On May 13, 2025, UnitedMasters is launching our 'Real-Time Royalties' initiative - a groundbreaking new way to receive payments for your streams on a daily basis, as soon as your tracks are streamed. Usually, you'll receive your royalties for an individual play of your music 45-60 days after it takes place; however, with Real-Time Royalties, the wait time for your royalty payouts is no more.
Please review the following FAQs for more information on this new initiative!
How does Real-Time Royalties work?
When you opt in, UnitedMasters calculates your daily earnings based on your streaming data from Spotify and Apple Music. A portion of your estimated royalties is deposited into your Wallet daily.
At the end of each month, these Real-Time Royalty payments are reconciled against your actual royalties from DSPs.
A 5% service fee is applied to the total Real-Time Royalty payouts made that month.
Example:
If you received $30 in Real-Time Royalty payments throughout the month, your next statement will show:
- A deduction of $31.50 for “Real-Time Royalty Recoupment” ($30 Real-Time Royalty payments plus $1.50 service fee)
- The remaining balance from your total royalties, if any
Who is eligible for Real-Time Royalties?
To be eligible for Real-Time Royalties, you must:
- Be a SELECT or PARTNER member
- Earn at least $20/month from your DSP earnings
- Have a verified US tax profile
- Have no current fraud flags or outstanding advances
- Not be suspended from Real-Time Royalties previously
💡 Once you’re in, you’re in, unless your account status changes or you no longer meet the terms of the program.
How do I activate Real-Time Royalties?
If you’re eligible, you’ll see a Real-Time Royalties opt-in card in your Wallet.
- Tap the card
- Review and accept the Real-Time Royalties Terms
- Once confirmed, Real-Time Royalty payments will begin paying out daily at ~8pm US ET
What happens if my Real-Time Royalty payments are delayed?
Occasionally, you may see a delay in your daily payment. This can happen for a few reasons:
- Streaming data hasn’t been received yet from one of the participating DSPs
- Your streams may be under review for anomalies or potential fraud
- There may be temporary system processing delays
If a delay occurs, you’ll see a notification in your Wallet. Your payout will be made the following day as soon as data is available.
How do I opt out of Real-Time Royalties?
You can opt out at any time:
- Go to your Wallet
- Tap the Real-Time Royalties section
- Select “Opt Out” and confirm
🚨 Note: Any Real-Time Royalty payments you’ve already received will still be recouped on your next monthly earnings statement. After opting out, you’ll return to the standard monthly payout schedule.
What does “recoupment” mean and how is it shown?
“Recoupment” means we subtract the Real-Time Royalty payments you already received from your final monthly earnings, so you don’t get paid twice.
You’ll see this in your earnings statement as:
- “Real-Time Royalty Recoupment”: total of Real-Time Royalty payments already made + the dollar equivalent of the 5% service fee
- Your final payout is adjusted based on these amounts
What happens if I downgrade my plan?
If you switch from SELECT or PARTNER to DEBUT+ or DEBUT, you’ll automatically lose access to Real-Time Royalties.
- Daily Real-Time Royalty payments will stop immediately
- Any Real-Time Royalty payments you’ve already received will still be recouped on your next statement
- You’ll be moved back to the monthly payout schedule
Can I rejoin Real-Time Royalties after opting out or becoming ineligible?
Yes! As long as you still meet the eligibility criteria, you can re-opt in at any time from your Wallet.
Where can I read the full terms?
You can find the full Real-Time Royalty Terms & Conditions here:
https://unitedmasters.com/en/real-time-royalty-terms
Is Real-Time Royalties a loan?
No. Real-Time Royalties is not a loan. You are only being paid for earnings you’ve already generated from streams on Apple Music and Spotify. We use your actual streaming activity and past earnings data to calculate what you’re owed, and pay a portion of that to you daily as a pre-payment on your earnings.
While there is a fixed fee, there is no interest calculated or compounded on Real-Time Royalty payments.
Is Real-Time Royalties available for non-US artists?
Not yet. Real-Time Royalties is currently only available to U.S.-based artists who meet the eligibility criteria.
We’re actively exploring how to expand Real-Time Royalties to artists in more countries, and international support is on our roadmap. If you’re outside the U.S., stay tuned. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as it becomes available in your region.
What DSPs royalties are supported by Real-Time Royalties?
Spotify and Apple Music streams generated in the US are supported.
As always, If you have any other questions or need additional assistance, please let us know by submitting a request for support.
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