A complete guide to setting up your beat-selling business. Choose the right platform, price your beats, and build a customer base.
BeatStars and Airbit are the two dominant beat marketplaces. BeatStars offers a built-in marketplace with millions of visitors, while Airbit provides more customization for your storefront. Both offer free tiers to get started. For producers with an existing audience, a self-hosted store on your own website gives you 100% control and zero platform fees.
Standard pricing tiers: MP3 leases ($20-50), WAV leases ($50-100), trackouts/stems ($100-300), and exclusives ($300-5,000+). Price based on your market position, not production costs. New producers should start at the lower end and increase as demand grows. Never undervalue your work — free beats should only be used strategically for building a catalog presence.
Lease licenses allow non-exclusive use with limits (streaming caps, distribution restrictions). Exclusive licenses transfer full rights to the buyer. Premium/unlimited leases sit between the two. Always use contracts that specify terms clearly. Templates are available on BeatStars and through music attorney resources.
YouTube is the #1 discovery channel for beat sales. Upload beat videos with genre tags, BPM, and key in the title. Instagram Reels and TikTok drive engagement. Email marketing converts better than social media for repeat buyers. Build a mailing list from day one.