Frequently Asked Questions

About Bela

What is Bela?: A music marketplace and lending library. Artists sell music directly to fans. Fans can own, download, and lend their purchases to friends. 100% of every sale goes to the artist.
How is Bela different from Bandcamp?: Bandcamp is a great store. Bela is a store AND a lending library. When you buy on Bela, your purchase becomes part of a shared library that friends can borrow from. Plus, Bela takes 0% from artist sales (Bandcamp takes 15%).
How is Bela different from Spotify?: Spotify is a rental. You pay monthly, own nothing, and artists earn fractions of pennies. On Bela, you buy and own music permanently. Artists get 100% of every sale. You can download DRM-free files and lend albums to friends.
Why is it called Bela?: Named after Bela Bartok, a composer who traveled rural villages recording folk music from communities. He believed music belonged to the people who made it and shared it. So do we.

What do I get when I buy music on Bela?: A permanent license to stream on Bela, download DRM-free files in multiple formats, and lend to friends. The music is yours regardless of whether you stay on the platform.
Can I download my music?: Yes, anytime. DRM-free. Multiple formats. Your files, your devices, forever.
What if Bela shuts down?: Your downloaded files still work. They're standard audio files playable on any device or app. We'd give advance notice so everyone can download everything they've purchased.
Can I play my music on other apps?: Your downloaded files play anywhere. Upload them to your own music server (like Ocarina, Navidrome, or Plex) and use any player you want.
Can I upload music I already own?: Bela is a marketplace - music is uploaded by artists, not listeners. This is what makes lending work: every copy has verified provenance. Your existing collection is yours forever on your devices.

How does lending work?: You can lend an album to a friend directly (you choose the duration: 3, 5, or 7 days) or add it to the shared library where anyone can borrow it for 5 days. One copy, one listener at a time - just like a physical CD.
Is lending legal?: Yes. Every artist on Bela explicitly authorized lending as part of joining the platform. This isn't a gray area. The artist said yes.
What if all copies are borrowed?: You'll see when the next copy returns. Or buy your own and never wait.
Can I lend borrowed music?: No. Only music you've purchased can be lent. Borrowers can stream, not lend or download.
Can I get my album back before the loan ends?: No. Lending is a commitment - the loan runs to completion. You chose the duration, and the borrower is counting on it. Your downloaded files are always available for personal listening.

How much do artists earn?: 100% of every sale. Bela takes zero. The only deduction is Stripe's standard payment processing fee (~$0.53 on an $8 album). We fund the platform through listener subscriptions.
Is there a signup fee?: No. No subscription, no annual fee, no per-release fee. Free to join, free to upload, free forever.
Do I need a label?: No. If you own or control the rights to your music, you can sell on Bela.
Can I sell on Bandcamp AND Bela?: Yes. Bela never requires exclusivity. Sell on as many platforms as you want.
Can I remove my music?: Yes, anytime. Active loans run to completion (a few days), then your music is removed.

What data does Bela collect?: Anonymous site analytics (open-source, no cookies). For users: purchase and lending records needed to operate the platform. Stream logs are anonymized after 90 days. We never sell data.
Do you use algorithms to recommend music?: Every recommendation comes with a visible reason. "People who own this also own..." or "Drew recommends this because..." We don't use opaque algorithms. Your friends have better taste.
Can artists see who listened to their music?: No. Artists see aggregate numbers (total streams, total lends, conversion rates). Never individual listener data.
Is the source code available?: Yes. BSL license - anyone can read and audit the code.