THE SHORT ANSWER
Static artist site → hosted music store + delivery
These are architecture judgments for this scenario, not audited provider rankings or promises that any setup is breach-proof.
CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU CAN MAINTAIN
Three technologies. Different responsibilities.
Here, “outdated” means unsupported or known-unpatched components. React is assumed to be built into static files; adding a live server, accounts or an API changes the assessment. Simple HTML is assumed to have no backend or remote scripts.
Outdated WordPress
UpsideConvenient release posts, audio themes and an editor for regular updates.
TradeoffOld download and membership plugins expand the maintenance burden beyond the music.
For this businessA compromised site can replace listening links, harvest fan logins or expose order records.
Current React, many dependencies
UpsideGood fit for an expressive discography, filtering and a custom preview player.
TradeoffLarge player libraries and embeds can slow phones and bring more dependencies.
For this businessPreview code runs in the visitor’s browser; paid-file access still needs real authorization elsewhere.
Simple HTML + self-contained JS
UpsideNative audio previews, artwork and store links cover most small catalogs.
TradeoffComplex release management and automated entitlements are outside a static page’s scope.
For this businessPublic preview files are public by design. Do not upload private masters and rely on hiding the link.
FROM ADVICE TO ACTION
The details that matter.
Pay for delivery when it removes fragile work
Bandcamp’s standard digital revenue share is 15%, with payment-processing fees additional and eligibility rules that can affect the share. The price buys a ready-made buying and download experience. Compare the total cost with the time you would spend verifying payments, sending files and fixing failed download links yourself.
Sources: Bandcamp: What are Bandcamp’s fees? (external) ↗ · Bandcamp: How do I get paid on Bandcamp? (external) ↗
Keep previews lightweight
A short, properly licensed preview using the browser’s native audio player needs no third-party music widget. Do not autoplay audio. If you choose an external player, consider a click-to-load option so visitors decide when to contact that service. An uploaded MP3 is downloadable; use previews that you are comfortable distributing publicly.
A payment receipt is not a secure file gate
Never trust the buyer’s browser to prove that payment completed. For manual delivery, verify the transaction in the provider dashboard. For automated delivery, let a hosted music platform perform the authorization, or use a properly authenticated server workflow. A secret download URL inside a JavaScript bundle is visible to anyone inspecting the site.
Sources: Stripe: Payment Links (external) ↗
What information goes where?
Fan emails, purchase records and private licensing conversations are the main personal information. Digital delivery usually does not need a shipping address on your website.
On your public site
Descriptions, prices, public images, policies and direct provider links. No customer checkout form is required.
In private services
Necessary payment, customer or client records. Protect provider logins and any copies on your devices.
Link out before asking for payment information. Avoid hidden fields, query strings or analytics events containing customer details. A hosted checkout reduces collection on your server; it does not mean that the provider, your logs or your private business records contain no personal information.
See the data-flow and PCI explanationDo you need to pay the host for security?
A small static discography rarely justifies a paid host security suite. Audio bandwidth and storage limits may affect hosting cost, which is different from paying for security. Use the music platform for large files and buy maintenance only if you keep a dynamic CMS or custom delivery service.
The baseline still includes working HTTPS, protected accounts, a clean backup and someone responsible for changes. An included scanner is useful, but a scanner is not a patch, a restore test or an incident-response service.
Use the hosting spending guideKEEP THE TOOLBOX SMALL
Start at $0. Know the limits.
A traditional sales CRM is usually unnecessary for digital releases. A newsletter tool is useful for permission-based release announcements. These three $0 entry plans fit a small fan list; use a separate CRM only if licensing leads become a real workflow.
Kit
Free newsletter
Up to 10,000 subscribers
Creator announcements and hosted signup pages.
Limited automation; review recommendation, branding and free-plan conditions. Not an order CRM.
Check plan & pricingMailerLite
Free
250 subscribers · 2,500 emails/month
A small list with a hosted signup page.
Low subscriber ceiling; old 500/1,000-subscriber comparisons are stale.
Check plan & pricingBrevo
Free
300 emails/day · up to 100,000 contacts
Simple contact lists and permission-based announcements.
One seat; daily send cap can spread a launch over days. Starter begins at $9/month; upgrades depend on volume.
Check plan & pricingPrices checked September 25, 2026, USD before taxes. Free plans are not free payment processing. These are the three cheapest suitable entry subscriptions in our reviewed shortlist, tied at $0—not an exhaustive ranking of every vendor. Verify features, region, limits and upgrade costs.
What are the odds of customer data being stolen?
Hosted music checkout keeps most transaction records away from the public host. Lost fan-list access, account takeover and fraudulent download links remain possible. Old membership or music-store plugins substantially increase avoidable local exposure.
Ask your designer.
Is Bandcamp’s fee a security fee?
It is a platform revenue share, not an insurance policy. It pays for platform services; you still need to protect your account and any customer data you export.
Can I hide paid songs in a folder on my site?
Hiding a link does not provide access control. Use hosted delivery or an authenticated server, and keep public previews separate from paid files.
Can I email every purchaser about new releases?
Use a separate, appropriate marketing permission process. Purchase records and a newsletter subscription are different things.
Sources for this business
- Bandcamp: What are Bandcamp’s fees? ↗
- Bandcamp: How do I get paid on Bandcamp? ↗
- Kit: Kit pricing ↗
- MailerLite: MailerLite pricing ↗
- Brevo: About Brevo pricing plans ↗
Shared technical evidence and research limitations appear in the source library.