DistroKid vs TuneCore vs CD Baby: Which Is Right for You?

Choosing a music distributor is one of the most consequential infrastructure decisions you'll make as an independent artist. The distributor you choose determines where your music appears, how quickly it gets there, what percentage of your royalties you keep, and what tools you have access to for growing your career. A wrong choice is recoverable — you can switch distributors — but it involves administrative friction and can affect your streaming history.

This comparison covers the major independent distribution platforms in 2026: DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Amuse, UnitedMasters, and RouteNote. Each has a distinct model, distinct pricing, and distinct strategic fit. The right choice depends on your release frequency, your royalty volume, and which features actually matter to your career stage.

What Music Distribution Actually Does

Before comparing platforms, it's worth being clear about what distribution does and doesn't do. A distributor gets your music onto platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, and dozens of regional services. They handle the technical upload, metadata formatting, and ISRC code assignment. They collect royalties from all platforms and pass them to you (keeping a cut or charging a fee in exchange).

Distribution does not promote your music. It doesn't get you on editorial playlists, pitch you to blogs, or create discovery. It makes your music available — everything after that is up to you and the platforms' algorithmic systems.

A distributor also doesn't handle your publishing royalties. Mechanical royalties (generated when someone streams your music and you're also the songwriter) flow through a separate system — you need to register with a performing rights organization (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the US) or a publishing administrator (Songtrust, TuneCore Publishing, DistroKid Publishing) to collect them.

DistroKid: Best for Volume and Speed

DistroKid operates on a flat annual subscription model. Current 2026 pricing: $24.99/year for Musician (one artist, unlimited releases, 100% royalties); $39.99/year for Musician Plus (one artist, plus custom label name, pre-release scheduling, and sales trend reports); $54.99/year for Label (up to 5 artists); $89.99/year for Ultimate (up to 100 artists). All tiers keep 100% of streaming royalties.

Critical caveat: DistroKid is a subscription service — if you cancel or don't renew, your music is removed from all streaming platforms. This is a significant risk for catalog artists. If you have releases generating long-tail income, you must maintain your subscription or migrate to a platform like CD Baby before canceling.

Where DistroKid excels: Speed and volume. DistroKid typically delivers to Spotify within 2-7 days, among the fastest in the industry. For artists releasing frequently — multiple singles per month — the unlimited model is extremely cost-efficient. YouTube Content ID monetization is available as an add-on but charges an additional 20% commission on YouTube earnings, which is worth factoring in if YouTube is a meaningful revenue source for you.

Where DistroKid falls short: Customer support is email-based and can be slow. The subscription model creates risk for your catalog if you ever need to pause. YouTube Content ID costs extra (20% commission on top of standard fees).

Best for: Artists releasing frequently who want to minimize per-release costs and are committed to maintaining an active distribution relationship long-term.

TuneCore: Best for Comprehensive Reporting

TuneCore completed a significant model transition in 2025. They now operate primarily on annual subscriptions: approximately $14.99/year for their basic tier (unlimited singles) and $29.99–$49.99/year for plans that include albums and additional features. The legacy per-release model ($14.99/single recurring annually) has largely been phased out in favor of subscription tiers. Note: TuneCore discontinued distribution to social platforms including TikTok and Instagram in May 2025 — if social platform distribution is important to your strategy, verify their current store list before signing up. You keep 100% of royalties on all paid plans.

Where TuneCore excels: Analytics and reporting remain TuneCore's strongest differentiator — stream counts by geography, playlist appearances, store-by-store breakdowns, and trend analysis. For artists who use streaming data to make decisions about touring markets and promotional spend, this depth is genuinely valuable. YouTube Content ID monetization is included in most plans without extra commission.

Where TuneCore falls short: The 2025 social platform distribution changes reduced their store footprint. Verify their current platform list matches where your audience is. Some legacy users report pricing changes caught them off-guard during the subscription transition.

Best for: Artists who prioritize detailed analytics and are comfortable verifying current platform coverage before committing.

CD Baby: Best for Catalog and Sync Licensing

CD Baby uses a one-time fee model: $9.99 per single, $14.99 per album (standard), or $34.99 per album for CD Baby Boost (formerly CD Baby Pro), which includes publishing administration and sync licensing services. A 9% commission applies on standard plans; Boost reduces this to 15% on publishing income while adding sync placement services. No annual fees — pay once, distribute indefinitely.

Where CD Baby excels: Longevity. The no-annual-fee model means music released years ago keeps generating royalties with no ongoing cost — there's no subscription to cancel that would remove your catalog. CD Baby has an established sync licensing arm placing independent music in TV, film, and advertising. Physical distribution (CD and vinyl) is also available, making it the only major distributor still actively supporting physical product.

Where CD Baby falls short: The 9% commission compounds over a successful career. Setup can take 1-2 weeks versus DistroKid's 2-7 days. The Boost tier's per-album fee can add up for prolific artists.

Best for: Artists building a catalog for the long term who want distribution that doesn't expire. Artists interested in sync licensing or physical distribution.

Amuse: Paid-Only Tiers Since 2024

Amuse discontinued its free distribution tier in March 2024. As of 2026, Amuse operates on paid subscription plans: approximately $23.99/year (basic), $39.99/year (standard), and $59.99+/year (professional tier). All paid plans keep 100% of royalties. Any older content describing Amuse as offering free distribution is outdated — there is no free tier.

Where Amuse excels: Their artist development model remains distinctive. Amuse scouts its catalog for emerging artists showing streaming momentum and may offer direct development deals or label partnerships. For artists who want distribution plus potential scouting visibility, this is a meaningful differentiator.

Where Amuse falls short: Fewer distribution destinations than DistroKid or TuneCore. Less name recognition means potentially less support infrastructure. Not the most cost-competitive option now that the free tier is gone.

Best for: Artists at an early-to-mid career stage who are interested in being discovered for development opportunities through their distribution platform.

UnitedMasters: Best for Hip-Hop and Brand Deals

UnitedMasters offers a free DEBUT tier and three paid tiers. Important: the free DEBUT tier takes 10% of your streaming royalties — this is a meaningful ongoing cost that compounds as your streams grow. Paid plans (Select tier at approximately $4.99/month or $59.99/year, plus two higher tiers) keep 100% of royalties and unlock additional features including advanced analytics and priority support. Brand partnership access is available across tiers but scales with your plan level.

Where UnitedMasters excels: Brand deals are the clearest differentiator. UnitedMasters has established commercial relationships with major brands that license hip-hop and R&B music for campaigns. For artists in these genres who want their music placed in brand contexts, this is a real and unique value proposition. The brand licensing infrastructure exists across tiers, though select-tier artists tend to get more visibility.

Where UnitedMasters falls short: The free tier's 10% royalty cut is easy to overlook but meaningful long-term. Less suited to genres outside hip-hop, R&B, and adjacent urban music. Analytics are less granular than TuneCore.

Best for: Hip-hop and R&B artists who want brand licensing opportunities. Artists willing to pay for Select to access full royalties and enhanced brand visibility.

RouteNote: The Genuine Free Alternative

RouteNote offers a legitimately free distribution tier with 0 upfront cost and distribution to 50+ platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok. The trade-off: RouteNote keeps 15% of royalties on the free plan. A premium plan at $9.99/year (or per-release pricing) removes the commission and keeps 100%. RouteNote doesn't get as much mainstream coverage as the other platforms here, but for artists who genuinely need $0 upfront and have no immediate income to protect, it's a practical starting point.

Best for: Artists at the very beginning of their career who need free distribution and understand the royalty split trade-off.

The Decision Framework

Work through these questions to identify your best fit:

• Release frequency: If you release more than 3-4 projects per year, DistroKid's unlimited model wins on price. If you release once or twice per year, CD Baby's one-time fee may be more cost-effective.
• Catalog permanence: If you plan to keep music live indefinitely regardless of career activity, CD Baby's no-subscription model eliminates the risk of a lapsed payment removing your catalog. DistroKid's subscription model requires active renewal to keep music live.
• Analytics needs: If you actively use streaming data to drive decisions, TuneCore's reporting depth has real value. Verify their current platform coverage before committing.
• Sync potential: If you're producing music that could work in film, TV, or advertising, CD Baby Boost's sync infrastructure is worth the per-album premium.
• YouTube revenue: If YouTube is a significant income stream, note that DistroKid charges an extra 20% commission for Content ID while TuneCore typically includes it. Run the math on your actual YouTube earnings before deciding.
• Brand deals: If you're in hip-hop or R&B and want commercial licensing opportunities, UnitedMasters's Select tier is worth the subscription cost — but pay for it rather than using the free tier with its 10% royalty cut.
• Zero upfront cost: If you truly need free distribution, RouteNote's free tier with 15% commission is the most credible current option. Understand the trade-off clearly.

One final consideration: confirm your distributor has a Spotify for Artists integration that lets you submit releases for playlist consideration. This is standard across all platforms listed here.

Before any of this matters, you need a name to distribute music under. If you're still deciding on your artist identity, our rapper name generator and song title generator can help you develop the brand you'll be building before your first release goes live.