Here's our honest comparison of the leading distribution services worldwide: what each one costs, how much of your royalties you keep, and who each platform is best for.
01
★ Editor's Pick P Tune Studio
100% FREE, no upfront costCommission-based, you keep the rest100% rights retained100+ DSPs
P Tune Studio is a global music distribution company delivering music to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, TikTok, Deezer and 100+ platforms worldwide. Releases are typically live within 24 to 48 hours of approval. There are no subscription plans and no per-release fees: distribution is completely free, and P Tune Studio only earns a small commission when you earn.
Beyond basic delivery, artists get free Vevo distribution, YouTube Content ID protection, publishing administration and rights management included. Most distributors charge extra for these services. Artists keep 100% ownership of their masters and rights, always.
With genuinely local support for Bangladeshi and South Asian artists alongside its worldwide reach, P Tune Studio is the strongest pick in 2026 for independent artists and labels who want everything a paid distributor offers without paying anything upfront.
02
DistroKid
$22.99/yearKeep 100% of royaltiesUnlimited uploads
DistroKid remains one of the most popular subscription distributors in the world. One yearly fee covers unlimited songs and albums to all major stores, and you keep 100% of your royalties. The catch: extras like YouTube Content ID and keeping your music online after you stop paying (Legacy) cost additional fees, so the real annual cost is often higher than the headline price.
03
CD Baby
$9.99/single · $49/albumTakes 15% of royalties150+ stores
CD Baby charges a one-time fee per release with no annual renewals, and your music stays up for life. In exchange, it keeps 15% of your royalties on every stream and download. It reaches 150+ stores and includes useful audience demographic data, making it a fit for artists who release rarely and dislike subscriptions.
04
TuneCore
From $19.99/singleKeep 100% of royalties150+ stores
One of the longest-running distributors, TuneCore delivers to over 150 stores with plans starting from $19.99 per single or $34.99 per album, and artists keep 100% of their sales and streaming revenue. Renewal fees on some plans mean costs grow as your catalogue does, so heavy releasers should do the maths first.
05
Ditto Music
From ~$25/yearKeep 100% of royalties200+ stores
Ditto offers unlimited releases from around $25 per year across 200+ stores, with Artist, Professional and Label tiers for every career stage. You keep 100% of rights and royalties, and get 24/7 support with daily analytics. Vevo and Content ID access are more limited than with dedicated video-distribution partners.
06
AWAL
Free to joinTakes 15%+ of royaltiesCurated, application required
AWAL is a selective, label-style distributor covering 200+ territories. Joining costs nothing, but AWAL takes a minimum 15% of your streaming and download profits, and it does not accept everyone. The application-only roster means more hands-on service for accepted artists, but it's not an option for most emerging acts.
07
UnitedMasters
Free tier: takes 10%Paid: $59.99/year keeps 100%30+ stores
UnitedMasters offers free distribution to 30+ platforms with a 10% royalty cut, or a $59.99/year plan where you keep 100%. Its real-time analytics dashboard and brand-partnership opportunities with major companies have made it especially popular with hip-hop artists in the US market.
08
Amuse
From $19.99/yearKeep 100% of royaltiesMobile-first app
Amuse is a mobile-first distributor with paid plans from $19.99 per year, among the cheapest subscriptions in the industry. Upload tracks, artwork and release info from your phone in minutes, track detailed audience insights, and withdraw royalties directly. Boost and Pro tiers add faster delivery, royalty advances and priority support.
09
Level
Keep 100% of royaltiesMajor platforms coveredEssentials only
Level is one of the newer names on the scene, delivering to Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, TIDAL, Pandora, Deezer and Napster while letting you keep 100% of your rights and royalties. A straightforward choice if you only need the basics, though it is light on extras like video distribution and rights protection.
10
Record Union
Singles from $14Takes 15% of royaltiesPer-store annual pricing
Record Union lets you open a free account, then charges per release across three packages depending on how many stores you want, with singles from $14. Pricing is annual per store or platform, and Record Union also takes 15% of artist royalties. Those costs add up quickly for larger catalogues.
