EngineEars
EngineEars operates a marketplace platform connecting independent recording artists, audio engineers, and recording studios through integrated tools for studio booking, project collaboration, music distribution to 350+ DSPs, direct-to-fan sales, and 24-hour escrow payouts. Founded 2018 in Los Angeles by Grammy-winning engineer Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What EngineEars does
EngineEars operates a unified marketplace platform serving the music industry, connecting independent recording artists, audio engineers, and recording studios through integrated tools for studio booking, project collaboration, music distribution, direct-to-fan commerce, and payments. Founded in 2018 by Grammy-winning audio engineer Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali (known for work with Kendrick Lamar) and headquartered in Los Angeles, the platform has scaled to 50,000+ verified professionals, 5,300+ studios, and 1,100+ studio rooms across 200+ countries. The platform processes approximately 376 studio sessions per week, 651 mixes and masterings per week, and 226 song releases per week, with ~30% engineer acceptance rate ensuring quality curation.
The platform's technology stack centers on web-based SaaS with proprietary audio collaboration features including an A/B Reference Version Analyzer (lossless side-by-side mix comparison), time-stamped waveform comments pinned to specific audio timestamps, and a multi-version project workspace with full revision history. Commerce infrastructure includes an integrated escrow payment system releasing funds 24 hours after client approval, expedited label payment rails that pay engineers/studios within 24 hours while invoicing major labels on their standard net-30/60/90 terms, and direct-to-fan storefronts with pay-what-you-want pricing, Klarna/Affirm buy-now-pay-later options, and distribution to 350+ DSPs including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, TikTok, and Amazon Music. Additional integrations include SymphonyOS for digital ad campaigns, Feature.FM for smart links, Muso.AI for verified credits, Luminate for Billboard chart eligibility, YouTube Content ID, Stripe/PayPal/Cash App payouts, and Dolby Atmos certification. In November 2025, EngineEars launched EngineEars Direct in partnership with EMPIRE Distribution, extending into integrated music distribution and direct-to-fan merchandise sales.
EngineEars employs a hybrid monetization model: freemium subscriptions for both sides of the marketplace (Artist Platinum at $5/month billed annually with 7-day free trial; Provider Platinum at $15/month with 14-day free trial), supplemented by transaction fees on bookings (waived for Provider Platinum), a 15% fee on direct-to-fan earnings for free-tier artists, Stripe payment processing, and enterprise contracts for major label teams with SSO and custom integrations. The company also operates MFFA-compliant artificial stream fraud detection and offers royalty advances through its Funding for Artists program. The company has raised a total of $8.5 million across two rounds, with a $7.5 million seed round closed in February 2024 led by Drive Capital and a prior $1 million round led by Slauson & Co. in May 2021.
EngineEars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EngineEars
- Legal name
- EngineEars, Inc.
- Website
- https://engineears.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- EngineEars operates a marketplace platform connecting independent recording artists, audio engineers, and recording studios through integrated tools for studio booking, project collaboration, music distribution to 350+ DSPs, direct-to-fan sales, and 24-hour escrow payouts. Founded 2018 in Los Angeles by Grammy-winning engineer Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EngineEars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Collaboration & Marketplace Platform
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Music Production Workflow & Project Management Tools (Session management, asset/versioning) (MPAIAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Music & Audio Streaming Platforms (BPAMAJAC), Creator/Artist Direct-to-Fan Streaming & Membership (MPAIACAF)
Keywords
Where EngineEars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
EngineEars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Artist Subscriptions: Artist Platinum tier at $5/month (billed annually) provides distribution to 350+ platforms, integrated CRM tools, priority support. Free tier charges 15% fee on earnings.
- Provider Subscriptions: Provider Platinum tier at $15/month offers 0% platform fee on bookings, unlimited storage, verified credits, 24-hour payouts. Free tier has small per-booking fee.
- Platform Fees on Bookings: Small platform fee on engineer and studio bookings. Provider Platinum ($15/mo) drops platform fee to 0%. Stripe processing fees apply on all plans.
- Artist Earnings Fee: Artist Essentials (free tier) charges 15% fee on direct-to-fan earnings. Artist Platinum keeps 100% of earnings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free forever for artists getting started |
| Subscription | Annual | Paid tier for experienced artists ($5/month) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Contact sales for enterprise needs |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier for engineers & studios getting started |
| Subscription | Monthly | Paid tier for businesses ($15/month) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
EngineEars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EngineEars operates a unified SaaS marketplace that connects recording artists, audio engineers, and recording studios for booking, collaboration, project management, and payments. It also offers music distribution to 350+ streaming platforms, direct-to-fan sales, label A&R operations tooling, and an expedited 24-hour escrow payout system. The platform replaces fragmented toolchains (booking sites, distributors, invoicing, schedulers) with an integrated workflow from creation through release.
Product overview
EngineEars is a unified platform-plus-modules architecture serving the music industry. The core EngineEars Platform connects artists, audio engineers, and recording studios with integrated tools for booking, collaboration, distribution, and payments. Three primary user-facing modules serve distinct segments: EngineEars for Artists (studio booking, engineer hiring, music distribution, direct-to-fan sales, fan CRM, and ad campaigns); EngineEars for Engineers (service listings, project management, version analysis, invoicing, 24-hour payouts, and CRM); and EngineEars for Studios (multi-room scheduling, session management, team management, and billing). A fourth module, EngineEars for Labels, provides A&R ops tools. The sub-brand EngineEars Direct (launched 2025-11 in partnership with EMPIRE) serves as the distribution and storefront layer. Key add-on features include SymphonyOS ad campaigns, Pay What You Want pricing, Funding for Artists, Expedited Label Payments, Dolby Atmos services, Billboard Chart Eligibility tracking, and YouTube Content ID. Pricing includes free tiers and paid upgrades (Artist Platinum at $5/mo, Provider Platinum at $15/mo).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EngineEars Direct: A fully integrated music distribution platform developed in partnership with EMPIRE CEO Ghazi, allowing artists to create, share, sell, and distribute music and merchandise directly to fans.
Products and services
- EngineEars Platform Unified music-industry SaaS marketplace connecting artists, audio engineers, and recording studios with integrated tools for booking, project collaboration, version control, time-stamped comments, escrow payments, music distribution, and direct-to-fan sales.
- EngineEars Direct Fully integrated music distribution and direct-to-fan sales platform that allows artists to distribute to 350+ streaming platforms, sell digital music, physical merchandise, and bundles directly to fans, and retain 100% of earnings. Developed in partnership with EMPIRE Distribution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Artists average 3x per-unit revenue using pay-what-you-want pricing compared to flat $9.99 album pricing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use EngineEars
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
EngineEars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
AI capability5 records
Feature9 records
EngineEars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- EMPIRE DistributionflagshipStrategic partnership with EMPIRE CEO Ghazi to develop EngineEars DIRECT, a fully integrated music distribution platform. The platform allows artists to create, share, sell, and distribute music and merchandise directly to fans, aiming to democratize the music industry.
- Universal Music GroupcoreExpedited Label Payments partnership enables engineers and studios to get paid within 24 hours for UMG label work, bypassing net-30/60/90 payment terms. Labels are invoiced through EngineEars on their standard terms.
- Muso.AIcoreVerified credits integration - engineer credits are automatically synced and verified through Muso.AI, providing third-party confirmation of engineering work history for trust-building at booking stage.
- SymphonyOScoreDigital ad campaign integration enabling artists to create Meta and TikTok ads directly from the EngineEars dashboard. Pre-built creative templates and automated audience targeting.
- Feature.FMcorePre-save and smart links integration - one link covers Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Tidal, and more. Captures fan email and location at moment of engagement.
- LuminatecoreBillboard chart reporting partnership - direct-sale and streaming activity reports cleanly to Luminate so releases qualify for Billboard Hot 100 and genre charts.
- Music Fights Fraud Alliance (MFFA)coreMFFA is a global alliance of music companies, distributors, and platforms working together to identify, prevent, and stop streaming fraud. EngineEars is an affiliate sharing data and best practices for fraud detection.
- Dolby LaboratoriescoreDolby Atmos certification and verification partnership - EngineEars has partnered with Dolby to verify and enable studios to host Dolby Atmos bookings.
- YouTubecoreYouTube Content ID integration - register music with YouTube Content ID to automatically collect earnings whenever music is used in YouTube videos.
- SpotifycoreSpotify Discovery Mode integration - direct access to Spotify's Discovery Mode through EngineEars' proprietary opt-in system.
- Warner Music GroupcoreExpedited Label Payments partnership enables engineers and studios to get paid within 24 hours for Warner label work, bypassing net-payment terms.
- Sony MusiccoreExpedited Label Payments partnership enables engineers and studios to get paid within 24 hours for Sony partner label work, bypassing net-payment terms.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
EngineEars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SoundBetter: Marketplace for audio engineers, producers, and studios acquired by Spotify in 2019. Direct competitor in the engineer/studio booking space, though now potentially bundled inside Spotify's ecosystem.
- Splice: Subscription-based music creation platform with sample marketplace, DAWs/plugins, and collaboration tools serving producers and artists. Overlaps with EngineEars' production collaboration and creator-tooling value proposition.
- DistroKid: Leading independent music distribution platform serving hundreds of thousands of artists, distributing to all major DSPs. Direct competitor to EngineEars Direct's distribution offering, though without the engineer/studio marketplace layer.
- Bandcamp: Direct-to-fan music marketplace acquired by Songtradr in 2023. Overlaps with EngineEars' direct-to-fan sales and artist-merch monetization features.
- AWAL: Artist distribution and label-services platform owned by Sony Music. Competes with EngineEars Direct on distribution while also offering label-style services to independent artists.
- Stem (SoundCloud): Distribution and label-services platform for independent artists, acquired by SoundCloud. Competes with EngineEars Direct in distribution and artist services.
Broad incumbents
- TuneCore: Large, established music distribution platform (owned by Believe). Direct competitor to EngineEars Direct's distribution offering, with much larger artist base and longer DSP history.
Emerging players
- Vampr: Mobile-first music collaboration and networking marketplace connecting artists, producers, and engineers. Overlaps with EngineEars' engineer-discovery and collaboration features but with a more social/mobile focus.
- BeatStars: Marketplace for buying and selling beats/production services connecting producers and artists. Adjacent to EngineEars' production-services marketplace, with overlap on the producer/artist matching layer.
Regional players
- SessionLinkPRO: European studio-booking marketplace primarily serving the UK and European recording market. Overlaps with EngineEars' studio-booking functionality but with a regional rather than global footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EngineEars social profiles
Digital presenceEngineEars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EngineEars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
EngineEars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EngineEars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EngineEars
What does EngineEars do?
EngineEars operates a unified SaaS marketplace that connects recording artists, audio engineers, and recording studios for booking, collaboration, project management, and payments. It also offers music distribution to 350+ streaming platforms, direct-to-fan sales, label A&R operations tooling, and an expedited 24-hour escrow payout system. The platform replaces fragmented toolchains (booking sites, distributors, invoicing, schedulers) with an integrated workflow from creation through release.
Is EngineEars a public or private company?
EngineEars is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was EngineEars founded?
EngineEars was founded in 2018. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is EngineEars based?
EngineEars is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does EngineEars make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Artist Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are provider Subscriptions, platform Fees on Bookings and artist Earnings Fee.
Who are EngineEars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SoundBetter, Splice, DistroKid, Bandcamp, AWAL and Stem (SoundCloud). TuneCore is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Vampr and BeatStars. SessionLinkPRO is listed as a regional player.
Does EngineEars have an API?
No public API is recorded for EngineEars.
What industry is EngineEars in?
EngineEars's product category is Music Collaboration & Marketplace Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAIAK, Music Production Workflow & Project Management Tools (Session management, asset/versioning), with a secondary code of BPAMAJAC, Music & Audio Streaming Platforms. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.