Platform Guide

Everything You Need to Know About Using Pubdish

A comprehensive guide to help you navigate our platform, from creating your account to distributing your music and getting paid.

Getting Started with Pubdish

Your journey to global music distribution begins here

1

Request an Invite

Pubdish is an invite-only platform to maintain quality standards. To request access:

  • Visit our Contact page and submit an invite request
  • Include links to your existing music (Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube, etc.)
  • Tell us about your music and why you want to join Pubdish
  • Our team will review your application within 3-5 business days

Note: We prioritize quality and originality. Make sure your music meets our content standards before applying.

2

Create Your Account

Once approved, you'll receive an invitation email with account setup instructions:

Basic Information

  • • Full legal name
  • • Email address
  • • Phone number
  • • Artist/Label name
  • • Country of residence

Account Security

  • • Strong password (min. 8 characters)
  • • Two-factor authentication (recommended)
  • • Security questions
  • • Backup email (optional)
3

Complete eKYC Verification

Mandatory Step: To comply with legal requirements and ensure platform integrity, you must complete eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) verification through our official CMS partner Audicient before you can upload or distribute music. Audicient collaborates with Pubdish to provide secure music distribution for all artists and labels.

Required Documents for eKYC:

  • Government-issued ID: Passport, driver's license, or national ID card
  • Proof of address: Utility bill or bank statement (within 3 months)
  • Tax ID: SSN, EIN, VAT number, or equivalent

Security Note: All eKYC identity documents are securely stored by Audicient, our official CMS partner, with enterprise-grade encryption.

Audicient assumes full responsibility for data protection and security. You must complete eKYC verification before uploading or distributing any music. See our Privacy Policy for details.

4

Setup Payment Method

Add your PayPal account to receive royalty payments:

  • Enter your verified PayPal email address
  • Ensure your PayPal account can receive international payments
  • PayPal name must match your registered Pubdish name
  • You can update your PayPal email anytime in account settings

Payment Schedule: First payment after 3 months of earnings, then monthly payments at the end of each month. Minimum payout: $50 USD.

Distributing Your Music

Step-by-step guide to getting your music on 150+ platforms

Step 1: Prepare Your Release

Audio Files

  • Format: WAV or FLAC (lossless)
  • Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz or higher
  • Bit Depth: 16-bit minimum (24-bit recommended)
  • Quality: No clipping, distortion, or excessive silence
  • Not accepted: MP3 or other lossy formats

Artwork

  • Size: 3000x3000px minimum (4000x4000px recommended)
  • Format: JPG or PNG, RGB color mode
  • Aspect Ratio: Perfect square (1:1)
  • No: Blurry images, URLs, social media handles, QR codes
  • No: Promotional text or "Out Now" badges

Important: Review our Content Policy before uploading to ensure compliance.

Step 2: Upload & Add Metadata

Required Information:

Release Details:
  • • Release title (album/single/EP name)
  • • Artist name (primary & featured artists)
  • • Release date
  • • Genre & subgenre
  • • Label name (if applicable)
  • • Language
Track Information:
  • • Track title (including version info)
  • • ISRC code (auto-generated if not provided)
  • • Explicit content tag (if applicable)
  • • Songwriter credits
  • • Producer credits
  • • Copyright year & holder

Metadata Best Practices:

  • • Use consistent artist name across all releases
  • • Spell out featured artists: "Artist feat. Featured Artist"
  • • Use title case for titles (not ALL CAPS)
  • • Be accurate with genres to reach the right audience
  • • Include all contributors to ensure proper crediting

Step 3: Review & Submit

Pre-Submission Checklist:

Up to 12h

Approval Time

Quality check and processing

3-7 days

Distribution Time

Music goes live on all platforms

Mon-Fri 8-5:30

Support Hours

Fast support on weekdays

What Happens After Submission?

1

Quality Review

Our team manually reviews your release to ensure it meets all quality and policy standards.

2

Processing & Encoding

Your music is encoded to meet each platform's technical requirements via our official CMS partner Audicient's API.

3

Distribution

Your release is delivered to 150+ platforms simultaneously. Platforms typically process and publish within 3-7 days.

4

Go Live!

You'll receive confirmation when your music is live. Track performance in your dashboard.

Payments & Royalties

Understanding how and when you get paid

You Keep 90% of Royalties

Fair revenue share. Forever.

Pubdish operates on a transparent model. We take a small 10% service fee from your earnings, and you keep 90% of all streaming royalties, download sales, and YouTube Content ID revenue (at 85%).

Note: Streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) take their own fees before paying distributors. These platform fees are industry-standard and not controlled by Pubdish.

Payment Schedule

1

First Payment (After 3 Months)

Your first payment will be processed 3 months after you begin earning revenue. This initial period allows streaming platforms to report and settle their payments to us.

Example: If you earn your first streams in January, you'll receive your first payment at the end of April.

2

Ongoing Monthly Payments

After your first payment, you'll receive monthly payments at the end of the following month. Revenue earned in one month is paid out at the end of the next month.

Example: Streams earned in May will be paid to you at the end of June.

Payment Method: PayPal Only

All royalty payments are sent directly to your PayPal account. Requirements:

  • Valid, verified PayPal account
  • PayPal email must match your registered name
  • Account must accept international payments
  • You are responsible for any PayPal fees or currency conversion charges

Minimum Payout: $50 USD

Payments are only processed when your balance reaches at least $50 USD. If your earnings are below this threshold, they will roll over to the next payment period until the minimum is reached.

Tracking Your Earnings

Dashboard Analytics:

  • Real-time streaming statistics
  • Estimated earnings per platform
  • Geographic breakdown of listeners
  • Historical performance data

Payment History:

  • Complete transaction history
  • Downloadable payment statements
  • Tax documentation (for reporting)
  • Upcoming payment schedule

When Payments May Be Withheld

Pubdish reserves the right to withhold payments in the following situations:

Policy Violations: Breach of Terms of Service, Content Policy, or DMCA Policy
Copyright Claims: Valid DMCA takedown notices or copyright disputes
Fraudulent Streaming: Detected bot streams, fake accounts, or manipulation
Incorrect PayPal Info: Invalid or unverified PayPal account
Account Under Investigation: Pending review for suspected violations

If your account is terminated for violations, all outstanding royalties will be forfeited and not paid out.

Tax Responsibilities

You are responsible for all taxes on your earnings. Pubdish may be required to report your income to tax authorities based on your location.

Your Obligations:

  • • Provide accurate tax identification (SSN, EIN, VAT)
  • • Report all royalty income to tax authorities
  • • Pay applicable income & self-employment taxes
  • • Keep records of all earnings

We Provide:

  • • Annual earning statements
  • • Tax documentation (when required)
  • • Detailed transaction history
  • • Support for tax-related questions

We recommend consulting with a tax professional regarding your specific obligations.

Policies & Guidelines

Critical rules you must follow to maintain your account

One-Strike Policy

Pubdish maintains a zero-tolerance, one-strike policy for the following violations. A single offense results in immediate permanent account termination and revenue forfeiture:

Copyright Infringement

Uploading music you don't own or don't have proper licenses for

AI-Generated Music

Any music created using AI composition, vocals, or assistance

Streaming Manipulation

Bot streams, fake accounts, click farms, or artificial inflation

Fraud & Impersonation

Fake credentials, false identity, or artist impersonation

No warnings. No appeals. No second chances. Permanent ban + revenue forfeiture.

Content Policy Highlights

Strictly Prohibited

  • × AI-generated or AI-assisted music
  • × Copyrighted material without licenses
  • × Blurry or low-quality artwork
  • × Promotional links in artwork/metadata
  • × Hate speech or harmful content
  • × Duplicate uploads
  • × Misleading titles or tags

What We Require

  • ✓ 100% human-created music
  • ✓ Complete ownership or licenses
  • ✓ High-quality audio (WAV/FLAC)
  • ✓ Professional artwork (3000x3000px+)
  • ✓ Accurate metadata
  • ✓ Proper explicit content tagging
  • ✓ Cleared samples and covers

Full Details: Review our complete Content Policy before uploading any music.

DMCA & Copyright Protection

Your Responsibilities:

  • You must own 100% of rights or have written permission for all content
  • Obtain mechanical licenses for all cover songs
  • Clear all samples before distribution
  • Secure written agreements with all collaborators

If You Receive a Copyright Claim:

  1. 1. Your music will be immediately removed from all platforms
  2. 2. Your account will be permanently terminated (one-strike policy)
  3. 3. All outstanding royalties will be forfeited
  4. 4. You may be liable for legal damages to both Pubdish and the copyright holder

Learn More: Read our DMCA Policy and Copyright Infringement Reporting pages.

Account Security & Best Practices

Do This:

  • Use a strong, unique password
  • Enable two-factor authentication
  • Keep your contact information updated
  • Log out from shared devices
  • Report suspicious activity immediately

Don't Do This:

  • Share your account credentials
  • Create multiple accounts
  • Use public Wi-Fi without VPN
  • Click suspicious email links
  • Ignore security notifications

Need Help?

Our support team is here to help you succeed. Contact us with any questions about the platform.