The fine print
RENT SHELF SPACE, OR own the building.
Every major beat platform advertises 0% commission these days. Read a little further and the rent shows up in subscriptions, buyer-side fees, and upload ceilings. Here's the same table they hope you won't build.
BeatStore compared with BeatStars, Airbit, and Traktrain
| What matters | BeatStore | BeatStars | Airbit | Traktrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Lifetime, annual, or monthly · from $69 (store stays on your WP) | Subscriptions, ~$10–$50/mo (storefront rent) | Free tier, then ~$8–$16/mo (storefront rent) | Invite-only, paid tiers |
| Commission on your sales | 0% always | 0% on paid plans | 0% on store sales | 0% on core MP3 sales |
| Fees added to your buyer's total | None. Your price is the price | 12% “service fee” on marketplace sales | None | Varies by plan and format |
| Catalog limits | Unlimited. Your hosting is the only ceiling | Upload limits by plan tier | 20 beats on the free tier | Slot limits, fees past thresholds |
| Runs on your domain | Yes. Your WordPress, your SEO equity | Custom domain only on top plans | Custom domain on paid plans | No |
| Your customer data | Lives in your database, exportable forever | Lives on their platform | Lives on their platform | Lives on their platform |
| If you stop paying | Nothing. Your store stays live and keeps selling | Your storefront goes dark | Your store drops to free-tier limits | Your page loses paid features |
Scroll sideways to see all four columns →
02 · The 3-year invoice
Ownership is also just cheaper.
A realistic mid-tier setup, three years in. Hosting estimates use a typical shared WordPress plan. You're free to pick cheaper or faster.
Software
BeatStore$69 once
Marketplaces~$10–$50 × 36 months
Hosting
BeatStore~$6/mo, provider you choose
MarketplacesIncluded, and you're locked to theirs
Buyer pays 12% extra on marketplace sales
BeatStoreNever
MarketplacesAdded at checkout (BeatStars)
3-year total
BeatStore≈ $285, and you own everything
Marketplaces≈ $360–$1,800, and you own nothing
03 · What ownership means
Three things a marketplace lease can't sell you
Your domain compounds
Every backlink, every Google ranking, every repeat customer builds equity in an address you own, not in beatstars.net/yourname.
Your data stays yours
Customer emails, order history, and analytics live in your WordPress database. Export them any time. No platform can hold your audience hostage.
No one can evict you
Terms of service change. Algorithms change. Rent goes up. When the store is yours, the only roadmap that matters is your own.