To get your songs on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services, you need a distributor. DistroKid, TuneCore and CD Baby are the names most independent musicians consider, and each charges in a different way. This guide compares DistroKid vs TuneCore (plus CD Baby and a free option) on price, royalties and features, so you can pick the right one for how often you release. It’s part of my how to mix and master a song guide, and the next step after my walkthrough on how to release music on Spotify.
DistroKid vs TuneCore: which is better? DistroKid is usually cheaper for artists who release often: its Musician plan is $24.99 a year for unlimited uploads. TuneCore’s Rising Artist plan is also $24.99 a year, with higher tiers at $44.99 and $54.99. CD Baby charges $9.99 per single ($14.99 per album) once and takes a small share of royalties; it says you keep over 90%.
Prices last verified Oct 2026 from the distributors’ sites and third-party reviews. Distributors change plans often, so confirm before you sign up.
DistroKid vs TuneCore vs CD Baby at a glance
| DistroKid | TuneCore | CD Baby | RouteNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Annual subscription | Annual subscription (or pay per release) | One-time fee per release | Free, or paid per release |
| Entry price | Musician: $24.99/year | Rising Artist: $24.99/year | $9.99 per single | Free |
| Higher tiers | Musician Plus and Ultimate (more artists and features) | Breakout $44.99/year; Professional $54.99/year | Album pricing; Pro Publishing add-on | Premium: $10 single, $20 EP, $30 album, $45 extended, plus $9.99/year per release |
| Streaming royalties kept by distributor | 0% (you keep 100%) | 0% on subscription plans | Under 10% (CD Baby says you keep over 90%; commonly cited as 9%) | Free: 15%; Premium: 0% |
| If you stop paying | Check DistroKid’s current policy on what happens to your catalog | Check whether releases stay live on your plan | Releases stay up (one-time fee) | Premium renewal applies per release |
| Best for | Frequent releases | Artists wanting tiered tools | Occasional releases | Zero upfront cost |
Pricing and royalty terms checked on the official sites (Oct 2026): DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby.
DistroKid vs TuneCore: the details
DistroKid charges one yearly fee for unlimited song and album uploads for one artist on its Musician plan ($24.99/year). DistroKid’s site says you keep 100% of your earnings; asked how much of your sales it keeps, it answers “None.” It’s known for fast uploads and a simple interface, and it offers optional paid extras, such as YouTube Content ID and store maximizer features. Higher plans add more artist names and extra features.
TuneCore offers tiered annual plans: Rising Artist at $24.99/year, Breakout at $44.99/year and Professional at $54.99/year, according to third-party reviews of its current pricing. Higher tiers add more features and artist profiles. TuneCore also offers a pay-per-release option at around $24.99 per single per year. On subscription plans, TuneCore says you keep your streaming royalties.
The real difference: if you release one or two songs a year, prices are similar. If you release many songs, both subscription models are far cheaper per release than paying per single. Compare the specific features you need, like how many artists you can manage, whether you need Content ID, and how splits work, rather than just the headline price.
Distrokid vs cd baby
| DistroKid | CD Baby | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | Yearly subscription | One-time per release |
| Single | Included in $24.99/year | $9.99 |
| Royalty cut | 0% | Under 10% (commonly cited as 9%) |
| Ongoing fees | Yes, annual | No annual fee |
| Best for | Releasing several songs a year | Releasing once and leaving it live |
Choose CD Baby if you release rarely and want to pay once. A single costs $9.99, and it stays live without an annual renewal. The trade-off is that CD Baby takes a share of your royalties (CD Baby says you keep over 90%; reviews commonly cite 9%), so if a song earns well over time, that percentage can eventually cost more than a subscription.
Choose DistroKid if you release regularly. One subscription covers unlimited uploads, and you keep all your streaming royalties.
Cost examples: what you’d pay over three years
These neutral examples use the entry prices listed above and ignore optional add-ons. Real costs depend on your plan and on current prices.
| Scenario | DistroKid Musician | TuneCore Rising Artist | CD Baby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 single, kept live 3 years | $74.97 (3 × $24.99) | $74.97 (3 × $24.99) | $9.99 + CD Baby’s royalty share (under 10%) |
| 6 singles a year for 3 years (18 total) | $74.97 | $74.97 (if your plan covers that many releases) | $179.82 (18 × $9.99) + CD Baby’s royalty share (under 10%) |
Check each plan’s limits. Some entry tiers cap the number of artist profiles or include fewer features.
Best music distributor for your situation
- You release a lot (singles every month or two): DistroKid or a TuneCore subscription.
- You release once in a while: CD Baby, for its one-time fee.
- You have no budget: RouteNote’s free plan, which keeps 15% of royalties.
- You manage several artists or bands: compare DistroKid’s and TuneCore’s multi-artist tiers.
- You want publishing administration: look at each distributor’s publishing add-on, or a dedicated publishing administrator, so you also collect songwriting royalties.
- You’re releasing AI-assisted music: read each distributor’s AI policy, and see can you put Suno songs on Spotify.
Features worth comparing
- Splits: automatic royalty splits with collaborators.
- Pre-save links and smart links: for promoting releases.
- YouTube Content ID: earning from your music used in other videos. Be careful if you use samples or AI-generated parts; Content ID claims on music you don’t fully control can cause disputes.
- Cover song licensing: some distributors handle mechanical licenses for covers for an extra fee.
- Payout options and thresholds: how and when you can withdraw.
- Spotify for Artists access: all major distributors deliver to Spotify, after which you claim your profile.
- Customer support: response time matters if a release goes wrong.
Understanding the royalties you’ll actually collect
A distributor collects only one kind of income: the money streaming services and stores pay for the recording, often called master royalties. Songwriters can earn other money that a basic distribution plan doesn’t collect:
- Performance royalties for the song (the composition), collected by performing rights organizations such as ASCAP, BMI or SESAC in the US. You join one as a songwriter.
- Mechanical royalties for the composition, which in the US are collected by The MLC for streaming. Some distributors offer publishing administration that can help collect these.
- Digital performance royalties for the recording from non-interactive services like internet radio, collected in the US by SoundExchange.
- YouTube Content ID income, if you opt in through your distributor or another service.
So when you compare distributors, also check whether they offer publishing administration and what it costs. For many independent artists, a distributor plus PRO membership plus SoundExchange registration covers most income streams. Rules differ outside the US, so check the organizations in your country. Not legal or financial advice.
Red flags to watch for
- Promises of guaranteed playlist placements. No legitimate distributor can guarantee editorial playlists.
- Services that sell streams. Artificial streams violate Spotify’s rules and can get your music removed and your royalties withheld.
- Unclear takedown terms. Know what happens to your releases if you cancel or stop paying.
- Hidden per-release fees. Read the add-on list before checkout, since extras can add up.
Before you upload
- Finish your master. Check loudness and true peak with my LUFS for Spotify guide.
- Prepare artwork. Distributors usually require square cover art at a high resolution and reject artwork with web addresses or misleading logos.
- Gather metadata. Song titles, songwriter names, featured artists and genre.
- Confirm rights. You need the rights to everything in the recording, including samples, beats and AI-generated material under your tool’s terms.
- Pick a release date. Spotify recommends pitching to editors at least seven days before release, so schedule uploads well ahead. See how to release music on Spotify.
Choosing a distributor is a bit like choosing between instruments: the “best” one depends on how you play. Whether you’re comparing acoustic vs electric guitar for beginners, classical vs acoustic for a child or the best Martin guitars, match the choice to your needs. And just as some strings break more often than others, some pricing models wear on your budget faster, so do the math. If you build your own gear, the same care applies when choosing the best glue for guitar building.
Distribution terms aren’t legal advice, and contracts change. Read each distributor’s terms of service before signing up.
How to switch distributors without losing streams
- Upload the release to your new distributor first, using the exact same audio, title, artist name and ISRC codes.
- Wait until the new version is live on the streaming services.
- Then request a takedown from your old distributor.
- Check that play counts and playlist placements carried over. Matching ISRCs usually allows services to link the versions, but this isn’t guaranteed, so check each distributor’s guidance.
Doing it in this order minimizes the time your music is offline. Keep a spreadsheet of every release’s ISRC, UPC and release date; it makes switching, registering with PROs and claiming royalties much easier.
My recommendation
For most songwriters releasing a few songs a year or more, an annual subscription like DistroKid or TuneCore’s entry plan is the simplest, cheapest route, and you keep your streaming royalties. If you only plan one or two releases ever, CD Baby’s one-time fee is worth a look. Whatever you choose, register as a songwriter with a performing rights organization too, so you’re not leaving composition royalties uncollected.
Whichever distributor you pick, read its current pricing page on the day you sign up, screenshot the plan details, and set a calendar reminder a few weeks before your renewal date. That way a price change or lapsed payment never catches your catalog by surprise.
Frequently asked questions
Is DistroKid or TuneCore cheaper?
Their entry plans are both $24.99 a year as of Oct 2026. DistroKid’s Musician plan includes unlimited uploads for one artist; TuneCore’s higher tiers cost $44.99 and $54.99 a year. Compare the features you need.
Does DistroKid take a percentage of royalties?
No. DistroKid says you keep 100% of your streaming royalties. It charges an annual subscription and sells optional extras.
Is CD Baby better than DistroKid?
CD Baby can be cheaper if you release rarely, because it charges once per release ($9.99 per single). But it takes a share of royalties; CD Baby says you keep over 90%. DistroKid is usually cheaper if you release often.