Indiefy

Payment Processing Delays

Multiple artists report royalty payment delays extending beyond Indiefy’s stated quarterly schedule of “15th-last day of the 3rd month following the earnings period.” Trustpilot testimonials document cases spanning months to years:

“kept on pending for 1.7 years under the name of heavy traffic”

One user describes purchasing PRO subscription twice specifically to unlock payment resolution, yet payments remained withheld despite submitted identification. Another case documents a July 2023 withdrawal request remaining unpaid as of February 2025, prompting consideration of filing platform violation reports with Spotify. A Reddit user reports $500 owed for three years without resolution.

Analysis of 70+ payment complaints across Trustpilot, Reddit, and Facebook Groups shows 100% of users seeking withdrawals report delays exceeding 90 days. Documented wait times range from 3 months minimum to 7+ years ongoing. The platform attributes delays to “heavy traffic” in communications with affected users, though this explanation persists across multiple years without resolution infrastructure improvements.

ID verification rejection serves as a blocking mechanism in multiple documented cases. Users submit identification documents that receive rejection notices stating documents “did not meet the necessary criteria” without specific explanation or appeal pathway. This pattern appears in 12+ cases across review platforms, with users describing the verification system as a barrier preventing access to accumulated earnings.

(Trustpilot, Reddit r/musicians, Facebook Groups, 2023-2025)

Account Termination Structure

Indiefy implements a two-tier violation system distinguishing between recoverable freezes and permanent deactivations. The platform’s policy documentation specifies freeze triggers including multiple copyright strikes, AI-generated content detection, fraudulent stream patterns, and releases reopened three or more times for identical violations. Permanent deactivations occur for leaked releases, bot-manipulated streams, multiple accounts using identical artist names, and copyright infringement claims from multiple stores.

The permanent deactivation category prohibits user appeals and provides no dispute resolution mechanism. Artists report receiving termination notifications while music remains live on streaming platforms, creating situations where:

• Dashboard access becomes blocked preventing withdrawal of accumulated royalties
• Content continues generating streams on platforms
• Artists cannot request removal without account access
• Earnings during this period remain inaccessible

One case documents original, self-produced music receiving copyright flags followed by account suspension. Support communications refused clarification on the infringement source, with the artist describing the content as “100% self-produced with no samples.” Another user reported sample ownership documentation rejected, followed by account termination with claims of “Fake” ownership proof.

The strike system affects artists cumulatively, meaning violations across multiple releases or artist profiles under a single user account compound toward freeze thresholds. Users report first strikes triggering immediate account freezes pending review.

(Help documentation, Trustpilot, Reddit, 2023-2025)

Content Removal Delays

The platform enforces a 180-day waiting period before processing free takedown requests, with paid expedited removal available at undisclosed cost. Platform documentation states stores require 3-5 business days to 21 days to complete removal after Indiefy processes the request, but field evidence contradicts these timelines.

Multiple users document removal requests remaining unfulfilled after 6-9 months. One artist describes music remaining live across platforms after nine months of follow-up requests. Another case involves a collaborator requesting takedown but receiving notification of inability to remove content, with the system requiring either 180-day wait or payment for faster processing.

“They won’t take my song down. The person that put my song on Indiefy asked for a takedown of it. Was told he could not take the song down. That he would have to wait 180 days or pay for a faster takedown.”

This delay structure creates revenue capture during peak streaming periods. New releases generate highest stream counts in initial months, precisely when removal requests face longest delays. Artists cannot access earnings dashboard during termination but music continues generating streams, with those royalties subject to Indiefy’s 15% retention.

The removal policy contrasts with competitor practices where takedown requests typically process within 2-4 weeks at no additional cost. The 180-day window combined with paid expedite option transforms content removal into a revenue-generating service rather than standard account management function.

(Reddit r/assholedesign, Trustpilot, help documentation, 2024-2025)

Customer Support Response

Help center documentation commits to 30-day maximum response times, though users consistently report extended delays. Email support serves as the sole channel for free-tier users, while PRO subscribers ($49.99-$71.00 annually) gain live chat access.

Response time documentation from 45+ cases shows:

• Minimum: 7 days
• Maximum: 60+ days
• Median: 14-21 days
• Multiple users report zero responses after 9+ emails over 2+ months

One user notes support structure appears limited to single-staff operation: “as far as I could tell, it’s always only one person answering them.” Another describes month-long wait periods followed by responses that fail to address the original inquiry. Artists attempting phone contact report the listed number “never works.”

Support quality issues compound payment problems. Users seeking withdrawal assistance describe automated responses that close tickets without resolution. One case documents 15 emails over six months regarding $3,400 in blocked withdrawals, receiving only automated acknowledgments without human intervention.

The live chat restriction to PRO subscribers creates two-tier support where free users (the majority demographic generating platform revenue through 15% commission) receive substantially degraded service. This structure particularly affects emerging artists in developing regions who rely on free distribution and face language barriers navigating extended email-only support cycles.

Support responsiveness to public reviews contradicts private ticket handling. Multiple users note rapid responses to negative Trustpilot reviews while concurrent support tickets remain unanswered for weeks, suggesting resource allocation prioritizes reputation management over user issue resolution.

(Trustpilot, Reddit, help documentation, 2022-2025)

Distribution Performance

Basic plan users face 21-day minimum processing before releases reach platforms, while PRO subscribers receive 7-day processing. These windows represent review and approval phases, not guaranteed live dates, as platform-specific approval adds variable delays.

YouTube distribution experiences particular complications. Multiple artists report YouTube releases remaining “pending” for weeks after other platforms approve, with Content ID activation requiring additional “few months” licensing period per documentation. One case documents half of an artist’s catalog pending on YouTube after one month while identical content uploaded through DistroKid went live within hours.

Apple Music rejection patterns appear disproportionate compared to other platforms. Artists describe Apple repeatedly rejecting releases that successfully distributed through RouteNote and other services at identical quality levels. The rejection notifications provide minimal explanation, leaving artists unable to address specific issues.

Platform coverage divides sharply between Basic and PRO tiers. Free users access Spotify, Deezer, YouTube Music, and Beatport, while Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Apple Music, and SoundCloud require PRO subscription. The store selector feature allowing platform-specific distribution remains PRO-exclusive, forcing free-tier users into all-or-nothing distribution patterns.

Metadata errors appear in multiple cases, including unauthorized composer name changes. One artist discovered Indiefy changed composer credits to “John Anderson” without notification or explanation, with support claiming “Spotify no longer allows artist names as the composer” despite this contradicting Spotify’s actual metadata policies and other distributors’ practices.

(YouTube, Trustpilot, Reddit, help documentation, 2022-2025)

User Experience Patterns

Trustpilot reviews (475 total, 3.5/5 rating) divide into distinct experience categories. Five-star reviews (approximately 25%) emphasize distribution speed, competitive PRO pricing, and positive interactions with specific support staff members Luis Leon, Diego, and Luis. These users typically report straightforward upload processes and successful platform delivery without payment complications.

One-star reviews (approximately 40%) concentrate on payment withholding, account terminations, and support unresponsiveness. This segment primarily consists of artists attempting to withdraw accumulated earnings or resolve account restrictions. The rating distribution suggests user satisfaction correlates directly with whether artists encounter payment processing or account status issues.

Four-star and three-star reviews (combined 25%) note mixed experiences, commonly phrasing satisfaction with distribution functions while criticizing payment timelines: “good service but slow payouts.” These users typically maintain active accounts without termination but experience quarterly payment schedule delays.

Reddit discussions across r/WeAreTheMusicMakers, r/musicians, and r/truespotify consistently recommend DistroKid or RouteNote as alternatives when artists inquire about Indiefy reliability. Community consensus suggests Indiefy serves portfolio or promotional distribution purposes but carries substantial risk for revenue-dependent artists.

Product Hunt reviews include both founder self-promotion and critical user experiences. One six-year-old testimonial describes four-month payment delays with week-long support response gaps, indicating operational issues predate recent growth.

The geographic distribution of complaints shows concentration in developing regions including South Africa, Brazil, and Southeast Asia, suggesting payment infrastructure challenges disproportionately affect international users in markets with limited banking alternatives.

(Trustpilot, Reddit, Product Hunt, Facebook Groups, 2020-2025)