Songtrust's Stated Pricing Structure
Songtrust's pricing structure includes:
$100 per songwriter registration fee (one-time, non-refundable)
15% commission on performance royalties collected
20% commission on non-performance (worldwide mechanical) royalties collected, effective January 1, 2025.*
*For accounts created between October 1-November 30, 2024, the 20% mechanical rate took effect April 1, 2025. Accounts created before October 1, 2025 moved to the new rate on January 1, 2025. (Source)
At first glance, this may seem straightforward. However, the actual cost is often significantly higher than these percentages suggest.
What "Net Sums" Really Means
Songtrust's Terms of Service state that commissions are calculated on "Net Sums" AFTER the collection societies and the intermediaries they use to offer global publishing administration take their deductions.
What this means in practice:
Songtrust manages royalty collection through 65+ direct relationships with collection societies worldwide. In territories where direct relationships have not yet been established, Songtrust utilizes sub-publishing agreements. Songtrust's 15-20% commission is calculated on "Net Sums" — the royalty amount that arrives at Songtrust after each party in the collection chain has already been paid. In territories where Songtrust has direct society relationships, this is relatively straightforward. In territories where sub-publishers are involved, additional deductions occur upstream of Songtrust's commission, and the specific terms of those sub-publishing arrangements are not publicly disclosed.
Example calculation:
Your work earns $1,000 in international mechanical royalties
Foreign collection society takes 10% = $100 (you're down to $900)
Sub-publisher (where applicable) takes an undisclosed percentage, industry norm ~15% = $135 (you're down to $765)
Songtrust takes 20% commission on "Net Sums" of $765 = $153
You receive: $612 (38.8% total deduction)
Note: This example reflects a scenario where both a foreign society fee and sub-publisher apply; actual deductions may vary by territory. Songtrust's 15% commission applies to performance royalties; 20% applies to non-performance (worldwide mechanical) royalties.
Hidden Costs and Fees
Beyond the commission structure, there are additional costs to consider:
Commission-on-Commission Scenarios:
Multiple intermediaries each taking a percentage
Currency exchange losses from multiple collection entities
Currency Exchange rate paid different than market rate
Delayed payments as money passes through multiple hands
Reduced transparency about actual earnings vs. deductions
Registration and Administrative Costs:
$100 per songwriter is non-refundable (if you add 5 songwriters to your administration agreement with Songtrust that's $500 total)
Post-termination collection: Songtrust continues charging their commission during the Exploitation Period after you cancel, 15% on performance and 20% on non-performance mechanical royalties, on any income received while they remain the administrator of record.
Minimum payout threshold of $25 means small earnings sit uncollected
Time-Based Costs:
2-13+ months for works to appear in society databases means delayed royalty collection
Missed opportunities if works aren't registered before promotional pushes
Customer service delays (extended customer response time) can result in registration errors
Real-World Cost Comparison
Example: Independent artist with $10,000 in annual US royalties
With Songtrust:
$100 registration fee (upfront)
$1,500 $2,000 in commissions annually (15-20%)
Potential additional deductions for international income
Total annual cost: $1,500 in commission on performance royalties (15%) or $2,000 on non-performance mechanical royalties or a blend of both depending upon your royalty mix.
With TuneRegistry (Team Plan):
$35/month = $420 annually
Zero commission
100% of royalties paid directly to you
Total annual cost: $420
Savings: $1,180 $1,680+ per year
At $50,000 in annual royalties, you'd pay Songtrust $7,500-$10,000+ while paying TuneRegistry just $420-$1,140 (depending on plan).
The Subscription Alternative
TuneRegistry operates on a transparent subscription model:
Our subscription plans:
Solo Plan: $15/mo—500 works, unlimited co-writers
Team Plan: $35/mo—collaborative catalog management
Business Plan: $95/mo—multiple client catalogs
Enterprise Plan: $490/mo—enterprise-scale administration
What you keep:
100% of your royalties
Every dollar collected by ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Music Reports, Harry Fox Agency, or SoundExchange is paid directly to you from those organizations
We do not collect nor distribute your earned royalties, nor do we take a commission
Predictable costs:
No surprise deductions
No percentage-based fees that grow as you succeed
No per-songwriter charges
No commission on international income if you use both services strategically
No discounted currency exchange rates
Additional Value Considerations
Beyond the cost difference, our subscription-based administration offers:
Speed: 3-5 business days for US registrations vs. 2-13+ months
Control: You remain publisher of record vs. Songtrust being your administrator
Relationships: Direct society relationships maintained vs. intermediary layers
Cancellation: 24-hour processing vs. 15-24 month process
Support: 24-hour response SLA vs. 30+ day typical response times
Visit our pricing page to view subscription plans and sign up.
Need additional assistance with preparing to use TuneRegistry? Our support team is here to help at support@tuneregistry.com or via chat in the app. See something that needs updating? Let us know we strive to ensure these articles are accurate and helpful.