Direct-to-Fan Sales on SoundCloud: 100% Revenue Retention

SoundCloud direct-to-fan music sales with zero commission

SoundCloud is testing a feature that allows artists to sell and deliver music directly from their SoundCloud profiles, enabling fans to purchase downloads without leaving the platform. Artists can set their own prices and offer music in formats including MP3 and WAV. SoundCloud takes no commission on these direct sales; after standard fees and taxes are deducted, artists keep 100% of the revenue. The initial beta test will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators to test the feature and sales delivery. Participating artists will be able to monitor sales through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard.

SoundCloud is testing a feature that lets artists sell and deliver music directly from their SoundCloud profiles, enabling fans to buy downloads without leaving the platform. Artists can set their own prices and offer music in formats including MP3 and WAV. Participating artists can monitor sales through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard.

SoundCloud takes no commission on these sales; after standard fees and taxes are deducted, artists keep 100% of the revenue. The beta test will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators and the feature is planned to roll out to all eligible creators later this autumn. Direct sales will augment SoundCloud’s existing monetisation tools, including Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and ticketing.

Approximately 250,000 artists currently direct fans to external platforms to buy music, and there are about 2.4 million tracks linked to purchase pages. More than 500,000 SoundCloud users are sent to external sites each year. About 28% of surveyed artists either already sell downloadable music or want to start.

Approximately 250,000 artists currently direct fans to external platforms to buy music, a figure reported alongside SoundCloud’s testing of direct-to-fan sales. There are about 2.4 million tracks linked to purchase pages on the platform, as cited in the same reporting. Both figures were presented in relation to SoundCloud’s announcement of a beta test for a direct-sales feature.

More than 500,000 SoundCloud users are sent to external sites each year, according to the reported data. About 28% of surveyed artists either already sell downloadable music or want to start, as stated in the report. These statistics were provided in the context of SoundCloud describing external purchasing activity and artist interest ahead of the beta test.

“Artists should be able to build their audience in one place, on one platform,” says SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton. “SoundCloud has always been where artists find their first fans and build real communities. We’re continuing to bring more of what they need to grow their careers into that same experience, while letting fans directly support the music they love.”

SoundCloud reported that the new direct sales feature will augment its existing monetisation tools, explicitly naming Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl, and ticketing as complementary options that will coexist with direct-to-fan downloads. The company said the feature is planned to roll out to all eligible creators later this autumn, while the initial beta will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators to test the functionality and delivery workflow.

Participating artists in the beta can monitor direct sales performance through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard, which are cited as the platforms provided for sales oversight and reporting. The launch of direct sales was presented alongside platform metrics on external purchasing behaviour—such as the number of artists directing fans to external platforms, the count of tracks linked to purchase pages, the annual number of users sent to external sites, and the share of surveyed artists selling or wanting to sell downloadable music—positioning the new tool within SoundCloud’s broader monetisation ecosystem.

CONCLUSION

SoundCloud is testing a feature that lets artists sell and deliver music directly from their SoundCloud profiles, enabling fans to buy downloads without leaving the platform, with artists able to set their own prices and offer music in formats including MP3 and WAV. SoundCloud takes no commission on these sales; after standard fees and taxes are deducted, artists keep 100% of the revenue, and the initial beta will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators. Participating artists can monitor direct sale performance through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard, and the company plans to roll the feature out to all eligible creators later this autumn. SoundCloud presented the direct-sales option as an addition to its existing monetisation tools, listing Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and ticketing as complementary options.

CONCLUSION: SoundCloud direct-to-fan music sales with zero commission

SoundCloud is testing a direct-to-fan music sales feature that lets artists sell and deliver downloads directly from their SoundCloud profiles with no commission taken by the platform. Artists are reported to be able to set their own prices and to offer downloads in formats including MP3 and WAV. The report states that SoundCloud will deduct standard fees and taxes but will not take a commission, and that participating creators will be able to track sales activity.

The company said the initial beta will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators and that participating artists can monitor direct-sale performance through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard. SoundCloud reported that it plans to roll the feature out to all eligible creators later this autumn and that the direct-sales option is intended to sit alongside existing monetisation tools, including Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and ticketing.

SoundCloud is testing a feature that lets artists sell and deliver music directly from their SoundCloud profiles, enabling fans to buy downloads without leaving the platform. Artists can set their own prices and offer music in formats including MP3 and WAV. SoundCloud takes no commission on these sales; after standard fees and taxes are deducted, artists keep 100% of the revenue. The feature is presented as a direct-to-fan sales capability.

The initial beta test will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators. Participating artists can monitor direct-sale performance through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard. The company plans to roll the feature out to all eligible creators later this autumn.

SoundCloud said direct sales will augment its existing monetisation tools, including Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and ticketing. The company reported platform metrics noting that approximately 250,000 artists currently direct fans to external platforms to buy music and that about 2.4 million tracks are linked to purchase pages. The reporting also stated that more than 500,000 SoundCloud users are sent to external sites each year. About 28% of surveyed artists either already sell downloadable music or want to start, according to the same report.

Approximately 250,000 artists currently direct fans to external platforms to buy music, a figure reported alongside SoundCloud’s announcement of a direct-to-fan sales feature. The reporting also cited about 2.4 million tracks linked to purchase pages on the platform. These statistics were presented in the context of the company describing external purchasing behaviour as part of the new direct-sales capability. The published figures were included alongside details of the beta test and the product announcement.

The same report stated that more than 500,000 SoundCloud users are sent to external sites each year. It also said that about 28% of surveyed artists either already sell downloadable music or want to start. Those metrics were provided alongside information that the initial beta will include 200 US-based Artist Pro creators. The report additionally noted that participating artists will be able to monitor direct sales through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard, and that the company plans an autumn rollout to all eligible creators.

SoundCloud reported that the direct-to-fan sales feature will sit alongside its existing monetisation tools, explicitly naming Fan-Powered Royalties, Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and ticketing as complementary options. The company described the feature as allowing artists to set their own prices and to offer downloads in formats including MP3 and WAV, and stated that SoundCloud will take no commission on these sales, with artists retaining 100% of revenue after standard fees and taxes are deducted. The initial beta is limited to 200 US-based Artist Pro creators to test the functionality and delivery processes, and the company said the feature is planned to roll out to all eligible creators later this autumn.

SoundCloud said participating artists in the beta will be able to monitor direct-sale performance through Artist Studio and the Fan Support Dashboard. The company presented the direct-sales option as an addition to existing monetisation tools rather than a replacement, positioning it within a broader set of artist revenue options. The reported information tied the product announcement to platform metrics on external purchasing behaviour and artist interest that the company provided alongside details of the beta.