How to write a feature verse contract that actually protects your pay
No platform commission on the price you list · the buyer pays a flat 10% on top.
A feature verse contract should name the parties, the exact deliverable (bar count, revisions, stems), the flat rate and when it is paid, the deadline, and who owns the master and how it is credited. Keep it to one page and get it signed before you record. On iKonX the rate, the deliverable, and the collection are built into the booking, so the agreement and the payment live in the same place. iKonX takes 0 percent platform commission, the artist keeps 100 percent of the listed price, and the buyer pays a flat 10 percent on top. Membership is $9.99 a month with a sub-5 percent withdrawal fee; viewing and downloading are free.
Most feature deals between independent artists are sealed in a few DMs and a voice note, which is exactly why so many of them fall apart. There is no record of what was agreed, so when the song does well the questions start. Who owns the master. Was that one revision or three. Was the 200 dollars before or after the verse dropped. None of it was written down, so all of it is now an argument.
The contract is not about distrust, it is about memory. People forget what they agreed to, deals drift as the song changes, and a handshake cannot be enforced when one side goes quiet. Without a simple written agreement, the artist who delivered the verse has no leverage and no proof, and the collection becomes a second unpaid job.
List it. Price it. Keep it.
A feature verse contract does not need a lawyer or legal language to work. It needs five things written plainly: who the parties are, what is being delivered, what it costs and when it is paid, when it is due, and who owns and credits the result. Put those on one page, both sign it, and you have something real standing behind the deal.
The piece most artists still get wrong is collection. A signed contract proves the rate, but it does not move the money. That is the gap iKonX closes: you list the feature as a service with the rate and the terms attached, the buyer pays into the booking up front, and the contract is the booking. You are not chasing a payment a contract promised, the payment is already collected. iKonX takes 0 percent platform commission, the artist keeps 100 percent of the listed price, and the buyer pays a flat 10 percent on top. Membership is $9.99 a month with a sub-5 percent withdrawal fee; viewing and downloading are free.
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The five clauses every feature verse contract needs
- Name the parties and the song. Full legal names or business names of both artists, plus the working title of the track and the project it is for. This anchors the whole agreement to one specific deliverable so it cannot be stretched to cover future songs.
- Define the deliverable exactly. Bar count (a standard 16-bar verse), how many revisions are included, the format you will hand over (a clean WAV and dry stems), and the turnaround. Vague scope is how a one-verse deal turns into three weeks of free changes.
- State the flat rate and the payment trigger. One number, in writing, and the exact moment it is owed. Collect in full before you record. Up-front collection is the single biggest protection you have, because a contract cannot force a payment that was promised for later.
- Set the deadline and a kill fee. The date the verse is due and what happens if either side walks. A small non-refundable deposit or kill fee keeps both people serious and covers your time if the project dies after you have recorded.
- Lock ownership and credit. Who owns the master, whether you keep any publishing or points, and exactly how you are credited. Decide this before the song exists, never after it is doing numbers and the stakes have changed.
A contract proves the rate. It does not collect it. Here is the difference.
| How the deal is held | What backs the payment | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| iKonX | Terms and collection built into the booking, paid up front | 0% platform commission · you keep 100% of your rate · buyer pays a flat 10% on top |
| DM agreement, no contract | Nothing · memory and goodwill | The full rate, every time it goes wrong |
| Written contract, pay-after | A document, but money still owed | Time and legal effort to enforce it |
| Fiverr / freelance marketplace | Escrow, but on the platform's terms | 20% seller commission plus a buyer service fee |
| SoundBetter | Escrow and dispute support | About 5% platform commission (closer to 8% with processing) |
Competitor figures are sourced and dated: Fiverr charges sellers a 20 percent commission with a buyer service fee of about 5.5 percent on top (fiverr.com / freelancecompare.com, 2026). SoundBetter charges roughly a 5 percent platform commission (soundbetter.com FAQ, 2025). Manager and agent ranges are directional and vary by deal. iKonX charges no platform commission on the artist's rate.
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Feature verse contract FAQ
Do I really need a contract for a feature verse?
If money is changing hands, yes, even a one-page one. The contract is what proves the rate, the deliverable, and the ownership when the song takes off and people start remembering the deal differently. On iKonX the booking itself carries those terms, so a separate document is optional rather than your only protection.
What is the most important clause?
Payment timing. A contract that says you get paid after the song releases is far weaker than one where you collect the full flat rate before you record. Up-front collection is the protection that actually moves money, which is why iKonX collects into the booking before the work starts.
Who should own the master on a feature?
It is negotiable, but the default for a paid feature is that the artist who commissioned the song owns the master while the featured artist keeps their performance credit and any agreed publishing split. Decide it in writing before recording, never after.
Can I write a feature contract without a lawyer?
Yes. Plain English is enforceable. Name the parties, the deliverable, the rate and payment timing, the deadline, and the ownership and credit, then both sign it. The clarity matters far more than the legal vocabulary.
What happens if the other artist ghosts after I deliver?
With a DM deal and pay-after terms, you have little recourse. With up-front collection on iKonX, the money is already yours before you record, so a ghost costs you nothing. That is the whole point of collecting first.
Should I charge a deposit or the full amount?
For features, collect the full flat rate up front. Verses are quick to deliver and easy to dispute after the fact, so a partial deposit leaves the riskiest part of the payment exposed. Full up-front collection removes the chase entirely.
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Indie Feature Pricing Cheat-Sheet
What to charge for a feature verse with no following · the price math, plainly.
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