Currently, TuneCore only distributes ringtones to the iPhone iTunes store. Therefore your ringtone would only be available for purchase in iTunes on the iPhone, not iTunes on a computer.
*** Please note that ringtones can only be submitted with a runtime between 5 and 30 seconds.
Go Live Time
Most releases take 24-72 hours to go live in iTunes. However, a random percentage of releases go through an internal store review process, which can take up to 16 BUSINESS days from the day they're received by the store.
Please note: TuneCore has no control over the iTunes internal review process and cannot expedite your release. If you have a required release date we strongly recommend that you distribute your music more than 16 days prior to that date.
iPhone iTunes Store Territories for Ringtones
iTunes for the iPhone currently has stores in the following countries:
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina-Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe
Pay Rate (How Much iTunes Pays You)
Purchases in the iTunes stores outside of the U.S. are made in that country's local currency. For example, if a ringtone sells from the iTunes New Zealand store, iTunes New Zealand processes the sale in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). The money is then converted into U.S. dollars by TuneCore and forwarded on to you. As always, TuneCore takes none of the money from the sale of your music. You get it all, but be aware that bank conversion rates are out of our control and can change from day to day--the bank will convert the currency into U.S. dollars based on what the exchange rate is at the time the bank receives the money.
For ringtones sold individually in the iTunes stores for $1.29, TuneCore pays you the following:
| iTunes Stores Worldwide | You Receive Per Ringtone |
|---|---|
| iTunes Australia | AUD $0.99 (EXCEPTION BELOW) |
| iTunes Canada | CAD $0.70 |
| iTunes Europe | EUR €0.71 |
| iTunes Mexico | MXN $8.40 |
| iTunes New Zealand | NZD $1.17 (EXCEPTION BELOW) |
| iTunes United Kingdom | GBP £0.49 |
| iTunes United States | USD $0.99 (No exchange required) |
EXCEPTION: Both Australia's and New Zealand's governments withhold 5% as a tax on all sales. This amount is already deducted when you receive your sales money and reports.
CAN I DISTRIBUTE AN ALBUM OF RINGTONES TO ITUNES?
Ringtone content can only be submitted by creating a ringtone release within TuneCore. The ringtone must be pre-cut and cannot be distributed as a selection of tracks on an album.
Apple is no longer accepting ringtone content in the iTunes music store application accessed via computers. Ringtones are only available to users as a "Ringtone product" via the iTunes mobile device store on iOS devices (the iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad).