Most artists overpay or underbuy because the words sound legal. They are not complicated. Here is the whole thing in plain language.
A lease is permission. Exclusive is ownership of the recording rights.
With a lease you get the files and permission to release your song, while the producer keeps the beat and can license it to other artists too. With exclusive rights the beat comes off the store permanently and nobody else can license it again.
The three questions
- Is money or a label behind this record? If a budget, a distributor or a sync pitch is involved, exclusive is usually worth it. If you are building a catalogue, lease.
- Does your engineer need the stems? If yes, you need a trackout lease at minimum. Mixing from a stereo MP3 limits what anyone can do.
- Would another artist releasing this beat hurt you? If the answer is genuinely yes, that is what exclusive rights are for.
What each tier here includes
- Standard WAV Lease. Untagged MP3 and WAV, for demos, singles and smaller releases.
- Trackout Lease. Adds the separated stems, for when the mix matters.
- Exclusive Rights. Everything, plus the beat is removed from the store.
Exclusive pricing is negotiable, because the right number depends on the release behind it. Open any beat, choose Exclusive Rights, and use “Negotiate price” to start that conversation.
Credit and paperwork
Leases require a producer credit in the title or description, usually “Prod. digitLIX”. Keep your receipt and license file: distributors and content-ID disputes sometimes ask for proof, and a two-minute email years later is easier when you can send the document. Your purchases stay in your account permanently for exactly that reason.
Full terms are on the licensing page, and every beat shows them before checkout.