Comparison

Deep Cuts vs The Dream

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Deep Cuts

Features
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Deep Cuts Where Every Stream Pays Artists Fairly Most streaming platforms pay artists fractions of a penny per stream, pooling all subscription revenue together and dividing it among the biggest names in music. Independent artists โ€” the ones pouring their hearts into every track โ€” are left fighting over scraps or no money at all. Deep Cuts was built to change that. The Fairest Payout in Music Streaming. Deep Cuts operates on a simple fair-pay model: 80% of every subscriber's weekly fee goes directly to the artists they actually listen to. Not into a giant pool. Not divided by an algorithm that favours major labels. Your money follows your ears โ€” proportionally, transparently, every single week. Here's how it works: when you stream on Deep Cuts, every ten seconds of listening time is tracked. At the end of each weekly cycle, your CA$2.80 subscription is split among the artists you played, weighted by exactly how long you listened to each one. If you spent half your week listening to a local indie band, that band receives half of your artist share. It's that simple. For artists, this means the payout per listener is dramatically higher than any other platform. On traditional streaming services, an independent artist might earn CA$0.003 per stream โ€” meaning they need hundreds of thousands of plays just to cover basic costs. On Deep Cuts, a single dedicated listener can contribute meaningfully to an artist's income every week. Multiply that across a growing community of music lovers who care about where their money goes, and the difference is transformative. Built for Independent Artists Deep Cuts isn't just a streaming app โ€” it's a complete toolkit for independent musicians. Artists can upload and manage their entire catalogue, designate essential tracks, organize albums, and set scheduled releases. Detailed analytics show exactly who's listening, from which cities, and how listening trends change week over week. Artists can see their estimated weekly earnings, track unique listener counts, and understand their audience. When artists are ready to get paid, Stripe Connect integration makes payouts seamless. Verified artists receive their earnings directly โ€” no middlemen, no minimum thresholds, no waiting months for statements. Every Monday, they are paid. Built for Listeners Who Care As a listener, Deep Cuts gives you something no other platform does: a clear, visual breakdown of exactly where your subscription goes. See which artists earned from your listening time, how much each one received, and watch your impact grow. Discover new music by genre, explore artists by city, browse community playlists, and vote to bring your favourite artists to your town. Community-Powered Discovery Deep Cuts is designed around community. Browse what's trending across genres, see which artists are being playlisted the most, explore the global map of independent music, and find upcoming shows near you. Every feature is designed to connect listeners with artists in meaningful ways. Why Deep Cuts? Because music deserves better. Because artists deserve to be paid fairly for their work. Because listeners deserve to know their support actually matters. Deep Cuts is the streaming platform the independent music world has been waiting for โ€” transparent, fair, and built from the ground up for the people who make and love music. Stream with purpose. Support with impact. Welcome to Deep Cuts.

About

The Dream

Features
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The Dream: Music Lives Here is the official app of The Dream Society โ€” a non-profit, community-owned live music venue at 67 Front Street in Penticton, BC. FIND YOUR NEXT SHOW - Browse upcoming events in a calendar or list, explore the artists on our stages, and mark the shows you're interested in. TICKETS, SORTED - Buy tickets in seconds, with member presale access where it applies. Your tickets live in the app โ€” QR codes appear automatically before showtime for a quick scan at the door. Change of plans? Transfer tickets to a friend, move your seats, or return them for credit toward your next visit. MORE THAN TICKETS - Pick up Dream Society merchandise, become a member, and support the Society with a donation โ€” we're a registered non-profit, and every dollar keeps live music alive in Penticton. Invited to a private event? RSVP right from the event page. FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS - The Dream runs on volunteers. Sign up for shifts, check in with a QR scan, track your credits, manage your volunteer profile, and stay connected through messages and community forums. The Dream Society (Penticton) is a non-profit society under the BC Societies Act. Come for the music โ€” stay for the community.

Screenshots

Deep Cuts4 screens
The Dream4 screens

Verdict

The call

Deep Cuts and The Dream are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters โ€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Deep Cuts versus The Dream: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDeep CutsThe Dream
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better15.1
Further details โ€” not scored
Size20 MB90 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperDANIEL ROBERT HARDENThe Dream Society (Penticton)

In-app purchases

None

Deep Cuts

No in-app purchases

None

The Dream

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Deep Cuts free?
Deep Cuts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Dream free?
The Dream is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Deep Cuts or The Dream have ads?
Neither Deep Cuts nor The Dream shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Deep Cuts or The Dream?
Deep Cuts ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Dream every 3 weeks. Most recently, Deep Cuts was updated on October 1, 2026 and The Dream on October 24, 2026.

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