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Indian artists earn roughly ₹0.05 to ₹0.85 per stream, depending heavily on the platform and where the listener is. Apple Music and YouTube Music pay the most per play; Spotify and JioSaavn pay less but usually have more listeners. This post gives you realistic 2026 numbers and worked examples in rupees, so you can set honest expectations for what your streams are worth.
Per-stream rates by platform (2026 estimates)
Rates vary with listener country and plan type, so treat these as ballpark, not promises. Figures are converted to rupees at roughly ₹85/$1.
| Platform | Approx. per stream | Per 100,000 streams |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Music | ≈ ₹0.55–0.85 | ≈ ₹55,000–85,000 |
| YouTube Music | ≈ ₹0.40–0.60 | ≈ ₹40,000–60,000 |
| Spotify (India listeners) | ≈ ₹0.07 | ≈ ₹7,000 |
| JioSaavn | ≈ ₹0.05–0.10 | ≈ ₹5,000–10,000 |
Three worked examples
- 1,000,000 Spotify streams, mostly Indian listeners: roughly ₹65,000–₹95,000 over the song's life.
- 200,000 streams split across Spotify and YouTube Music: roughly ₹30,000–₹55,000.
- 50,000 Apple Music streams: roughly ₹28,000–₹42,000 — fewer plays, but higher value each.
Want the mechanics behind these numbers? Read how music royalties work in India.
Why your payout might be lower than expected
Four common leaks: your distributor's commission (keeping 80% vs 95% adds up), forex fees on dollar payouts, uncollected songwriting royalties, and money left on YouTube because Content ID wasn't switched on. Fixing these recovers real income.
How to earn more per release
Pick a distributor that pays in rupees and keeps a high royalty share, turn on Content ID, register to collect your publishing royalties, and focus your promotion where payouts are higher (Apple Music, YouTube Music) as well as where reach is biggest (Spotify, JioSaavn). Compare distributors in our distributor comparison.