Can I earn money on SoundCloud?

Yes. Songs delivered through a distributor get paid on SoundCloud. The earnings show up in your statement together with all other platforms.

What's the difference between a self-upload and distribution?

A self-upload stays on SoundCloud. Through a distributor, the song comes out on SoundCloud with an ISRC and official metadata and at the same time on every other streaming platform.

What happens to my earlier upload?

It stays online until you delete it or set it to private. To avoid duplicates, it's best to settle on one version before release.

How long does it take for my song to appear on SoundCloud?

Usually a few business days after our review and delivery. Only set your old self-upload to private once the official version is online.

What does it cost to release on SoundCloud?

No fixed costs. We keep 10% of your SoundCloud earnings, and all rights stay with you.

SOUNDCLOUD · RELEASE MUSIC

Release music on SoundCloud and earn money with it.

SoundCloud is where scenes come together: comments right in the waveform, reposts, DJ mixes and newcomers finding their first fans. Anyone can upload a track themselves. It only earns money once it's officially delivered or monetized. With OGRECORDS^™ you deliver your song to SoundCloud and every other store.

Start for free How it works

10% revenue share, no subscription
ISRC & UPC included
You keep your masters

Delivery time after approval: 1–3 business days
SoundCloud
Estimate per stream: ≈ $0.0025
≈ $2.50 per 1,000 streams, gross
Our commission: 10%
Revenue share · no subscription, no setup fees
Master rights: 100%
always stay with you

Self-upload or distribution?

Uploading through your SoundCloud profile is quick, but it stays on SoundCloud. Through a distributor, the same song is delivered to SoundCloud with an ISRC and official metadata and gets paid there. At the same time it comes out on Spotify, Apple Music and every other platform.

How do you earn on SoundCloud?

SoundCloud pays for plays out of subscriptions and ads. The amount per play is lower than on pure subscription services, but the community is especially active: reposts and comments spread tracks quickly through the right scene. Your SoundCloud earnings go into your statement together with all other platforms.

Avoid duplicates

If your song is already on your profile as a self-upload, it may show up twice after the official delivery. Decide beforehand which version should stay, and set the old one to private if needed. Otherwise plays, likes and comments get split across two entries.

SoundCloud as a test lab

Many artists share demos, edits or mixes on SoundCloud and see what catches on. The finished song then goes out officially through the distributor, with codes, rights and earnings on every platform.

STEP BY STEP

5 steps to get your song officially on SoundCloud

01
Sign up for free
Create an account, sign the distribution agreement online, verify your identity. Your SoundCloud profile can stay as it is.
02
Upload track and artwork
WAV, FLAC or AIFF, artwork from 3000 × 3000 pixels.
03
Add metadata
Write title and artist the same way as on your SoundCloud profile so fans recognize the official track right away.
04
Pick stores and date
SoundCloud is preselected along with every other store. Keep it in, even if the song is already online as a self-upload. You deal with the old version in the next step.
05
Clean up old uploads
Before release, decide whether an earlier self-upload of the song should be set to private.

Create a release

EARNINGS

How much do streams on SoundCloud pay?

SoundCloud pays for plays out of subscription and ad revenue. The figures below are rough averages and depend heavily on how many of your listeners pay.

Streams	Estimate (gross)
1,000	≈ $2.50
10,000	≈ $25.00
100,000	≈ $250.00
1,000,000	≈ $2,500.00

Industry averages, not a guarantee. More on rates and deductions at How much does Spotify pay per stream? and Pricing.

GET MORE OUT OF IT

How to get more out of SoundCloud

Get your community moving

Ask friends, labels and scene accounts for reposts on release day. On SoundCloud, reposts are the main way tracks spread.

Reply to comments

Comments in the waveform are public. Replying builds a loyal audience faster.

Only one official version

Duplicate uploads split plays and likes. Keep one version public.

Send people on to the big stores

Put a smart link in the track description so fans can save the song on Spotify and Apple Music too.

Ready for SoundCloud?

Your account is set up in a few minutes, then the release wizard walks you through every step.

Start for free

FAQ

Common questions about SoundCloud

Can I earn money on SoundCloud?: Yes. Songs delivered through a distributor get paid on SoundCloud. The earnings show up in your statement together with all other platforms.
What's the difference between a self-upload and distribution?: A self-upload stays on SoundCloud. Through a distributor, the song comes out on SoundCloud with an ISRC and official metadata and at the same time on every other streaming platform.
What happens to my earlier upload?: It stays online until you delete it or set it to private. To avoid duplicates, it's best to settle on one version before release.
How long does it take for my song to appear on SoundCloud?: Usually a few business days after our review and delivery. Only set your old self-upload to private once the official version is online.
What does it cost to release on SoundCloud?: No fixed costs. We keep 10% of your SoundCloud earnings, and all rights stay with you.

ONE UPLOAD, ALL STORES

Besides SoundCloud, your release lands in every other store

The same upload delivers to every platform in the network. Here are the guides for the most important ones.

All platforms in the network →

ALSO RELEVANT

Your song officially on SoundCloud.

Monetized on SoundCloud and out on all the big stores at the same time. Start for free.

Create a free account View pricing

SoundCloud is a trademark of its respective owner. OGRECORDS™ is an independent music distributor and is not affiliated with SoundCloud.