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.

Royalty Audit Readiness and Best Practices

Royalty Auditing Guide | Process, Rights & Best Practices

by David Marlin | March 16, 2026

This guide is written for royalty managers, financial executives, and anyone else concerned with compliance and licensor relations at companies that license in intellectual property. It walks through what royalty auditing is, why it happens, what auditors examine, and how your organization can build the internal readiness to navigate an audit successfully.

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Translation Rights for Book Publishers

Translation Rights: A Complete Guide for Publishers

by David Marlin | February 23, 2026

Translation rights can be a powerful and cost-effective way to squeeze more revenue from content. What’s more, with few deductions needed, most of the money can go straight to the bottom line.

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Rights management software.

Rights Management Software for Content & Licensing

by David Marlin | January 28, 2026

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.

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How To Manage Ebook Royalties Effectively

Ebook Royalties | Managing & Tracking for Publishers

by David Marlin | January 14, 2026

Ebooks and other digital content have changed so many areas of publishing, and royalties are no exception.

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Licensing Royalties: What Every Licensee Needs to Know

Licensing Royalties Explained: Benefits, Risks & Examples

by David Marlin | December 8, 2025

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.

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The Licensees Guide to Copyright Royalties

Copyright Royalties | A Complete Guide for Licensees

by David Marlin | November 25, 2025

Explore how copyright royalties work, plus types and examples, and discover automation tools that prevent errors.

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Choosing the best rights management platform for your business.

Rights Management Platform for Publishing & IP Licensing

by David Marlin | October 31, 2025

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.

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How Emerging Publishing Practices Impact Royalty Distribution

Emerging Publishing Practices & Industry Innovations

by David Marlin | October 2, 2025

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.

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Royalty Tracker Agents Feature Video Preview

Automate Literary Agents’ Fees with Royalty Tracker

by MetaComet Systems | September 18, 2025

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.

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royalty distribution

Royalty Distribution | Agreements, Tools & Digital Solutions

by David Marlin | September 4, 2025

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.

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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.