Music Budget Calculator

Emerging writers often write for a 50/50 publishing split only. Established co-writers may charge $500–$2,000 upfront + a negotiated split. Leave $0 if writing solo.

Indie/emerging: $500–$1,500/song. Mid-tier with credits: $1,500–$3,000. In-demand: $3,000–$10,000+. May also negotiate 1–5% backend royalty. Leave $0 if self-arranging.

Budget rooms (Syd 2026): from $25–$40/hr. Mid-tier project studios: $50–$150/hr. Professional (Melb/Syd): $100–$500/hr — Melbourne pro rooms start ~$100/hr, large-format rooms up to $500/hr. Day rates $500–$1,500 for 8–10hr; multi-day bookings often 15–20% cheaper. Enter your total studio cost for the whole project. Leave $0 for home recording.

Musicians Australia endorsed minimum: $250 for a 3hr call (still current). Average AU session musician hourly rate 2026: ~$55/hr (SalaryExpert data). Emerging freelancers: $150–$300/session. Experienced players (Syd/Melb): $300–$600+. Online/remote: $100–$400/instrument/song. Enter total across all musicians. Leave $0 if using self/friends.

Junior/emerging: $25–$50/hr. Professional with credits: $75–$150/hr. Often bundled into studio day rate — leave $0 if already included above.

All-inclusive (tracking, production, mixing): budget single $1,500–$3,000; professional $3,000–$8,000; major-ready $8,000–$15,000+. Per-song cost drops for EPs/albums. If using a package, skip the individual recording/editing/mixing rows below.

Light tune: $80–$150. Heavy editing/comping: $200–$400. Often quoted at $60–$100/hr. Sometimes bundled into mixing — check with your engineer.

Straightforward timing edits: $100–$200. Complex drum replacement + editing: $300–$500. Often $60–$100/hr.

Entry-level (2026): $100–$250/mix. Mid-tier indie professionals (sweet spot): $300–$700/mix. High-end/major label: $1,500–$3,500+. AU studios (e.g. Panorama Mastering, Melb): $350–$800/mix verified current. Studio Chaddy mixing from $350/song.

AI/automated (LANDR, eMastered): $5–$40. Entry-level indie: $20–$50. Mid-tier independent (most indie artists land here): $75–$150 — verified 2026 benchmark. AU studios: Indie Masters (Melb) EP packages from ~$122/song; Studios 301 engineers $110–$230+GST. Studio Chaddy mastering from $80/song.

GYROstream 🇦🇺 (recommended) — $9.99/yr per release, 8% revenue cut. Best for Aussie artists: local AU support team, affordable, and the 8% only hurts once you're generating real income. At that point, switch to a flat-fee service. Flat-fee global (DistroKid ~$25/yr, TuneCore ~$25/yr): unlimited releases, keep 100% — better for prolific releasers. Free tiers (RouteNote, UnitedMasters): $0 upfront, 10–15% cut — fine for testing. Community Music (UNIFIED, Melbourne 🇦🇺): application-based label services, not a DIY tool — a next-stage option.

Boutique AU PR campaign (single): $500–$2,000/month retainer for 1–3 months. Artist manager: 15–20% of gross income. Emerging managers may work commission-only or flat project fee. Enter your total campaign cost here.

Meta/TikTok: minimum effective budget ~$10–$20/day. Typical indie single campaign: $300–$1,500 total. Meaningful reach: $1,000–$3,000. Agency-managed adds 15–30% management fee on top.

Micro (1k–10k followers): $50–$300/post. Mid-tier (10k–100k): $300–$1,500/post. Macro AU influencer (100k+): $2,000–$5,000+. TikTok music placement: $100–$500. Many open to contra/promo copy.