PRS vs PPL: How to Register Your Songs and Collect Every UK Royalty
PRS and PPL are two different organisations that pay two different people. PRS pays the person who wrote the song. PPL pays the people behind the recording. Most UK artists need both, and neither one signs you up for you.
Here is what each one does, who joins which, and what to do first.
What is the difference between PRS and PPL?
A song is really two things. There is the writing, which is the words and the melody. There is the recording, which is that one performance captured on a file.
- PRS for Music collects for the writing. It pays songwriters, composers and publishers when their work is performed in public, broadcast or streamed. - PPL collects for the recording. It pays the owners of the recording and the performers on it when the recording is played in public or broadcast in the UK.
If you wrote it and you recorded it, you are owed from both.
Who joins which?
| You are | Join | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A songwriter or composer | PRS for Music | Pays for the writing |
| A producer who co wrote the song | PRS for Music | Pays for your share of the writing |
| The owner of the recording, often the artist | PPL as a recording rightsholder | Pays for the recording |
| A performer on a recording, such as a vocalist or session player | PPL as a performer | Pays for the performance |
An artist who writes, records and releases their own music usually joins both.
What does PRS cost and how do you join?
PRS has a one off joining fee for writers. It has been £100, with a lower £30 rate for people under 25. Check the figure on prsformusic.com before you pay, because fees change.
Joining does not register your songs. You log each track yourself in the PRS member portal with the title, the writers and the split. If you write with other people, agree the split first and use the same numbers everyone else uses. Our split sheet template is built for exactly that.
After you join you get a membership number, also called an IPI number. It goes on every split sheet and every registration.
How do you register with PPL?
You register as a recording rightsholder if you own the recording, or as a performer if you played or sang on one. To register a recording you need its ISRC, which is the code that identifies that recording. PPL is the body that issues ISRCs in the UK, and your distributor may already have given you one.
Check PPL's own site for what it costs and what it asks for, as terms change.
What does your distributor not do?
This catches a lot of people. A distributor gets your music onto Spotify and Apple Music and collects the streaming income from those platforms. It does not join PRS for you. It does not usually register you with PPL.
So you can have a track on every platform and still be missing the writing money and the public performance money. They are separate pots, and each one needs its own sign up.
Where do streams fit in?
Streaming pays in two places. The recording income comes through your distributor. The writing income is collected by PRS. PPL covers UK radio, TV and public play of the recording, such as in shops and venues. Streaming itself comes through your distributor, not PPL.
If you want the number on the recording side, see what Spotify pays per stream.
The checklist
1. Write and date a split sheet for every song. 2. Join PRS if you wrote any part of the song. 3. Register each song with PRS, using the agreed split. 4. Get an ISRC for each recording and keep it. 5. Register with PPL as the owner of the recording, as a performer, or both. 6. Tell your distributor your PRS membership number if they ask for it. 7. Keep every record in one folder.
How RAAYDR fits
On RAAYDR the artist credits writers and producers on each track. When the track is played, those people get their agreed share of what it earns. That sits alongside PRS and PPL and does not replace them. See how it works for producers and songwriters, or join the waitlist.
FAQ
- Is PRS the same as PPL?
- No. PRS pays the writers of a song. PPL pays the owners of the recording and the performers on it.
- Do I need to join both PRS and PPL?
- If you wrote the song and own the recording, yes. They cover different rights.
- Does my distributor register me with PRS?
- No. A distributor collects streaming income from the platforms. You join PRS yourself.
- How much does it cost to join PRS?
- There is a one off joining fee for writers. It has been £100, or £30 if you are under 25. Check prsformusic.com for the current figure.
- Do I need an ISRC to register with PPL?
- You need the ISRC of each recording you register. PPL issues them in the UK, and a distributor often assigns one when you release.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Fees and rules at PRS and PPL change, so check their sites before you pay or register. Fee figures are from published guidance as of October 2026. RAAYDR hasn't launched to listeners yet, so the section on how RAAYDR fits describes the published model, not observed payouts.
