Getting your music onto Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, and the other major streaming platforms requires a digital distributor — a service that acts as the intermediary between independent artists and the streaming ecosystem. DistroKid and CD Baby are the two most widely used distributors for independent artists globally, and choosing between them is one of the first real business decisions an independent artist makes.
The choice affects how much of your royalties you keep, how quickly your music reaches platforms, what additional services you have access to, and the long-term economics of your music career. This comparison covers every meaningful difference between the two services so you can make an informed decision rather than guessing.
DistroKid wins on cost for frequent releasers and royalty percentage. At $22.99/year for unlimited releases and 100% royalties, it's the better long-term value for artists who release regularly. CD Baby wins for infrequent releasers who prefer paying per release rather than an annual subscription, and for artists who want integrated publishing administration without setting it up separately.
Pricing: The Most Important Difference
The pricing models of DistroKid and CD Baby are fundamentally different, and understanding this difference is essential to making the right choice for your release schedule.
DistroKid charges an annual subscription fee and allows unlimited releases within that subscription. The main plan — DistroKid Musician — costs $22.99 per year and allows one artist name with unlimited releases. DistroKid Musician Plus at $35.99/year adds a second artist name, YouTube Content ID, and detailed earnings reports. The Team plan at $79.99/year covers up to 5 artists — useful for bands, labels, or producers who release under multiple names. All plans include 100% royalty pass-through — DistroKid takes none of your streaming revenue.
CD Baby charges per release, with no annual subscription. Standard plan: $9.95 per single, $29.95 per album. CD Baby Pro (which includes publishing administration): $14.95 per single, $49.95 per album. These are one-time fees — once paid, your music stays on platforms indefinitely regardless of your ongoing relationship with CD Baby. CD Baby also takes a percentage of streaming royalties: 9% on Standard, 15% on Pro.
The math favours DistroKid for frequent releasers. An artist who releases 4 singles per year pays $22.99 with DistroKid versus $39.80 with CD Baby Standard — and DistroKid keeps 100% of royalties where CD Baby takes 9%. The royalty percentage difference compounds significantly as streaming income grows. An artist earning $500/month in streaming revenue gives CD Baby $45/month — $540/year — in addition to the per-release fees. DistroKid's annual subscription cost is recovered from the first $229 of royalties.
| Factor | DistroKid | CD Baby |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $22.99/year unlimited | No annual fee |
| Per Single | Included in subscription | $9.95 (Standard) / $14.95 (Pro) |
| Per Album | Included in subscription | $29.95 (Standard) / $49.95 (Pro) |
| Royalty Cut | 0% (100% to artist) | 9% Standard / 15% Pro |
| Publishing Admin | Add-on (extra cost) | Included in Pro plan |
| Music Stays if Cancelled | Requires "leave up" fee | Yes — one-time fee model |
| Physical Distribution | No | Yes (CD and vinyl) |
| Delivery Speed | 1-3 days (Spotify) | 3-7 days (Spotify) |
| Min. Payout | $2.00 | $25.00 |
| Spotify for Artists | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube Content ID | Plus plan+ | Included |
| Sync Licensing | No | Yes (pitching service) |
Royalties: Where the Real Money Difference Is
The royalty percentage difference between DistroKid (0%) and CD Baby (9% Standard, 15% Pro) is the most significant long-term financial factor for any artist generating meaningful streaming income. As streaming revenue grows, this percentage difference compounds into substantial sums.
Consider an artist earning $2,000/month in total streaming revenue — not unusual for artists with a few hundred thousand monthly Spotify listeners. With CD Baby Standard (9% cut), that's $180/month going to CD Baby — $2,160/year. With DistroKid, $0 goes to the distributor beyond the $22.99 annual fee. The difference: $2,137 per year in favour of DistroKid. At $5,000/month streaming revenue, the CD Baby Standard cut is $450/month ($5,400/year). The economics decisively favour DistroKid at any significant streaming income level.
For artists earning very little from streaming — under $100/month total — the royalty percentage difference is small in absolute terms. An artist earning $50/month gives CD Baby $4.50/month on Standard. At this income level, the decision factors (publishing administration, music longevity, physical distribution) matter more than the royalty percentage.
Publishing Administration: CD Baby's Biggest Advantage
The most significant functional advantage CD Baby has over DistroKid is integrated publishing administration. CD Baby Pro (the higher-priced tier) includes registration of your compositions with the appropriate PROs internationally, collection of mechanical royalties through the MLC, and performance royalty collection from over 40 countries.
Publishing royalties are separate from the master recording royalties that your distributor collects. When your song plays on Spotify, two royalty streams are generated: master royalties (collected by your distributor and paid to you) and publishing royalties (performance + mechanical, collected by your PRO and the MLC and paid to you as the songwriter). Many independent artists fail to collect publishing royalties because they haven't registered their compositions with the relevant organisations — and this can represent 30-50% of total streaming income going uncollected.
CD Baby Pro's publishing administration handles this registration automatically as part of the distribution process. DistroKid's basic plans do not include publishing administration — artists must register separately with their PRO (ASCAP or BMI, both free to join) and register their compositions with the MLC (themlc.com, also free). DistroKid has a publishing administration add-on service, but it costs extra and CD Baby Pro's integrated approach is more seamless for artists who are new to the publishing royalty system.
If you're an artist who hasn't registered with a PRO or the MLC, CD Baby Pro's integrated publishing administration may be worth the higher per-release cost to ensure you collect all royalties owed from day one of release.
Music Longevity: The Subscription Risk
If you cancel your DistroKid subscription without paying the "leave music up" fee ($4.95/album or $0.99/single), your music is removed from all streaming platforms. This is DistroKid's most significant practical disadvantage. Your streaming history, playlist placements, and listener connections are effectively deleted.
CD Baby's one-time fee model means your music stays on platforms indefinitely once you've paid the initial distribution fee. There's no ongoing subscription to maintain, no risk of music being removed due to a lapsed payment. For artists who release music with the intention of it remaining available for years or decades, CD Baby's permanence is a meaningful advantage.
DistroKid does offer the "leave music up" option — paying a per-title fee when you cancel to keep specific releases on platforms permanently. This gives DistroKid a similar permanence option to CD Baby, at an additional cost. For active artists who plan to maintain their DistroKid subscription indefinitely, this distinction is irrelevant. For artists whose activity may become irregular over time, the risk of losing streaming presence due to a lapsed subscription is a real consideration.
Distribution Speed
DistroKid is consistently the fastest major distributor. Spotify delivery typically takes 1-3 business days after submission; Apple Music 2-5 days; Amazon Music 2-5 days. Expedited delivery is available for a small additional fee and can reduce Spotify delivery to within 24 hours in some cases.
CD Baby's standard delivery timeline is 3-7 business days for Spotify and similar timelines for other platforms. This is still fast enough for planned releases with appropriate lead time — the 2-week advance submission recommendation holds for both distributors. For artists who need to get a track live urgently (responding to a trend, capitalising on a moment), DistroKid's speed advantage matters.
Both distributors recommend submitting music at least 2 weeks before a planned release date. For Spotify editorial playlist pitching, both provide access to the same Spotify for Artists tool, and the pitching process (which requires submission 7+ days before release) is identical regardless of which distributor you use.
Additional Services
CD Baby offers several services that DistroKid does not match. Physical distribution — CD manufacturing and distribution to retailers — is available through CD Baby's partnerships. For artists who want physical CDs and vinyl available through retail channels, CD Baby is the only major digital distributor that provides this service. This is increasingly niche as physical music sales continue declining, but it remains relevant for artists with dedicated fanbases who value physical media.
CD Baby has a sync licensing department that actively pitches client music to music supervisors for film, television, and advertising placement. Artists whose music lands sync placements can earn significantly more than streaming alone — a single TV placement can generate more income than months of streaming. CD Baby's sync service is not guaranteed to result in placements, but the active pitching is a service DistroKid does not provide.
DistroKid's additional services focus on the digital ecosystem. YouTube Content ID (included in Musician Plus and above) automatically claims ad revenue on YouTube videos that use your music. The Daily Streaming Report gives real-time streaming data rather than delayed monthly reports. The TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook integration allows your music to be used in creator content on those platforms with royalty collection. These are digital-native services with no physical distribution equivalent.
Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
DistroKid — $22.99/year
- Release more than 2-3 singles per year
- Are generating meaningful streaming income (royalty % matters)
- Want the fastest delivery to Spotify and other platforms
- Already have PRO and MLC registration set up independently
- Work primarily in digital and don't need physical distribution
- Want unlimited releases without thinking about per-release costs
- Prioritise a lower minimum payout threshold ($2 vs $25)
CD Baby — Per release
- Release infrequently (1-2 releases per year or less)
- Want publishing administration included without separate setup
- Want music to stay on platforms permanently without subscription risk
- Need physical CD or vinyl distribution
- Want sync licensing pitching services
- Generate minimal streaming income (royalty % difference is small)
- Prefer one-time payments over annual subscriptions
Other Distributors Worth Considering
TuneCore ($9.99/single per year, $29.99/album per year, 100% royalties) sits between the two models — annual fees per release rather than a flat subscription. For artists who release 1-2 projects per year and want 100% royalties without DistroKid's unlimited-release subscription, TuneCore is worth comparing. The per-release annual renewal is TuneCore's version of the subscription model, but artists retain 100% of royalties. TuneCore's publishing administration service is comprehensive and competes with CD Baby Pro.
UnitedMasters (free tier available, Select plan $49.99/year) has grown significantly since its founding and is well-regarded for its integration with sports and brand partnership opportunities. The free tier takes 10% of royalties; Select takes 0%. UnitedMasters has developed a reputation for helping artists land brand deals and sync placements through its partnership network — a genuine differentiator from pure-distribution services.
Amuse (free and Pro tiers) offers free distribution with a 0% royalty cut on its Pro plan ($59.99/year). Amuse has AI-powered analytics tools and has built a roster of artists it has signed to its label division. For artists interested in potentially being developed by a label, Amuse's data-driven A&R model is worth consideration alongside pure distribution services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use DistroKid or CD Baby?
Use DistroKid if you release music frequently and want the lowest long-term cost — the $22.99/year unlimited plan becomes more cost-effective the more you release. Use CD Baby if you release infrequently and prefer a one-time per-release fee, or if you want integrated publishing administration without separate setup.
Does DistroKid keep 100% of royalties?
Yes — DistroKid passes 100% of streaming royalties to artists on all plans. DistroKid makes money from annual subscription fees, not royalty percentages. CD Baby takes 9% on Standard and 15% on Pro. For artists generating significant streaming revenue, DistroKid's 0% cut is mathematically better.
How fast does DistroKid distribute music?
DistroKid is the fastest major distributor — music typically appears on Spotify within 1-3 days after submission. CD Baby takes 3-7 business days. Both recommend submitting at least 2 weeks before a planned release date for editorial playlist pitching purposes.
Does CD Baby collect publishing royalties?
CD Baby Pro includes publishing administration — CD Baby registers your songs with PROs and collects performance and mechanical royalties from over 40 countries. DistroKid's basic plans do not include publishing administration — artists must register separately with ASCAP or BMI and the MLC.
What happens to my music if I cancel DistroKid?
If you cancel without paying the "leave music up" fee ($4.95/album or $0.99/single), your music is removed from all platforms. CD Baby's one-time fee model means your music stays on platforms indefinitely regardless of your relationship with CD Baby.
Which distributor pays royalties faster?
Both pay royalties monthly. DistroKid has a $2.00 minimum payout; CD Baby requires $25.00 minimum. The lower minimum means smaller earners receive payouts sooner from DistroKid.
Can I use both DistroKid and CD Baby?
Yes, but not for the same releases — you cannot distribute the same song through two distributors simultaneously. You could use different distributors for different releases but most artists choose one primary distributor for consistency.
Which distributor is better for getting on playlists?
Both provide the same Spotify for Artists access and editorial playlist pitching — playlist opportunities are determined by Spotify, not the distributor. Submit through Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release for editorial consideration regardless of which distributor you use.