Forecast Streaming Earnings Across Spotify, Apple Music & More
Plan your release before the money arrives. Enter anticipated streams, see estimated royalties across 11 platforms, and split them with your collaborators — all in one free tool.
Most royalty calculators only work backwards — you upload a statement after the fact and figure out who gets what. That's useful, but it doesn't help when you're planning a release, pitching a split to a collaborator, or trying to set realistic expectations before your first payout lands.
The new Forecast Earnings page on Song Royalty Calculator fills that gap. Instead of starting with dollars from a CSV, you start with streams — how many plays you think a track might reach on each platform — and the tool converts those into estimated earnings using current industry-average per-stream rates.
Which platforms are supported?
The forecast tool covers 11 of the most widely used streaming and social platforms:
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- YouTube Music
- Amazon Music
- Tidal
- Deezer
- SoundCloud
- Pandora
- TikTok
- Facebook (Meta)
- Instagram (Meta)
Each platform uses a different average payout per stream. Apple Music and Tidal tend to pay more per play; YouTube Music, TikTok, and Meta platforms tend to pay less. The forecast page shows the rate alongside your input so you can see exactly how each platform contributes to your total.
From forecast to fair splits
Once you've entered your anticipated streams, the page calculates your estimated total earnings and hands that figure straight into the same publishing and mechanical split breakdown used on the main calculator. Add your collaborators, set percentages, account for advances and recoupable costs, and hit Calculate Splits.
This means you can have the "here's what we might earn, and here's what that means for each of us" conversation before you release — not three months later when a CSV finally arrives.
Per-stream rates are industry averages and vary by listener country, subscription tier, and your distributor deal. Use forecasts for planning, not as guaranteed payout figures.
When to use forecast vs. the CSV calculator
Use the forecast tool when you're planning ahead — setting split agreements, budgeting a release, or comparing how different platform mixes might affect your earnings.
Use the CSV calculator when you have actual earnings data from DistroKid, TuneCore, or Symphonic and need to work out what each collaborator is owed from real numbers.
Both tools are free, run entirely in your browser, and never upload your data to a server.
FAQ
Are the per-stream rates accurate?
They're based on 2025/2026 industry averages compiled from public payout reports. Real payouts depend on where your listeners are, whether they're on free or premium tiers, and the terms of your distributor agreement. Treat the output as a planning estimate, not a promise.
Can I adjust the total earnings manually?
Yes. After entering streams, you can edit the forecasted earnings total directly if you want to fine-tune the figure before running split calculations.
Do I need an account?
No. The forecast tool works immediately with no sign-up, no subscription, and no data stored on our servers.
Try the new forecast tool — free, no sign-up required.
Forecast Your Earnings