Bandcamp vs Spotify: where do artists actually earn more?
Spotify gives you reach. Bandcamp gives you income. The numbers are very different, and knowing them helps you decide where to send your fans.
Create your free artist pageHow Spotify pays artists
Spotify pays rights holders from a revenue pool based on each artist’s share of total streams. For independent artists that usually works out to about $0.003 to $0.005 per stream after the distributor. Since 2024, tracks need at least 1,000 streams in 12 months to earn royalties at all.
You also cannot sell music on Spotify. It is a streaming service, and you reach it through a distributor like DistroKid, TuneCore or CD Baby.
How Bandcamp pays artists
On Bandcamp, fans buy your music directly and you set the price. Bandcamp keeps 15% of digital sales (10% after $5,000 in 12 months) and 10% on merch, plus payment processing. A $10 album puts roughly $8 in your pocket.
| Spotify | Bandcamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Per unit | ~$0.003–0.005 per stream | ~$8 per $10 album |
| To earn $1,000 | ~200,000–330,000 streams | ~125 album sales |
| Who sets the price | Spotify | You |
| Know who your fans are | Aggregated stats only | Buyer emails (with consent) |
| Reach new listeners | Excellent | Moderate |
Illustrative figures. Actual payouts depend on country, subscription mix, distributor and payment fees.
The best answer: use both, and own the fan relationship
Put your music on Spotify for reach, then give listeners a reason to go one step further: buy the album, join a membership, get early access. Musiqo gives you a branded artist hub and app for that step, with streaming, news, tour dates, sales and memberships in one link.
- Free ($0/mo + 10% per sale): your artist hub with streaming, news, tour dates and a store
- Pro ($19/mo + 8% per sale): lower fees as your sales grow
- Pro App ($89/mo + 7% per sale): your own iOS and Android apps
- Card processing is charged on top on every plan
Frequently asked questions
Do artists make more on Bandcamp than on Spotify?
Per fan, almost always. One album sale on Bandcamp can equal thousands of streams on Spotify. Spotify is better for reaching new listeners.
How much does Spotify pay per stream?
There is no fixed rate, but independent artists typically see about $0.003 to $0.005 per stream after distributor fees.
Should I release on Bandcamp before Spotify?
Many artists sell a release to their core fans first, on Bandcamp or their own site, and put it on streaming a few weeks later. This rewards superfans and captures sales that streaming would replace.