Qobuz pays $12,953 per million streams, the highest rate of any major streaming platform. If your audience is audiophiles or Europeans, it may be the most underrated platform in your distribution stack.
Tidal pays $8,246 per million streams, nearly three times what Spotify pays. But it has a fraction of the audience. Here is an honest breakdown of whether independent artists should actively target Tidal or just let it run passively.
We analyzed real payout data across 70 streaming platforms to show exactly what each one pays per stream and per million streams. The results may surprise you. Here is the full 2026 payout comparison with charts, tables, and what it means for independent artists.
Deezer owns France and has deep roots in Brazil, Belgium, and other European markets. If any part of your audience is in those countries, Deezer deserves more of your attention than you are probably giving it.
