A pre-save lets a listener commit to your release before it's live, concentrating activity on release day. Spotify and Apple Music use different terminology and mechanics for this.
2.25.1 What a pre-save does
On Spotify, a pre-save automatically adds the release to the listener's library on release day and counts as an immediate stream — Spotify's pitching documentation confirms this directly feeds the Release Radar algorithm for followers who pre-saved. The equivalent on Apple Music is a pre-add.
2.25.2 Pre-save does not generate royalties itself
Only actual streams after the release goes live generate royalty revenue. The value of a pre-save is in concentrating listener activity at the moment of release, which can influence algorithmic and editorial signals — not in the pre-save action itself.
2.25.3 Pre-save vs pre-order
A pre-order involves a payment commitment (common on iTunes); a pre-save is free and reflects listening intent rather than purchase intent. The audience psychology differs accordingly.
2.25.4 Setup timing
Madverse generates a pre-save link after a release is submitted and approved through quality review — another reason the recommended 3–4 week lead time (2.23) matters: the earlier you submit, the more runway you have for a pre-save campaign.
Source: MadDesk article 2.25 (2-25)