← Earn Online Cookstown · All 125 ideas
Music and beat selling
Make original beats or music, then sell licences or files directly or through a marketplace. Sales and costs can vary widely, so start small and check exactly what each licence permits.
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- Make music or beats that you have rights to use.
- Offer clear files and clear rules for each sale.
- Choose a shop or music marketplace and check its terms.
- People may buy your music, but sales are not certain.
- Keep records of sales, costs and permissions.
Who it suits
Suits music producers who can make original tracks, organise audio files and communicate clearly with buyers. Anyone under 18 should involve a parent or guardian and check the chosen platform’s account and payment rules before starting.
Artists and creators may pay for ready-to-use beats, music files or permission to use a track. Clear previews, well-organised files and easy-to-understand licence terms help buyers decide what suits their project.
Step by step
- Choose a style and make a small group of finished tracks. Pick a sound or audience you understand, then make a few tracks that show what you can do. Finish and check each track before treating it as part of your catalogue. About 1-2 days.
- Use audio you made or have permission to use. Keep a note for every track listing its samples, vocals and other included material. Save permission messages or licence documents in the track’s folder so you can find them later. About 15-30 minutes per track.
- Export clean files and organise what buyers receive. Make the promised audio files, check that they open and play, and name them clearly. BeatStars describes MP3 and WAV uploads, and its Growth plan includes stem uploads. BeatStars pricing About 30-60 minutes per track.
- Write plain rules for each licence. Say which files are included, what the buyer may do, any limits, and whether the sale is exclusive. Dirora describes basic leases as non-exclusive and exclusive sales as removing the beat from sale. Dirora About 30-60 minutes per licence template.
- Set prices according to files and rights included. Compare the value of the files and permissions you offer, rather than pricing only by track length. Dirora gives examples of £20–£30 for a basic lease, £50–£80 for a premium lease and £300–£1,000+ for an exclusive licence; these are example prices, not expected sales. Dirora About 30-60 minutes.
- Choose a selling route and check its current terms. Compare a marketplace with running your own shop. Check subscription costs, platform fees and any payment-processing costs that are disclosed before you commit. About 1-2 hours.
- Make each listing clear and accurate. Use a descriptive title, a useful preview, accurate file details and a short explanation of the licence. Do not promise streams, placements or income. About 20-40 minutes per listing.
- Keep a record of sales, refunds and costs. Record each sale, refund, platform charge and other business income from the start. Review the records regularly so you can see what you actually received. About 10-20 minutes each week.
- Share previews and label commercial posts clearly. Promote tracks with useful previews and straightforward posts. UK ads must be clearly recognisable, and Irish commercial influencer content should be labelled, for example with #Ad. ASA CCPC About 15-30 minutes per post.
Your first 15 minutes
Choose three original beats, prepare previews and files, and draft a plain-language licence for each before publishing anything.
The money
Set prices by comparing the files, licence permissions and support included, and make each offer easy to compare. Dirora lists example prices of £20–£30 for a basic lease, £50–£80 for a premium lease and £300–£1,000+ for an exclusive licence; these are quoted prices, not evidence of typical sales or guaranteed earnings. <a href="https://dirora.com/en-GB/blog/how-to-sell-music-and-beats-online" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dirora</a>
Example only: UK, one week: 2 basic leases at £25 each = £50 gross. At Dirora’s stated Starter platform fee of 1.5%, the fee would be £0.75, leaving £49.25 before other costs and tax. <a href="https://dirora.com/en-GB/blog/how-to-sell-music-and-beats-online" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dirora</a> Ireland, one week: 2 illustrative leases at €25 each = €50 gross; if you set aside €3 for assumed costs, €50 − €3 = €47 before other costs and tax. These are arithmetic examples, not sales forecasts or a suggested Irish market price.
The rules
There is no general music-seller licence for the UK or Ireland. Use music you created or have permission to use. Explain buyer rights clearly. Check platform terms, and check the tax and consumer rules that apply to your sales. Dirora
UK and Northern Ireland
- Tax and records. The first £1,000 of your trading income each year is covered by the trading allowance. Above that, tell HMRC. The £1,000 is your gross income before expenses. If you need to register for Self Assessment, do so by 5 October after the end of the tax year in which you started trading. GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles GOV.UK
- VAT. You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover is over £90,000. Check how your music sales count towards the threshold. Business.gov.uk
- Music rights and platform terms. Use your own audio, or keep proof that you have permission to use any samples, vocals and recordings. Make each licence clear about the files, uses, limits and whether it is exclusive. Check the platform’s current account and payment terms before you rely on it. Dirora
- Advertising. If a post is an advert or affiliate promotion, make sure people can clearly recognise it as an ad. ASA
- Customer data. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether you need to pay a data protection fee for the way you handle data. The ICO says you are likely to be exempt if you keep customer details only for your own accounts and transaction records. Examples of activities that need a fee include advertising or marketing another person’s business, goods or services. Check your position if you promote other businesses. ICO
- Consumer terms and insurance. There is no clear information here about consumer cancellation or refund rules for music downloads. Check which rules apply before you set buyer terms. Consider whether business insurance suits your equipment and work. No insurance requirement is stated here.
- Age and support. Platform age requirements are not specified here. Check the platform’s current account and payment rules, especially if you are under 18.
Ireland
- Income tax. If you are a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those levels, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount. Check your own position with Revenue or a tax adviser. OpenAccountants
- Self-employment and preliminary tax. If you are self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC under self-assessment. Your preliminary tax is due by 31 October. Citizens Information
- VAT. The VAT thresholds are €42,500 for services and €85,000 for goods. Check with Revenue which threshold applies to your music sales. Revenue
- Business name. If you trade under a name other than your own, register the business name with the CRO. Online registration costs €20. CRO
- Music rights and platform terms. Use your own audio, or keep proof that you have permission to use any samples, vocals and recordings. Make each licence clear about the files, uses, limits and whether it is exclusive. Check the platform’s current account and payment terms before you rely on it. Dirora
- Advertising and consumer terms. Label commercial influencer content clearly, for example with #Ad. There is no clear information here about consumer cancellation or refund rules for music downloads. Check which rules apply before you set buyer terms. CCPC
- Data, insurance and age. It is not clear whether you need to pay an Irish data-protection fee for this activity. Consider whether business insurance suits your equipment and work. No insurance requirement is stated here. Check the platform’s account and payment rules, especially if you are under 18.
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Uploading unfinished tracks or files that are difficult to identify.
- Using samples, vocals or recordings without checking permissions.
- Leaving licence terms vague about files, permitted uses or exclusivity.
- Treating example prices or platform terms as guaranteed sales or fixed costs.
- Forgetting to record refunds, platform charges and other business income.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.