How many streams on YouTube Music to make $1,000?

About 208,334 streams (140,846 to 208,334 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.

What if my distributor takes 15%?

On 100,000 streams on YouTube Music, you keep about $408 instead of $480.

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 100,000 streams on YouTube Music pay?

100,000 streams on YouTube Music pay the master owner between $480 and $710, about $480. Here is the breakdown by deal, the comparison with other platforms and what moves the number.

100,000 streams on YouTube Music

$480

Range: $480 to $710

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

100,000 streams: what each platform pays

The same number of streams, before any commission.

Platform	Estimate	Range
Amazon Music	$880	$880
Tidal	$680	$680 – $1,300
Apple Music	$620	$620 – $1,000
Deezer	$550	$400 – $700
YouTube Music	$480	$480 – $710
Spotify	$363	$300 – $443
SoundCloud	$325	$250 – $400

What you keep from YouTube Music, by deal

The platform pays $480; your distributor or label takes its share from that.

Flat-fee distributor (no commission)	$480
Commission distributor (9%)	$437
Commission distributor (15%)	$408
Label license deal (about 50%)	$240
Traditional label deal (label keeps about 80%)	$96.00

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

$480

Paid by YouTube Music: $480
Distributor or label cut (0%): − $0
Collaborators’ share (0%): − $0
What you keep: $480

Across sources: $480 to $710

that is $0.0048 per stream for you

What you keep, per platform

Spotify$363
Apple Music$620
Deezer$550
YouTube Music$480
Amazon Music$880
Tidal$680
SoundCloud$325

Good to know about YouTube Music at this volume

Reaching 100,000 streams in 12 months takes an average of 274 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 100,000 streams on YouTube Music pay?: About $480, within a range of $480 to $710, before your distributor’s or label’s cut.
How many streams on YouTube Music to make $1,000?: About 208,334 streams (140,846 to 208,334 depending on the source), before any cut. With a 15% distributor, you need more.
What if my distributor takes 15%?: On 100,000 streams on YouTube Music, you keep about $408 instead of $480.
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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