Spotify Pre-Save Links: How They Work and When to Use One
Get day-one saves before your song is even out: how a Spotify pre-save link works, the free ways to make one and when it's worth asking fans for it.
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A Spotify pre-save lets a fan tap a button before your release date so the song lands in their library the day it comes out. You can get one free from your distributor (DistroKid's is called HyperFollow), from a smart-link tool like Feature.fm, or from Spotify itself with a Countdown Page if your release qualifies.
What happens when a fan pre-saves?
It depends a little on where the pre-save lives:
- Your distributor's page. With DistroKid's HyperFollow, anyone who taps the pre-save button follows you on Spotify and gets the release saved to their library (DistroKid Help).
- A Spotify Countdown Page. Fans pre-save from your profile, Search, Home or the Upcoming Releases hub. On release day they get a push notification and the release is added to their library (Spotify Support).
What are the ways to make a Spotify pre-save?
| Option | Cost | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Your distributor (for example DistroKid HyperFollow) | Free with your distributor | Made for every DistroKid upload (DistroKid Help) |
| Spotify Countdown Page | Free | Albums and EPs only, no singles, and at least 3,000 monthly active listeners (Spotify Support) |
| Feature.fm | Free plan with 1 pre-save service; Basic Artist US$7/mo billed yearly or US$8 monthly with 3 (pricing) | Anyone |
If you release singles, your distributor's link is a simple option, since Countdown Pages don't take singles. Not sure which one yours is? See EP vs album vs single for how Spotify counts tracks and minutes.
1. Upload your release early
DistroKid says you can start collecting pre-saves the moment you finish uploading. The earlier you upload, the longer you can share the link, and the sooner you can add a Canvas to the track in Spotify for Artists (here are the Canvas size and specs). For every date from upload to release day, see the music release checklist.
2. Copy the pre-save link
Find it in your distributor's dashboard. Here's the DistroKid version, step by step.
3. Share it everywhere you're already talking to fans
Your bio link, stories, your mailing list. On release day, swap it for the song itself.
When is a pre-save worth pushing?
When people already listen: fans who follow you, comment and open your emails. A pre-save gives that attention something to do before the song is out.
When you have very few listeners, asking strangers to save a song they haven't heard is a big ask. Pushing the song on release day, with a link that works on every app, can be simpler. Either way, a release page that switches from "pre-save" to "listen" on its own saves you a step.
Can Loud make a pre-save?
No. Pre-saves need access that Loud doesn't have, so it doesn't create or count them. What it does: once Loud finds your upcoming release, it shows up on your Home page in Loud, and you paste the pre-save link from your distributor (HyperFollow, ONErpm, CD Baby, Amuse, Feature.fm). That link becomes the main button on your website, your link in bio and the song's own page until release day. A future release only gets announced on your site and link in bio once it has that link.
We make Loud, so here's the honest version: if your plan depends on pre-save numbers and ad tracking, run the campaign in HyperFollow or Feature.fm, and let Loud be the page that's still right after release day. You can also email your fans from Loud with the goal "Get pre-saves". Free includes 50 fan emails a month.
Related: Loud vs Linktree, which compares pre-saves too.
FAQ
How does a Spotify pre-save work?
The fan taps pre-save before your release date. On release day the song is saved to their library. Depending on the tool, they may also follow you.
How do I make a Spotify pre-save link for free?
Use your distributor's pre-save page, like DistroKid's HyperFollow, or Feature.fm's free plan. Spotify's Countdown Pages are free too, for albums and EPs from artists with at least 3,000 monthly active listeners.
Can I make a Countdown Page for a single?
No. Spotify says singles aren't eligible.
Does a pre-save make fans follow me on Spotify?
With DistroKid's HyperFollow, yes: tapping the pre-save button also follows your artist profile, according to DistroKid.
Does Loud create pre-saves?
No. You paste the pre-save link from your distributor, and Loud shows it as the main button on your site, link in bio and song page.
