How many streams on YouTube Music to make $500?

About 104,167 streams (70,423 to 104,167 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.

What if my distributor takes 15%?

On 10,000 streams on YouTube Music, you keep about $40.80 instead of $48.00.

Does YouTube Music pay the same amount for every stream?

No: YouTube 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 10,000 streams on YouTube Music pay?

10,000 streams on YouTube Music pay the master owner between $48.00 and $71.00, about $48.00. Here is the breakdown by deal, the comparison with other platforms and what moves the number.

10,000 streams on YouTube Music

$48.00

Range: $48.00 to $71.00

about $0.0048 per stream. Rates checked on October 29, 2026.

10,000 streams: what each platform pays

The same number of streams, before any commission.

Platform	Estimate	Range
Amazon Music	$88.00	$88.00
Tidal	$68.00	$68.00 – $130
Apple Music	$62.00	$62.00 – $100
Deezer	$55.00	$40.00 – $70.00
YouTube Music	$48.00	$48.00 – $71.00
Spotify	$36.30	$30.00 – $44.30
SoundCloud	$32.50	$25.00 – $40.00

What you keep from YouTube Music, by deal

The platform pays $48.00; your distributor or label takes its share from that.

Flat-fee distributor (no commission)	$48.00
Commission distributor (9%)	$43.68
Commission distributor (15%)	$40.80
Label license deal (about 50%)	$24.00
Traditional label deal (label keeps about 80%)	$9.60

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

$48.00

Paid by YouTube Music: $48.00
Distributor or label cut (0%): − $0
Collaborators’ share (0%): − $0
What you keep: $48.00

Across sources: $48.00 to $71.00

that is $0.0048 per stream for you

What you keep, per platform

Spotify$36.30
Apple Music$62.00
Deezer$55.00
YouTube Music$48.00
Amazon Music$88.00
Tidal$68.00
SoundCloud$32.50

Good to know about YouTube Music at this volume

Reaching 10,000 streams in 12 months takes an average of 28 streams a day on YouTube 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 10,000 streams on YouTube Music pay?: About $48.00, within a range of $48.00 to $71.00, before your distributor’s or label’s cut.
How many streams on YouTube Music to make $500?: About 104,167 streams (70,423 to 104,167 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.
What if my distributor takes 15%?: On 10,000 streams on YouTube Music, you keep about $40.80 instead of $48.00.
Does YouTube Music pay the same amount for every stream?: No: YouTube 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 YouTube Music

Duetti, 2024 Music Economics Report
$4.80 per 1,000 streams on YouTube in 2024 (January 2025)
LabelGrid, YouTube pay per stream
$0.0071 on average per YouTube Music audio stream, from 5,127 streams (March 2025)

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