DistroKid, TuneCore and CD Baby are three of the most widely used music distributors among independent artists, and they come up in almost every “which distributor should I use” conversation. They all do the core job — getting your music onto Spotify, Apple Music and the other major platforms and collecting your recording royalties — but they’re built around different pricing philosophies, and that’s where the real decision lives.

This guide compares them on structure and features, not on specific prices, because plans and rates change and a financial-YMYL site shouldn’t quote figures it can’t keep current. For live pricing and a side-by-side cost comparison based on your own release plans, use the Distributor Comparison Calculator. If you’re still deciding what to prioritize, start with How to Choose a Music Distributor.

The three pricing philosophies

The cleanest way to tell these services apart is by how they charge:

  • DistroKid is built around an annual flat-fee subscription. You pay on a recurring basis and can upload unlimited releases, keeping your streaming royalties. This structure tends to reward artists who release frequently or maintain a growing catalog.
  • TuneCore has historically used a per-release fee model, where you pay to put out each single or album (often on an annual basis per release). It’s a different rhythm of cost that scales with how much you release.
  • CD Baby is known for a one-time upload fee per release rather than a recurring annual charge for that release, which appeals to artists who want to pay once and leave a release live without renewing.

These are pricing philosophies, and each company periodically adjusts its exact plans, tiers and add-ons. The model is the durable part; the dollar amounts are not. That’s exactly why the Distributor Comparison Calculator exists — to hold the current numbers so you can compare apples to apples. The broader logic of these models is covered in Flat-Fee vs. Commission Music Distributors.

How the models suit different artists

Because the structures differ, the “best” choice depends heavily on your release habits:

  • Release a lot? A flat-fee subscription model (DistroKid’s approach) can be efficient because additional releases don’t each trigger a new fee.
  • Release occasionally? A per-release or one-time-fee model (TuneCore’s or CD Baby’s approach) means you only pay when you actually put music out.
  • Want a release to stay live long-term without renewing? A one-time-fee structure (CD Baby’s approach) avoids ongoing annual charges for that release — though always confirm current terms, since policies evolve.
  • Building a deep catalog over years? Model the cost over several years, not one release. A structure that’s cheap for a single drop can look very different across a full catalog.

The point isn’t that one is “cheapest” — it’s that the cheapest option is the one that matches your volume. Plug your real numbers into the calculator to see which structure wins for you.

Beyond price: features to weigh

Pricing model aside, these services differ in what they bundle:

  • Splits and collaborator payments. If you share income with co-writers or producers, check how each handles paying them. Get your underlying splits right first — see Split Sheets: Why Every Session Needs One.
  • Publishing administration. Some offer publishing admin as an add-on to collect royalties that basic distribution doesn’t. Understand what that covers before paying for it.
  • YouTube Content ID and UGC. Whether and how your music is monetized across user-generated content; see Getting Paid for Social and UGC Use of Your Music.
  • Cover song licensing. If you release covers, check whether the service helps you clear the mechanical license — covered in How to Distribute Cover Songs Legally.
  • Analytics, playlist pitching and release tools. Reporting depth and whether they support pre-saves and editorial pitching.

What stays the same across all three

Whichever you pick, a few principles hold:

  • You should keep ownership of your masters. None of these is a record deal; you’re paying for delivery, not selling your rights. Confirm this in each service’s terms.
  • They handle recording royalties, not your full publishing income. You’ll still need to cover mechanical and performance royalties on your compositions separately.
  • You can switch later. None of these locks you in forever, though moving a release while preserving its streaming history takes planning — see How to Switch Music Distributors.

Distribution is also just one of several income streams for musicians; the right distributor maximizes the streaming slice without complicating the rest.

Making the call

A sensible process looks like this:

  1. Estimate your release frequency for the next year or two — be honest, not aspirational.
  2. Match it to a pricing model: frequent releases lean flat-fee; occasional releases lean per-release or one-time.
  3. Check the features you actually need: splits payment, publishing admin, Content ID, cover licensing.
  4. Run the Distributor Comparison Calculator with current prices and your numbers to confirm the cost.
  5. Read the fine print on ownership, payout thresholds and what happens if you leave.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheapest — DistroKid, TuneCore or CD Baby? There’s no single answer, because they charge on different models (annual subscription vs. per-release vs. one-time fee). The cheapest for you depends on how often you release. Use the Distributor Comparison Calculator with current prices and your own release count.

Do any of them take a cut of my streaming royalties? Their core models center on fees rather than commission, but exact terms and add-ons vary and change over time. Always confirm the current royalty share on each service’s own site before signing up.

Do I keep my masters with all three? With reputable distributors you retain ownership of your recordings — you’re paying for delivery, not transferring rights. Verify this explicitly in each one’s terms.

Can I move my catalog from one to another later? Yes, though you’ll want to plan it so your release stays live and ideally keeps its streaming history. See How to Switch Music Distributors.

Which one is best for releasing cover songs? Look at whether each helps you obtain the mechanical license a cover requires. The licensing basics are in How to Distribute Cover Songs Legally.

Estimates are for informational purposes only and are not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Prices and plans change — for a current side-by-side comparison, try the Distributor Comparison Calculator.