Creator

Bandcamp Fee Calculator UK

Bandcamp takes 10% on digital music sales, 15% on physical merch (vinyl, CDs, clothing). Plus payment processing (~4.5% + £0.30). Bandcamp Friday (first Friday of selected months) waives the platform fee — artist keeps everything except processing.

Last verified: 25 April 2026 Source: Bandcamp help: Sales & Payments Next review: 25 October 2026

Gross revenue —

Bandcamp platform fee —

Payment processing —

Total fees —

You take home —

Effective fee % —

£10 digital album standard day

£10 album · regular Tuesday

10% Bandcamp (£1) + 4.5% + £0.30 processing (£0.75) = £1.75. Net £8.25 (82.5%).

£10 digital album, Bandcamp Friday

£10 album · Bandcamp Friday

0% Bandcamp on Friday + £0.75 processing only. Net £9.25 (92.5%). Saves £1 per sale vs regular day — promotional power-up for indie artists.

£25 physical merch (vinyl)

£25 vinyl · regular day

15% Bandcamp (£3.75) + 4.5% + £0.30 (£1.42) = £5.17. Net £19.83 (79.3%). Physical merch fees are higher, but COGS still much lower than retail markup.

Bandcamp is the indie musician’s e-commerce + community platform. 10% on digital, 15% on physical, ~4.5% + £0.30 processing. The killer feature: monthly Bandcamp Fridays where the 10% platform fee is waived entirely.

Fee structure

Digital (track, album): 10% Bandcamp + ~4.5% + £0.30 processing
Bandcamp Friday digital: 0% Bandcamp + ~4.5% + £0.30 processing
Physical (vinyl, CD, merch): 15% Bandcamp + ~4.5% + £0.30 processing
Bandcamp Pro (optional): £10/month for custom domain, advanced analytics

Bandcamp Friday — the indie artist’s secret weapon

First Friday of most months (9-10 per year), Bandcamp waives the 10% platform fee for 24 hours. Indie artists time:

New release launches
Promotional discount campaigns
Email newsletter pushes
Social media coordinated posts

A £10 album: £8.25 net regular Tuesday → £9.25 net Bandcamp Friday. 12% revenue boost on the same volume. Combined with the social pressure of the date (fans actively look for Bandcamp Friday), volumes typically 2-5× regular days.

Comparison: per-fan revenue across platforms

Platform	£/fan-listen-equivalent
Bandcamp digital album sale	£8.25 net (1 sale)
Bandcamp Friday digital album	£9.25 net (1 sale)
Spotify Premium streams	~£0.005 per stream → £8 from 1,600 streams
Apple Music streams	~£0.008 per stream → £8 from 1,000 streams
YouTube monetised view	~£0.001-£0.005 per view

Bandcamp converts a single transaction into £8 of revenue. Streaming requires 1,000-2,000+ streams to match. For indie artists with dedicated fans, Bandcamp’s per-fan economics are ~100× better than streaming.

When Bandcamp makes sense

Indie/independent music with dedicated fanbase
Physical merch (vinyl, CDs, cassettes, t-shirts)
Direct fan engagement (followers see new releases instantly)
DRM-free supporter audience (audiophiles, collectors)
Album-as-art product (full artwork, lyrics, liner notes preserved)

When Bandcamp doesn’t make sense

Pop/mainstream acts without a Bandcamp-active fanbase
Streaming-only listeners (use DistroKid → Spotify instead)
Beat sales / sample packs (use BeatStars, Splice)
Production music for licensing (use AudioJungle, Pond5)

What this calculator doesn’t include

Shipping costs for physical merch
VAT-MOSS for EU sales (Bandcamp handles this as MoR)
UK VAT for VAT-registered sellers on physical sales
Bandcamp Pro subscription fee
UK self-employment tax (see side hustle tax calculator)

For streaming royalty calculations alongside Bandcamp direct sales, see Spotify royalty calculator and Apple Music calculator.

Common mistakes

Missing Bandcamp Friday. First Friday of most months, Bandcamp waives its 10% platform fee entirely. Indie artists doing a Bandcamp Friday promotion can earn 12-15% more per sale. Mark your calendar.
Forgetting that physical merch is 15%, not 10%. Vinyl, CDs, t-shirts all attract 15% Bandcamp fee. Plan pricing accordingly.
Pricing too low for the £0.30 Stripe component. Sub-£5 digital tracks lose 15%+ to fixed processing. Either bundle into albums or use ‘name your price’ with a £5+ minimum.
Comparing to Spotify/Apple streams without context. Bandcamp pays per sale (£8-£15 album); Spotify pays £0.003-£0.005 per stream. 1,000 streams ≈ £3-£5; 1 album sale = £8-£10. Different revenue models, both serve different fan engagement levels.
Forgetting Bandcamp distributes to streaming via Bandcamp Distribution. Premium subscription enables Spotify/Apple distribution alongside Bandcamp direct sales. £39/year. Worth comparing against DistroKid’s £19.99 if you primarily care about streaming royalties.

What this calculator doesn't cover

Doesn’t include shipping costs for physical merch (separate buyer charge usually).
Doesn’t model VAT (Bandcamp handles VAT for EU customers; UK VAT for VAT-registered sellers needs separate handling).
Doesn’t include Bandcamp Distribution / Pro subscription fees.
Doesn’t track UK self-employment tax — see side hustle tax calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How does Bandcamp Friday work?

On the first Friday of most months, Bandcamp waives its 10% platform fee for 24 hours. Started in March 2020 to support artists during COVID; continues as a regular feature. Indie artists time releases and promotional pushes around these dates. Roughly 9-10 Bandcamp Fridays per year.

Is Bandcamp better than streaming for indie artists?

For revenue-per-fan: yes by an order of magnitude. £10 album sale on Bandcamp = ~£8.25 to artist. Equivalent Spotify play count (10,000 streams) = ~£35-£50 — but takes years to accumulate. Bandcamp converts dedicated fans efficiently. Streaming reaches casual listeners. Most indie acts use both.

How does Bandcamp handle UK VAT?

Bandcamp acts as Merchant of Record for digital sales to most countries including UK and EU. They handle VAT collection and remittance. For physical merch, treatment is more complex — typically sales to UK buyers require seller-side VAT handling above the £90k threshold.

What's Bandcamp Pro?

Bandcamp Pro (£10/month) adds: custom domain, fan messaging, advanced analytics, batch download codes, video hosting. Not required to sell on Bandcamp. Most indie artists use the free tier; Pro makes sense for established acts with 1000+ fans.

Can I sell on Bandcamp AND Spotify?

Yes — Bandcamp doesn’t lock you in. Most indie artists distribute to streaming via DistroKid/TuneCore/Bandcamp Distribution AND sell direct on Bandcamp. Different revenue streams; both add up. See Spotify royalty calculator and Apple Music royalty calculator.

About this calculator. Maintained by Jordan — a UK seller and creator who actually uses these platforms (Etsy, eBay, Vinted, DistroKid). Built to be accurate, mobile-fast, and honest about its limits. Spot a bug? Email hello@payoutmath.co.uk.