When you buy music on Sonara, 90% goes directly to the artist who made it. Sonara takes a transparent 10% platform fee — so the artist gets more than anywhere else, and you know exactly where your money goes.
On a traditional streaming platform, $10/month split across thousands of streams gives your favourite artist a fraction of a cent per play. They might see $2 of that $10. Maybe less.
On Sonara, that same $10 spent on one artist's album means $9 goes to the artist — Sonara keeps just $1 as a flat platform fee. Compare that to streaming where the artist might see $0.03. It's not complicated — it's just the right way to do it.
The artists you love need your support to keep creating. Sonara makes sure your support actually reaches them.
A real comparison. Every number is real.
| Platform | Artist gets per $10 spent | You own the music? | Transparent fees? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify (streaming) | $0.003–$0.005 per stream — artist needs ~230 streams to earn $1 | No — access ends if subscription lapses | Streaming share model — not transparent per sale |
| Apple Music (streaming) | ~$0.01 per stream — higher than Spotify but still fractions of cents | No — access ends if subscription lapses | Streaming share model — label/distributor cuts apply |
| Bandcamp (direct) | ~$8.20 of $10 — 15% platform fee + 4–7% payment processor | Yes — download is yours forever | Mostly — fees disclosed at checkout |
| Sonara ✦ | $9.00 of $10 — flat 10% fee, always disclosed before you pay | Yes — download yours forever, no subscription needed | Yes — fee shown before every transaction |
* Spotify: $0.003–$0.005/stream (2025 industry average). Apple Music: ~$0.01/stream (confirmed by Apple for individual paid plans). Bandcamp: 15% platform fee + 4–7% payment processor = artist receives ~80–82% on average (per Bandcamp's published data). Sonara: flat 10% fee — artist always receives 90%. All third-party rates are approximate and subject to change.
"I used to feel guilty about not 'supporting' artists on streaming. On Sonara, I know that when I spend money, it actually reaches the person who made something I love."
— Sonara Fan