Music Streaming Payouts 2026: Who Pays Artists Best?

Introduction

As listeners, we often focus on price and features. But for the creators, streaming is their livelihood. In 2026, the disparity in artist payouts has sparked massive industry debate. With Spotify introducing a 1,000-stream threshold for monetization, the landscape has shifted.

If you want your monthly subscription fee to actually reach the bands you love, your choice of platform matters more than ever.

Quick Summary: Payout Rankings

• Highest Payer: Qobuz (~$0.043 per stream)
• Runner Up: Tidal (~$0.013 per stream)
• Middle Ground: Apple Music (~$0.01 per stream)
• Lowest Major: Spotify (~$0.003 - $0.005 per stream)

The 'Penny Fraction' War

It is important to understand that no service pays a flat rate. Payouts come from a 'pool' based on total revenue and total streams. However, averages tell a clear story.

Why Tidal and Qobuz Pay More

These services have a higher average subscription price (due to Hi-Res tiers) and a smaller, more dedicated user base. This creates a more valuable 'pool'. Spotify's massive free tier dilutes the per-stream value significantly.

The 'User-Centric' Model

Deezer and Tidal have experimented with 'User-Centric Payment Systems' (UCPS). In this model, if you only listen to Metallica, your $10 goes specifically to Metallica, rather than being thrown into a giant pot and split by global popularity. This is widely considered the fairest model for niche artists.

Conclusion

If your priority is supporting artists, Qobuz or Tidal are the only ethical choices. Using Spotify is convenient, but it requires your favorite artist to generate millions of streams just to pay rent.

Want to support directly? Buy merch or vinyl on Bandcamp.