Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about STANDARD.

General

What is STANDARD?

STANDARD is an ethical music review platform that connects artists with qualified reviewers. Artists submit their music and receive honest, detailed feedback from professionals who have signed our ethics pledge.

How is STANDARD different from other review platforms?

Several key differences:

More to creators - Creators keep more of their earnings than on any other platform
Ethics-first - Every reviewer signs our ethics pledge (no pay-for-praise)
Progress tracking - Artists can track their scores over time
Two-way feedback - Artists can rate reviewers

Is STANDARD free to use?

For artists:

Free tier submissions are always available
New accounts get 30 days free trial
Paid tiers ($25-$150) get priority and more detailed feedback

For reviewers:

Creating an account and reviewing is free
You earn money from paid submissions

For Artists

How do I submit a song?

Browse reviewers on the home page
Click a reviewer to visit their room
Click "Submit Song"
Enter your song details and choose a tier
Submit and wait for your review

What review tiers are available?

Free	$0 - Basic feedback, lowest priority
Standard	$25 - Detailed feedback, normal priority
Indie	$75 - Comprehensive scoring, high priority
Pro	$150 - Full breakdown, highest priority

How long does a review take?

It depends on:

Your review tier (higher tiers get priority)
The reviewer's queue length
Whether the reviewer is currently live

Typically, reviews are completed within the same session if the reviewer is live. If not, it may take until their next session.

Can I submit the same song to multiple reviewers?

Yes! Different reviewers bring different perspectives. Just be aware you'll pay separately for each submission.

What if I'm unhappy with my review?

First, remember that honest feedback isn't always what we want to hear. If you believe the review was unfair or violated our ethics policy, you can:

Rate the reviewer with your feedback
Report the review using our feedback form

We investigate all reports and take ethics violations seriously.

How do I track my progress?

Your artist dashboard shows:

All your submissions and their status
Scores over time (if you have multiple reviews)
Badges earned
Version-linked songs showing improvement

For Reviewers

How do I become a reviewer?

Visit the reviewer application page
Fill out the application with your background
Agree to our ethics policy
Wait for approval (typically 24-48 hours)

What qualifications do I need?

We look for:

Music industry experience (production, songwriting, A&R, etc.)
Active online presence
Strong communication skills
Commitment to ethical reviewing

How much can I earn?

It depends on your volume and tier mix. Creators keep more of their earnings on STANDARD than on any other platform:

10 Standard reviews/week = $1,000/month
Mix of tiers can increase this significantly

Does STANDARD take a cut?

Creators keep more of their earnings on STANDARD than on any other platform. We monetize through optional platform features, not by taxing creator income.

How do I get more submissions?

Be consistent with your live schedule
Promote your sessions on social media
Provide quality feedback (higher ratings = more visibility)
Specialize in a genre to become the go-to reviewer

Payments

How do payments work?

For artists:

Pay at time of submission
We accept credit cards via Stripe

For reviewers:

Earnings accumulate in your account
Withdraw via Stripe Connect
Direct payout requests available from your dashboard

What's your refund policy?

Refunds are issued if:

A reviewer doesn't complete your review
Technical issues prevented the review
The review violated our ethics policy

We don't refund because you didn't like the scores you received - that defeats the purpose of honest feedback.

Buying Services

How do I buy a service on the marketplace?

Browse available services, select one, and complete payment via Stripe. Your payment is held in escrow until the provider delivers and you approve the work.

What if the provider doesn't deliver?

If the provider hasn't delivered by the time the hold period is expiring, you can flag the order as "Not Delivered" to pause the auto-release timer. If the issue isn't resolved, you can open a dispute.

Can I request changes to a delivery?

Yes. Each order allows up to 3 revision requests. Include clear notes about what needs to change. The escrow timer pauses during revisions to give the provider time.

What happens when the hold period expires?

If you haven't approved or disputed the delivery, funds are automatically released to the provider. Review deliveries promptly to ensure you have time to request revisions if needed.

Selling Services

How do I start selling services?

You need to be an approved reviewer with an active Stripe Connect account. Once set up, you can create service listings from your dashboard. See the Provider Guide for details.

How do I get paid?

When a buyer approves your delivery (or the escrow hold expires), funds transfer to your Stripe Connect account. Stripe then deposits to your bank on your payout schedule.

What's the new provider reserve?

During your first 90 days or first 10 completed orders, 10% of your marketplace earnings are held in reserve. This protects against chargebacks while you build your track record. After the reserve period, you receive 100% of your earnings.

Coordinators

What is a coordinator?

A coordinator connects buyers with the right providers and earns a fee for facilitating the transaction. See the Coordinator Guide for full details.

How much can coordinators earn?

Coordination fees are negotiated per order and capped at 20% of the service price. The default is 5%.

Can I be both a provider and coordinator?

You can be a provider on some orders and a coordinator on others, but you cannot coordinate an order where you're also the provider.

Technical

What audio formats are supported?

For direct uploads: MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A (max 50MB)

For links: Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, YouTube

Why can't I see the waveform for my song?

Waveforms require direct audio access. Songs submitted via Spotify/Apple Music links show a placeholder visualization.

Is my music secure?

Yes. Uploaded files are stored securely on AWS S3. We never share your music without permission.

Account

Can I change my email or display name?

Yes, from your account settings. Note that changing your display name may affect how artists recognize you.

How do I delete my account?

Contact support@iowire.com. We'll process deletion within 7 days, keeping only anonymized transaction records as required by law.

I forgot my password

Use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page. You'll receive a reset link via email.

Disputes & Refunds

How do I open a dispute?

Go to your order page and click "Open Dispute." Select a reason, describe the issue in at least 20 characters, and submit. The provider will be notified immediately. You have 48 hours to try resolving it directly before an admin steps in.

What happens if the provider doesn't respond?

If Stage 1 (direct negotiation) expires after 48 hours without resolution, the dispute is automatically escalated to admin mediation. If the entire dispute goes 7 days without resolution, you automatically receive a full refund.

Can I appeal a dispute decision?

Yes. After an admin resolves your dispute, you have 48 hours to file an appeal. A different admin will review the case to ensure impartiality. Appeal decisions are final.

How long does a refund take?

Once a refund is issued, it takes 5–10 business days to appear on your statement. The dispute process itself has a maximum timeline of 7 days, plus a 48-hour appeal window.

Should I file a chargeback with my bank?

We recommend using STANDARD's dispute process first. It's much faster (days vs. months) and designed to be fair. Filing a bank chargeback freezes all funds and can result in account restrictions.

Still Have Questions?

Email: support@iowire.com
Use the feedback form