A beat lease (non-exclusive license) lets an artist use an instrumental under specific terms — typically limited streams, downloads, or distribution channels. The producer retains ownership and can lease the same beat to other artists.
An exclusive purchase transfers full ownership to the buyer. Once sold exclusively, the producer can no longer sell or license that beat. Exclusive rights cost significantly more — often 10-50x the lease price.
Lease tiers (Basic, Premium, Unlimited) offer increasing usage rights at increasing prices. Artists who are testing a song often start with a lease and upgrade to exclusive if the track gains traction.