Question 1

How much does Tidal pay per stream in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Tidal pays an average of $0.008 to $0.015 per stream in 2026—the highest rate among major streaming platforms. This is roughly 3x what Spotify pays per stream.

Question 2

Why does Tidal pay so much more per stream?

Accepted Answer

Tidal has a smaller user base of dedicated subscribers with no free tier. A smaller total stream count means the revenue pool is divided among fewer plays, resulting in a higher per-stream rate.

Question 3

How many Tidal streams to make $1,000?

Accepted Answer

At an average rate of $0.013 per stream, you need approximately 77,000 Tidal streams to earn $1,000 before distributor or label fees—far fewer than on any other major platform.

Question 4

Does Tidal have a direct artist payment model?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tidal introduced a fan-centered royalties model where a subscriber's payment goes directly to the artists they actually listen to, rather than being pooled across all artists on the platform.

Tidal Royalty Calculator 2026

Tidal Earnings by Stream Count

How many Tidal streams to make $1,000?