An update from the team on what's changing with Single’s subscription plans and pricing – starting June 1, 2023.
When we founded Single seven years ago, our mission was clear: enable artists to sell their music alongside their merchandise directly to fans through their Shopify stores.
Fast forward to today, the platform has evolved a lot. In addition to music products, we’ve added fan-subscription memberships, livestream video, video on-demand and rentals, NFT sales, and more.
With this evolution, we're updating our subscription plans to enable all features in all plans and ensure every Single customer has the opportunity to use all products. Additionally, We’re shifting away from flat fees to better align with your pricing strategies.
These changes are effective beginning June 1, 2023. Read on for more detail and to understand if the change will impact your account.
A closer look at Single’s new subscription plans
Below are the key changes reflected in Single’s subscription plans:
More Generous Starter Plan:
Anyone will now be able to unlock value by using any of Single’s features. New creators can drive more sales without upfront costs or roadblocks – including selling music, memberships, and video out of the gate.
All Features. All Subscription Plans.
You will now get access to all features, regardless of what plan you’re on! We want to help you sell more of everything, however you want to do that. So we’re aligning subscription tiers with the amount of content you use.
Easily determine what’s right for you, then upgrade as you grow! Each plan includes an allotted amount of:
- Published music releases
- Active UPCs for music chart reporting
- Hours of video storage
- Video viewer hours
- Members in a Membership program or Fan Club
- Active NFT Collections
- Active content gates for members / NFT Holders
Video viewer hours:
Video viewer hours are the amount of time your fans spend watching your videos (on demand hosted videos, livestreams, or rentals). 1 hour viewed = 60 minutes viewed. These hours reset every month on the day when your Single subscription started.
Video viewer hours by subscription plans are as follows:
- Starter: 10 hours monthly
- Bronze: 100 hours monthly
- Silver: 500 hours monthly
- Gold: 1,000 hours monthly
- Enterprise: custom based on agreement
If you upload a super popular video and exceed your allotted hours, you will only be charged a $.15 overage fee per additional hour.
You can add more hours to your allotment by upgrading your subscription tier or through the following product sales:
Video Rentals: |
You get +1 video viewer hour added to your total every time someone rents a video from your store. The hour is added to the billing period in which the rental was purchased. |
Livestream tickets: |
You get +1 video viewer hour added to your total every time someone purchases a livestream ticket from your store. The hour is added to the billing period in which the ticket was purchased. |
Paid memberships: |
You get +1 video viewer hour added to your total every time a paid member transaction takes place. For example, if you have a membership program where members pay monthly, you will get +1 video hour every month when their recurring transaction occurs. |
NFT sales |
You get +1 video viewer hour added to your total every time someone purchases an NFT from your store. The hour is added to the billing period in which the NFT was purchased. |
Viewer hours can always be viewed in the Single app by visiting Settings > Usage and Billing. If your store is thriving and you’re consistently going over your allotted hours, you can always upgrade your plan to avoid overages.
Transaction fee pricing:
Unless you have an enterprise plan with contractual terms, this change takes effect for all accounts starting June 1.
We’re shifting from flat fees to percent-based transaction fees to better align with your pricing strategies. Moving forward, all products created in Single will have a 15% transaction fee applied at the time of sale with a maximum fee of $5. Free products – such as free memberships – will have a $0.15 transaction fee applied.
For example:
- Today – we charge a $1.00 fee per digital download sold on Bronze plans. So, selling 100 digital downloads for $5 each would incur a $100 fee.
- Starting June 1 – we will charge a 15% transaction fee. So, selling 100 digital downloads on our Bronze plan for $5 each would incur a $75 fee (100 x $5 x 15%).
What do you need to do before June 1?
Log in to your Single account and visit Settings > Usage and Billing to see how your current usage aligns with the subscription plan you’re on. If you’re over the usage limits, you have a few options:
- If you’re on the free Starter plan and over your usage limits:
- Upgrade to a paid plan to continue publishing new content and avoid disruption to your account.
- If you're on a paid plan (Bronze, Silver, Gold) and over your usage limits:
- Starting June 1, 2023, you will be automatically enrolled in the appropriate subscription plan based on your usage. You will get immediate access to that plan’s features, but will not be charged for the plan until your next billing cycle.
- If you wish to stay on your current plan, remove content until your usage limits match your preferred plan.
Looking ahead
As we move forward, we remain committed to our core principles and mission to empower creators on Shopify to take control of their content. We’re investing in:
- Flexible Video Solutions: Integrate various content types, control access to your uploads, and directly engage with your audience in your store.
- In-Depth Sales Analytics: Gain deeper understanding of insights and sales drivers.
- Mix-n-Match Monetization Options: Benefit from greater flexibility in generating revenue via subscriptions, one-time purchases, and pay-per-view options.
- User-Friendly App Blocks: Easily customize Shopify to create personalized customer experiences, fostering return visits and in-store engagement.
- Collaborations: Power seamless co-branded livestreams and experiences that drive engagement and sales.
We could not be more honored that thousands of creators have put their trust in Single with their content and creativity. If you have more questions about pricing, please see our pricing FAQ at the bottom of this page.
Thank you for being part of our journey, and we can't wait to see what you'll do with Single!
The Single Team
Subscription Plan Specifics
Prices displayed are for monthly subscriptions. Subscriptions paid annually incur an additional discount.
FAQS
When will the changes take effect?
The changes will take effect starting June 1, 2023.
I’m currently on a paid subscription – what do I need to do?
If you’re within the limits of your current subscription plan, you don't need to take any action. The shift to transaction fee pricing will take effect on June 1 and be reflected in our billing statements.
If you’re over the limits of your current subscription plan, you will be automatically assigned to the appropriate subscription plan on June 1 and then charged for that tier on all future renewals. The shift to transaction fee pricing will take effect on June 1 and be reflected in our billing statements.
To avoid being automatically transitioned, you can unpublish any active products by visiting Settings > Usage and Billing in Single then clicking manage for any content area where you’re above the limit.
I’m currently on the free Starter plan – what do I need to do?
If you’re within the limits for the updated Starter subscription plan, you don't need to take any action. The shift to transaction fee pricing will take effect on June 1 and be reflected in our billing statements.
If you’re over the limits, you will need to remove content or upgrade to the appropriate paid subscription plan to continue publishing after June 1, 2023. Failure to do so will result in the inability to continue publishing.
Where do I see how much content I'm using?
Visit the Usage and Billing Page in Single to see your usage across all products.
How do I edit how much content I'm using?
Visit Settings > Usage and Billing in Single to see your usage across all products. Click the ‘Manage’ button for any content area to be taken to the specific product page where you can adjust.
What changes will there be to Single's Starter/free tier?
The starter subscription will be improved with access to premium features, giving new creators more tools to grow their audience and boost sales.
Will there be any changes to the support services provided by Single with the new pricing plans?
No, there will be no changes to the support services provided by Single with the new pricing plans.
How will the new pricing plans affect users who have purchased annual plans?
All users, regardless of plan, will be transitioned off of unit-based pricing and onto the new transactional pricing structure starting June 1, 2023.
If you’re on an annual plan and over the usage limits of your current plan:
- You will automatically be upgraded to the appropriate plan on June 1 and immediately get access to the higher content limitations of that plan. You will be charged for the upgraded tier at the time of your next renewal unless you cancel or upgrade to another tier beforehand.
If you’re on an annual plan and within the usage limits of your current plan:
- The shift to transaction fee pricing will take effect on June 1 and be reflected in our billing statements.
What happens to my rental duration after June 1, 2023?
Starting June 1, 2023, rental durations will no longer have limits. You can set the duration of your rentals as you wish. However, please be aware that viewer hours and video storage limits will still be based on your subscription plan.