How much do Apple, Spotify, and others pay Musicians per stream?

Spotify has a payout of an estimated average of around $0.0043 per stream, but their pay-per-stream (PPS) can go as high as $0.0084. The PPS of alternative streaming services varies between $0.0188 (Napster) and $0.0013 (Pandora). PPS values aren’t always accurate, as there are many variables that make up the cost.

At times, it can be hard to determine what the PPS of Spotify and other streaming platforms is, some music distribution websites provide helpful guideline figures for determining how much each streaming service pays per stream.

The table below shows in U.S. dollars and is estimated according to the U.S. market.

So, how much do streaming services pay per stream?