Estate planning as a Bandcamp account holder
Bandcamp (Songtradr) reviews transfer requests for accounts individually upon receipt of documentation
Bandcamp Support
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Bandcamp Support
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Verified Apr 2026
Bandcamp is the leading independent music marketplace where fans buy music directly from artists. Artists keep 80-85% of digital sales and 90% of physical goods. Unlike streaming platforms that pay fractions of a cent per play, Bandcamp facilitates direct purchases (albums, singles, vinyl, merch). A Bandcamp artist account holds the catalog, fan community, sales history, and accumulated earnings. Bandcamp has no published bereavement policy, but music likely remains listed and purchasable indefinitely since there is no subscription requirement. Owned by Songtradr since September 2023 (previously Epic Games, 2022-2023). Bandcamp is transitioning its payout system from PayPal to Stripe in a phased rollout beginning summer 2025, with PayPal remaining available during the transition and for countries where Stripe is not yet supported.
Bandcamp (Songtradr) reviews transfer requests for Bandcamp accounts on a case-by-case basis after the account holder's death. Approval is at the company's sole discretion, and documentation requirements must be met before any transfer is considered.
What happens at death
Bandcamp has no published bereavement or deceased artist policy. The Terms of Use state the agreement is "personal to you and not assignable, transferable or sublicensable except with Company's prior written consent." No provisions address death, succession, inheritance, or estate access. The Termination section states the company may terminate access "with or without cause, with or without notice" which may result in "forfeiture and destruction of all information associated with your membership." In practice, artist catalogs appear to remain listed and purchasable indefinitely since Bandcamp has no subscription requirement or automatic delisting policy. Payouts continue to the linked payment method (Stripe or PayPal, depending on when the artist migrated). The estate would need to contact Bandcamp support through the web form at bandcamp.com/contact with legal documentation to request account access or payment method changes.
How to protect your Bandcamp accounts
Bandcamp (Songtradr) does not guarantee transfer of accounts after death. Lifetime planning provides options for managing accounts and controlling who has access to them.
Here are 7 steps to protect and manage your Bandcamp accounts while the account is active:
1
Bandcamp requires no subscription fee, so your catalog remains live indefinitely without ongoing payment. This makes Bandcamp one of the most estate-friendly music platforms -- no risk of music disappearing when a credit card expires.
2
Set your payout frequency to a regular schedule (daily or weekly) and link to a bank account the executor can access. This minimizes accumulated earnings sitting in the Bandcamp pipeline.
3
Document your Bandcamp login credentials for your executor. Bandcamp has no formal estate process, so direct account access is the most reliable path.
4
Back up all your music files, artwork, and liner notes locally. While Bandcamp preserves the catalog, having original files ensures the estate can distribute through other channels if needed.
5
If your Bandcamp catalog generates significant revenue, address it in your estate plan. Document the page URL, estimated monthly revenue, and the fact that it requires no subscription to maintain.
6
Consider setting up a label account that can manage your artist page. Labels provide a layer of organizational continuity that individual artist accounts do not.
7
Understand that Bandcamp takes no ownership of your music. Copyright passes to your estate through normal inheritance. Heirs can distribute the music on other platforms, license it, or manage it however they choose.
Family sharing
Bandcamp accounts are non-transferable under the TOS. There is no multi-user access, team feature, or delegate mechanism for artist accounts. Labels can manage multiple artist accounts, which provides an alternative continuity structure. Bandcamp takes no ownership rights in the music: "Bandcamp does not take ownership rights in your music." Copyright passes to the estate through normal inheritance. The estate can contact Bandcamp to request payment method changes to redirect revenue.
When someone dies
Handling Bandcamp accounts after a death
Transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis, 8-step process, and 2 required documents.
View details →There is no beneficiary designation option for Bandcamp. This means accounts cannot be directed to a specific person through the program itself, unlike traditional financial accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Bandcamp takes 15% of digital sales and 10% of physical goods. The remainder (usually 80-85%) goes directly to the artist or label. On Bandcamp Friday events, Bandcamp waives its revenue share entirely so artists keep 100% of sales (minus payment processor fees). Payment processor fees apply separately and vary by transaction size.
Bandcamp is owned by Songtradr, a music licensing company, since September 2023. Previously owned by Epic Games (March 2022-September 2023) and independent before that. Songtradr has maintained Bandcamp's artist-first model.
No. Unlike DistroKid or TuneCore, Bandcamp has no annual subscription. Music remains listed indefinitely without ongoing payments. This makes Bandcamp significantly more estate-friendly than subscription-based distributors.
Sources
Data sourced from Bandcamp (Songtradr) primary sources (6 pages reviewed). How we research.
Bandcamp Support
WebsiteVisit website→
Bandcamp Support
WebsiteFile estate claim→
(General customer service)
Verified Apr 2026