Royalty Management Information:
Software, Resources, & More
With over 25 years of royalty management experience, MetaComet® Systems has mastered the science of calculating, paying, and reporting on royalties. We’ve compiled these resources to help you do the same.
Rights Management Software for Content & Licensing
Rights management software is a tool that helps book publishers, literary agents, and other content rights holders or rights managers keep track of the rights they control, have sold, and have available to sell.
Ebook Royalties | Managing & Tracking for Publishers
Ebooks and other digital content have changed so many areas of publishing, and royalties are no exception.
Licensing Royalties Explained: Benefits, Risks & Examples
If your business has acquired the rights to use another party’s invention, creation, or intellectual property (IP), then congratulations: you are now a licensee! Licensees pay licensing royalties to a licensor when they monetize the IP they have acquired.
Copyright Royalties | A Complete Guide for Licensees
Explore how copyright royalties work, plus types and examples, and discover automation tools that prevent errors.
Rights Management Platform for Publishing & IP Licensing
Choosing a rights management system can feel overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this FAQ, you’ll learn exactly how to select and implement a solution that truly fits your workflow and empowers you to maximize all your licensing opportunities and revenue.
Emerging Publishing Practices & Industry Innovations
The new world of multi-format distribution adds enormous complexity to royalty math. That's where tools like MetaComet’s best-in-class royalty management solutions come in.
Automate Literary Agents’ Fees with Royalty Tracker
With the new Royalty Tracker® agents feature, publishers can process agents’ fees with the click of a button, and instantly publish agents’ statements to the online Royalty Portal. Watch the demo here.
Royalty Distribution | Agreements, Tools & Digital Solutions
When something is sold on a royalty basis, its license holders calculate and put aside a share of the earnings to compensate the original creators. That money is then distributed to recipients in an agreed manner and on a set cycle.
Biotech Technology Transfer & Licensing Agreements
Learn how biotech licensees manage technology transfer agreements, track royalties, and stay compliant through every stage of the licensing process.
Technology Transfer Agreements, Royalties, Distributions
If you’re involved in licensing technology from a university, research institution, or federal lab—or granting those rights to others—managing royalties is one of the most critical (and complex) parts of the process.
Frequently Asked Royalty Information Questions
What are royalties and how are they paid?
A royalty is a payment made by one party (the licensee) to another (the licensor) for the ongoing use of an asset, commonly a piece of intellectual property. Payment methods and frequency are established in a royalty licensing agreement between the two parties. For more details, see our article entitled, “How Do Royalties Work?”
How much is the average royalty check?
Royalty payments vary widely across different industries and within industries as well, depending on the value of the asset being licensed, the sales volume within the royalty period, and many other factors. So, there is no such thing as an average, normal, or typical royalty check. To learn more about the elements that affect a royalty check, see our article, “How Are Royalties Calculated?”
How do I calculate my royalties?
Royalties are calculated based on a percentage of sales revenue or a flat fee per unit sold. The percentage or fee is agreed upon in a royalty licensing agreement between the licensor and licensee. The agreement will also outline other variables that will affect royalty payments. For more information, read our post, “How Are Royalties Calculated?”
Who receives royalty payments?
Royalty recipients include copyright holders (like writers, illustrators, and composers), patent owners (such as inventors), natural resource owners, and franchisors, among others. See our article, “What Are Royalties in Business?” for further examples of people and companies that receive royalty payments.
What types of royalties exist?
Common types of royalties include book publishing royalties, music royalties, patent royalties, franchise fees, and oil and gas royalties. Our blog post, “Different Types of Royalties,” goes into more detail about the various types of royalties you may encounter.
How often are royalties paid out?
Payments are typically made quarterly or annually, and sometimes monthly or semiannually, depending on the terms of the royalty agreement.
What is included in a royalty agreement?
A royalty licensing agreement will include, at a minimum, a definition of the rights granted, usage conditions, and payment terms. Our article about “How Do Royalties Work?” delves into the deeper details of royalty agreements.
Are royalties taxed?
Yes, royalty payments are taxed as income.