FREE ROYALTY SPLITS
Share music royalties with your collaborators
Agree how your distribution royalties should be shared with producers, musicians, managers or other collaborators. DistroBolt offers free royalty splits and free recipient accounts. A collaborator does not need a paid distribution subscription simply to receive a split.
What does “free splits” mean?
There is no extra DistroBolt split fee to receive or withdraw your share. DistroBolt’s standard 10% revenue share still applies. Reporting and applicable payout requirements still govern when money becomes available; an allocated share does not mean an automatic monthly bank payment.
Start with the amount being shared
In these examples, €100 means royalty revenue before DistroBolt’s standard 10% share. DistroBolt receives €10, leaving €90 to divide between the agreed collaborators. Subscription charges are separate and are not included in these examples. These are arithmetic examples, not forecasts of streams or earnings.
Example 1: two equal collaborators
Split the €90 remaining equally:
- Collaborator A: 50% of €90 = €45.
- Collaborator B: 50% of €90 = €45.
- DistroBolt: €10.
Total allocated: €100. Each collaborator receives 45% of the original €100, because their 50% split applies to the €90 remaining.
Example 2: artist and producer, 80/20
- Artist: 80% of €90 = €72.
- Producer: 20% of €90 = €18.
- DistroBolt: €10.
Write down the calculation basis. “20% of the artist royalties after DistroBolt’s share” is clearer than an unexplained “20%”.
Example 3: a four-person band
Four equal shares of the remaining €90 give €22.50 per member. The four shares total €90; DistroBolt’s share is €10.
Agree the details before setup
- The exact recordings or releases covered by the agreement.
- Who receives each share and the correct account email for each participant.
- The percentage for each participant and what amount those percentages apply to.
- When the agreement applies and how you will handle future changes.
- Who is responsible for checking the submitted details.
Keep a written record everyone understands. A distribution split does not, on its own, establish ownership of a recording or replace agreements about songwriting and publishing.
Free recipient account or distribution plan?
A free recipient account lets a collaborator receive their agreed share. Releasing their own music is a separate use of the distribution service. Compare the DistroBolt distribution plans if they also want to submit releases.
Why might a statement differ from this example?
Check the actual reported royalty amount, the recording and reporting period, and the split that applies. Do not calculate a missing payment from a live stream counter alone. If the details do not match your agreement, ask the team to review the specific statement and recording. Do not change percentages merely to compensate for an unexplained difference.
Royalty splits and referrals are different
A collaborator split divides the artist royalty amount. The DistroBolt referral reward instead comes from DistroBolt’s own standard share for one year: artist 90%, referrer 3%, DistroBolt 7%. It does not reduce the referred artist’s 90%. Ask the team to confirm the qualifying revenue and exact one-year period before referral setup.
Need help checking a split?
Send the release or track details, your question and the relevant reporting period. Do not send passwords, login codes or bank details in the initial message.
Ask DistroBolt about royalty splitsOrdinary support is free. You do not need to buy a Marketplace service to ask about a split.
Preparing a release? Use the release checklist. Moving existing music? Start with the catalogue-transfer guide.