Airtune vs Traktrain: plans, fees and payouts in 2026

Airtune vs Traktrain is a choice between a free start in dollars and an India-first store that sells in rupees and dollars. Traktrain lets you sell MP3 leases for free and keep the full sale, minus payment fees. Airtune costs money from day one, but Indian buyers pay by UPI and you withdraw in rupees.

Traktrain facts come from its own sell-beats page, FAQ, get-paid page and terms, checked on 8 Nov 2026. Airtune facts come from the Airtune pricing, licensing and policy pages, checked the same day.

In short

• Traktrain wins on cost to start: a free plan with 0% on MP3 leases.
• Airtune wins on Indian payments: UPI checkout, separate ₹ and $ prices for buyers, and rupee payouts.
• Traktrain’s paid plans nearly double in price after the first year.

How do Airtune and Traktrain compare side by side?

Airtune and Traktrain both sell beat licences, but they charge in different ways. Traktrain has a free plan and two paid plans in US dollars. It says it “takes a 0% commission when you buy or sell an MP3 beat”, and the only fees are PayPal and Stripe fees (FAQ, checked 8 Nov 2026).

Airtune has four paid plans in rupees, GST included, and no free seller plan. Its commission is 20% on Studio Starter, 15% on Studio Lite, 10% on Studio and 0% on Studio Pro, on the Airtune pricing page (checked 8 Nov 2026).

The other big gap is payments. Traktrain buyers pay by PayPal or by card through Stripe, and the money goes straight to the producer. Airtune buyers in India pay by UPI, cards or netbanking, and producers withdraw in rupees. The table sums it up, as of 8 Nov 2026.

“Pro” on Airtune includes Legacy, which also has 0% commission.

Is Traktrain free?

Yes, Traktrain has a free plan at $0 a month. Its sell-beats page says the Free plan gives “Unlimited MP3 uploads (10GB, max 3 Kit tracks), keep 100% MP3 and 75% kit sales” (checked 8 Nov 2026). It covers MP3 leases only.

So on the free plan you cannot sell WAV leases, stems or exclusives. Traktrain’s FAQ says “exclusive sales require a paid plan (100 or Unlimited)”. You also give up 25% of every sound kit sale.

One thing changed over time. A Traktrain blog post from 10 Oct 2024 said the Free plan would be capped at 20 tracks. The current FAQ and sell-beats page say unlimited MP3 uploads within 10GB, so we use the current pages. The paid plans are cheap in year one, then the price rises, as the Traktrain subscription table shows.

Both paid plans include 100GB of storage. Airtune has no free seller plan. Its entry plan, Studio Starter, costs ₹199 one time and allows 15 beats a month.

How much does Traktrain take?

Traktrain takes 0% of MP3 beat sales on every plan. Its FAQ says “The only fees are PayPal and Stripe fees” (checked 8 Nov 2026). The Unlimited plan says “Keep 100% of all sales”.

There are two exceptions. On the Free plan, Traktrain takes 25% of sound kit sales. On the 100 Plan, the sell-beats page says “there will be a 25% fee applied only on the 101st beat and up”. So on the 100 Plan, beats 101 and up carry a 25% fee.

Airtune takes a share on its cheaper plans and none on Studio Pro. The payment provider’s fee is charged at cost, on its own line, on every plan. If you sell often, Studio Pro at ₹699 a month or ₹6,999 a year removes the commission. If you sell a little, a cheaper plan with a higher share can cost less overall. Here are worked examples, using our own maths on the listed prices.

• A $20 sound kit sold on Traktrain Free: Traktrain’s 25% is $5, so you keep $15 before PayPal or Stripe fees.
• Two years of Traktrain Unlimited, paid yearly: $95.88 + $179.88 = $275.76.
• Two years of the Traktrain 100 Plan, paid yearly: $47.88 + $89.88 = $137.76.
• A ₹999 Easy WAV licence on Airtune Studio Starter: the 20% commission is ₹199.80.
• The same licence on Airtune Studio Pro: commission is ₹0.00.

See every Airtune plan and limit on Airtune Studio plans.

Is Traktrain invite only?

We found no current Traktrain page saying sign-up is invite-only. Its sell-beats page lists a Free plan at $0 a month, plus two paid plans (checked 8 Nov 2026). Its terms, effective 27 Jul 2026, say Traktrain “may, but has no obligation to” review content.

If you have heard that Traktrain is invite-only, we could not find a dated official source for it, so we do not call Traktrain curated today. If it matters to you, open its sign-up page and see what it asks for.

Airtune is the one that is invite-only. Its pricing page calls it “a curated circle”. A producer joins with a code from another Airtune producer, or requests an invite and the Airtune team listens to their work. Buyers can sign up freely. For artists, this means every Airtune producer was invited or approved before they could sell.

Is Traktrain good for selling beats in India?

Traktrain is good for selling beats if your buyers pay by PayPal or card and you can use PayPal or Stripe. It has a strong underground and trap following, and its sell-beats page reports “$10.5M+” earned by producers and “250k+” tracks sold (self-reported, checked 8 Nov 2026).

For Indian sellers, the limits are about payments. Traktrain does not list UPI. Card payments go through Stripe, and Traktrain’s FAQ says every beat in a card cart must come from one producer who accepts cards. We have not checked whether Indian producers can use Stripe through Traktrain.

Payouts go straight to your PayPal or Stripe account, so Traktrain never holds the money. With Stripe, the FAQ says the first transfer can take 6 to 7 days and later ones 1 to 2. On Airtune, sales clear in 7 days (14 when paid in US dollars), then become available the next Friday, paid in rupees to UPI or bank.

• Airtune payouts need KYC: payouts need KYC and PAN, the Airtune team checks each one, and there is no minimum payout.
• Airtune tax rule: all selling prices are tax-inclusive. Airtune pays the tax on its own commission; any other tax, such as your GST or income tax, is yours to handle.
• Traktrain extras: House Party tips with “0% Platform fees”, and Creator Memberships where “You keep 90%”.

Airtune or Traktrain: how to choose

Choose Traktrain if:

• You want to start for free and sell MP3 leases at 0% commission.
• Your buyers pay by PayPal or card, and PayPal or Stripe works for you.
• You like the underground and trap scene that Traktrain is known for.
• You want tips and memberships as extra income.

Choose Airtune if:

• Your buyers are in India and want to pay by UPI.
• You want to sell exclusives and stems on every plan, including the ₹199 Starter. Every Airtune seller plan is paid. Read what buyers get in our guide to exclusive beats.
• You want rupee plans, GST included, and payouts in rupees to UPI or bank.
• You want signed, verifiable licences and automatic YouTube uploads on every plan. See Airtune licensing.

Tip: before a Traktrain plan renews, check the new price. The first-year promo ends, and the yearly price nearly doubles.

Next steps

1. Compare more stores in our Traktrain alternative guide and the best beat marketplace roundup.
2. Learn the setup steps in how to sell beats online in India.
3. See Airtune plans and commission on the Airtune pricing page.