Frequently asked questions
How Audibin works, who it is for, and how to get started.
Is Audibin right for me?
On Spotify and Apple Music, your subscription goes into one giant pool. Your listening gets mixed with everyone else's, and most independent artists see tiny payouts per stream.
On Audibin, your subscription goes to the artists you follow. Half of each listener's subscription is paid to artists every month, split evenly among the artists they followed for at least three days that month. You're not funding the biggest acts on the platform unless you actually follow them.
If Audibin has a profitable year after expenses, artists also share in that at year-end, based on how much monthly support they received that year.
Each month, half of every paid subscription goes to artists. That money is divided among the artists each listener followed for at least three days that month.
That's separate from ads on the free tier. It's also separate from year-end profit sharing: if the company ends the year in the black after expenses, half of those profits go to artists too, shared in proportion to the monthly support they earned that year.
For a rough estimate with your own numbers, see our earnings calculator.
Yes. Major distributors like DistroKid, CD Baby, and TuneCore are non-exclusive. There is no contractual barrier to also distributing your music through Audibin. Most artists use multiple platforms, and Audibin is designed to complement your existing distribution, not replace it.
Audibin is built with independent artists in mind, particularly those building a local or regional fanbase. Signed artists can participate, but you will want to check your label agreement for any restrictions on alternative distribution. We are happy to help you think through what applies to your situation.
We are currently focused on the Front Range music community: Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins. Listeners anywhere can sign up and discover music, and US-based artists can onboard now. International artist onboarding is planned for a future phase as we build out the tax and payout infrastructure to do it properly.
Audibin LLC is a Colorado limited liability company managed by a five-seat Board of Directors: the CEO, three employee representatives elected by employees, and one artist representative elected by the artist community and appointed by the Board. We are not employee-owned today. Our operating agreement states the company's intent to transition toward a formal employee-ownership structure, such as a worker cooperative or ESOP, when the Board determines the company has sufficient scale and financial stability. That transition is aspirational and not bound to a fixed timeline. Any future ownership change must preserve meaningful artist voice in governance, including the artist representative seat. Our mission is artist-first distribution with transparent, community-accountable governance.
About our business
Half of each $5/month subscription goes to artists: $2.50 total.
That $2.50 is split evenly among the artists you followed for at least three days that month. If you follow five artists, each gets $0.50 from your subscription that month.
If you haven't followed anyone for at least three days, none of your subscription is paid out that month. Your money only goes to artists you've chosen to support.
The more listeners who follow you, the more you earn. Other artists on the platform don't dilute your payout. At the end of a profitable year, artists also receive a yearly share of company profits, proportional to the monthly support they received.
Want to model your own follower count and compare to typical streaming payouts? Use our earnings calculator.
Audibin is a Colorado LLC run by a five-person board: the CEO, three employee representatives elected by the team, and one artist representative elected by artists on the platform.
We're not employee-owned yet. Structures like a worker cooperative or ESOP take real scale and real cost to set up properly, and we're still a small team building the platform in the Front Range. Our operating agreement documents the intent to move toward employee ownership when the company is ready, without giving up artist representation on the board.
We came through beta and are focused on building a local catalog and community before expanding. We work with a music industry CPA and Colorado counsel on payouts and compliance.
Yes, on the free tier, and we are deliberate about it. Audibin sells advertising to local businesses at rates that keep it accessible, and we do not work with advertisers we consider problematic. Advertising on the free tier helps fund operations alongside subscriber revenue. Monthly artist payments come from fifty percent (50%) of gross subscription revenue as defined in our operating agreement. Paid subscribers get an ad-free experience.
US-based artists complete a W-9 during payout setup. We issue 1099-MISC forms for earnings above IRS reporting thresholds. Subscription funds are held separately from Audibin's operating accounts to keep accounting clean and comply with Colorado regulations. Artists set their preferred payout method when activating their payout account.
Our process
Onboarding happens in two tiers. Tier 1 is quick: create an account, set up your artist profile, upload your music. You are live and discoverable immediately. Tier 2 unlocks payouts: you will complete a W-9, add a payout method, and you are set. We keep Tier 1 frictionless so you can get your music in front of listeners right away without paperwork slowing you down.
Discovery on Audibin is built around audio features: what the music actually sounds like. We use audio analysis to match listeners to music they will genuinely connect with, and the system is specifically designed to surface independent and local artists. The recommendation engine gets more personalized as the platform grows and incorporates more listener behavior signals over time.
Audibin pays out to the artist who posted the track. Splitting that revenue among collaborators is something you handle directly with your collaborators outside the platform. We do not manage collaborator splits internally. This keeps things simple and puts you in full control of your agreements with other artists.
Working with us
Sign up at audibin.com and create an artist account. Upload your music, fill out your profile, and you are discoverable. When you are ready to receive payouts, complete the Tier 2 setup with your tax info and payout method. If you have questions or want to talk through the platform, reach out on Instagram or email hello@audibin.com.
Yes. We are actively building relationships with venues, music directors, and local promoters in the Front Range. If you work with artists and want to help them reach fans on a platform that actually pays them what they deserve, we would love to talk. Reach out on Instagram or email hello@audibin.com.
We work with local businesses and keep our rates accessible. Audibin advertising reaches music fans in your community and helps support artists at the same time. We are selective about who we work with: we do not take on advertisers that conflict with our values or that we think our community would find objectionable. If you think you are a good fit, email hello@audibin.com with a bit about your business.
We love talking to local press and radio. Reach out on Instagram or email hello@audibin.com. We are happy to walk you through the platform, share data on how artists are earning, and connect you with artists on Audibin who can speak to their own experience firsthand.
We are a small, responsive team. If you have a problem with your account or a payout, email hello@audibin.com or message us on Instagram. We prioritize payout and account access issues and aim to respond within one business day.
Legal
Our platform policies are published on audibin.com (effective June 1, 2026):
- Terms of Service (listeners and account holders)
- Privacy Policy
- Artist Agreement
- Artist Compensation Policy
- DMCA Policy