Start a music and beat licensing: the real numbers
Producing tracks sold as leases or exclusives. Below is what it actually costs, how long before money arrives,
and the part most guides leave out.
Startup capital
€500–€3,000
Hours / week
10–30
First income
~20 wks
Net margin
92%
Saturation
high
Realistic ceiling
€100–€1,500
What nobody usually tells you
Most income is €20–40 non-exclusive leases, so the volume has to be high. The exclusives that pay hundreds are rare and usually go to producers with a name. Treat streaming royalties as a rounding error, not a plan.
The route, in five steps
Produce in one genre until you're known for it
Upload consistently to the marketplaces that already have buyers
Name and tag tracks the way artists actually search
Sell leases at €25–40 and exclusives at €200+
Build a mailing list of artists who bought once
What you'll need to buy
These are the categories every music and beat licensing pays for in the first month.
We break down what each one actually costs at this size on the
tools page.
DAW softwaresample packsdistribution
Does it hold up for you?
These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on
your capital, your hours and how long you can wait — put them in and see.