Terms of Service

These terms govern your use of ident.fm and participation in the creator partner program. By applying to or participating in the program, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

Ident.fm provides YouTube creators with a custom audio signature (an "ident") for use in their video content. In exchange for using the ident, creators receive:

• Public producer credit in video metadata.
• A monthly creator partner fee based on verified matched views on videos containing the approved ident.

In exchange, the creator grants ident.fm non-exclusive rights to commercialize the underlying audio work as part of the ident.fm catalog. This does not transfer ownership of the creator's channel, content, or brand.

All applications are reviewed manually. Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance. We reserve the right to decline any application at our discretion. Accepted creators will be notified via email with their tier placement and production options.

• Curated selection (free): Choose from 3-5 pre-produced idents matched to your niche. Delivered within 1-3 business days of approval.
• Custom production ($249): A bespoke ident produced from scratch based on your creative brief. Payment via Stripe. Delivered within 3 business days. The custom production fee is non-refundable after delivery.

Calculation

Partner fees are calculated monthly based on qualified views on videos containing your approved ident during the prior calendar month. "Qualified views" are determined by ident.fm in its sole discretion and may be based on factors including view verification method, view duration, geographic origin, and traffic quality. Views may be verified using the YouTube Data API v3 or other methods at ident.fm's discretion.

Rate tiers

• Starter: $0.05 per 1,000 verified matched views.
• Growth: $0.10 per 1,000 verified matched views.
• Partner: $0.15 per 1,000 verified matched views, with optional negotiated terms for channels exceeding 1M matched views/month.

Payment timing

Payments follow the Content ID revenue cycle and are typically issued 60-90 days after the view period. This aligns with standard music industry payment timing. Monthly statements are provided showing verified views and calculated fees as they accrue.

Payment method

All payments are processed through Tipalti. Creators select their preferred payment method (bank transfer, PayPal, wire, or local currency) through Tipalti's self-service portal. Tax forms (W-9 for US creators, W-8 for international) are collected during onboarding.

Nature of the fee

The creator partner fee is a participation fee paid by ident.fm to the creator in recognition of their viewership contribution. It is not a royalty, revenue share, or profit participation. It does not confer any ownership, co-authorship, or revenue participation rights in the underlying recording, composition, or Content ID claim. Fee rates are determined by ident.fm at its sole discretion.

• Sole ownership: Ident.fm is the sole owner of all ident audio recordings, compositions, and associated intellectual property. The creator acquires no ownership interest, copyright, or equitable rights in any ident through participation in the program.
• License to creator: Ident.fm grants the creator a non-exclusive, revocable, non-transferable license to use the assigned ident in their YouTube channel content for the duration of their participation. This license terminates when the creator leaves the program.
• Producer credit:The creator's name appears as producer in Content ID metadata. This is honorary attribution only and does not constitute co-authorship, joint work status, or any assignment of rights. Producer credit does not entitle the creator to any royalties, residuals, or revenue participation beyond the creator partner fee described in Section 5.
• Content ID consent:The creator expressly consents to ident.fm registering the ident with YouTube's Content ID system and to Content ID claims being placed on videos containing the ident. The creator agrees not to dispute, contest, or file counter-notifications against legitimate Content ID claims generated by the ident. This consent is a material term of the agreement.
• Non-exclusive: Participation in the program does not restrict the creator from using other music, working with other platforms, or maintaining existing partnerships.
• Catalog rights: Ident.fm retains the right to commercialize, license, distribute, and sublicense the ident audio as part of the ident.fm catalog or otherwise, without restriction and without additional compensation to the creator.
• Survival of rights:All of ident.fm's rights in the ident audio — including ownership, commercialization, and catalog rights — survive cancellation or termination of the creator's participation. The underlying work remains part of the ident.fm catalog in perpetuity regardless of whether the creator continues to use it.
• Creator representations: The creator represents and warrants that they own or control the YouTube channel submitted in their application and have the authority to consent to Content ID claims on videos published to that channel.

The ident should appear consistently across your regular upload schedule. There is no rigid minimum, but sporadic or one-off use does not qualify for partner fee calculation. Consistent use means incorporating the ident as your standard intro, outro, or signature sound on your normal content.

Each creator may have one active ident at a time. You may request a new version over time, but only one ident is active for partner fee calculation at any given point.

You may stop using the ident at any time. Partner fees continue to accrue for any month in which verified matched views are recorded on videos containing the ident. Your final payment will be issued after the last applicable Content ID revenue cycle. Catalog participation ends with your final payment period.

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email at least 30 days before taking effect. Your continued participation in the program after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Ident.fm is provided "as is." We do not guarantee specific revenue amounts, view counts, or Content ID claim outcomes. Partner fee calculations depend on YouTube Data API availability and Content ID system accuracy, neither of which are under our control. Our total liability to any creator is limited to the total partner fees paid to that creator in the preceding 12 months.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ident.fm, its officers, employees, and agents from and against any third-party claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising out of or related to your channel content, your use of the ident, any breach of these terms, or any violation of applicable law or third-party rights in connection with your participation in the program.

The parties will attempt to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to these terms through good-faith negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days from written notice of the dispute. If the dispute is not resolved through negotiation, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered in the State of Delaware under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party shall bear its own costs of arbitration unless the arbitrator directs otherwise.

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to conflict of law provisions.

Questions about these terms? Contact us at legal@ident.fm.