,200 to $10,000

that is $0.0062 per stream for you

What you keep, per platform

Spotify$3,630
Apple Music$6,200
Deezer$5,500
YouTube Music$4,800
Amazon Music$8,800
Tidal$6,800
SoundCloud$3,250

Good to know about Apple Music at this volume

Reaching 1 million streams in 12 months takes an average of 2,740 streams a day on Apple Music.
These amounts pay the recording (the master). Songwriting royalties from your PRO (ASCAP, BMI, PRS) and The MLC come on top, and SoundExchange pays performers for US digital radio.

Frequently asked questions

How much do 1 million streams on Apple Music pay?: About $6,200, within a range of $6,200 to $10,000, before your distributor’s or label’s cut.
How many streams on Apple Music to make $5,000?: About 806,452 streams (500,000 to 806,452 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.
What if my distributor takes 15%?: On 1 million streams on Apple Music, you keep about $5,270 instead of $6,200.
Does Apple Music pay the same amount for every stream?: No: Apple Music shares a monthly pool across all streams, so the rate moves with the listener’s country, the plan type and the month. That is why this is a range, not one exact number.

Sources for Apple Music

Duetti, 2024 Music Economics Report
$6.20 per 1,000 streams in 2024 (January 2025)
Apple Music letter to artists, reported by MacRumors
about $0.01 per play on average on individual plans (April 2021)

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