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Roundup

Best Music Distribution for Independent Artists

Every distributor on this page gets your music onto Spotify and Apple Music. The difference is what happens after that, and what it costs you.

The short version

  • Flat-fee distributors charge a yearly subscription and let you keep 100%. DistroKid starts at $24.99 a year. TuneCore starts at $24.99 a year. Ditto starts at $19 a year. Amuse starts at $23.99 a year. LANDR starts at $23.99 a year.
  • Per-release distributors charge once and take a cut. CD Baby charges $9.99 per single and $14.99 per album, plus 9%.
  • Free distributors take a commission forever. RouteNote keeps 15%. ONErpm keeps 15%, and 30% on YouTube.
  • Commission distributors take a share instead of a fee. AWAL takes 15%. Stem takes 5 to 10%. Symphonic Partner takes 15%. The Orchard takes 15 to 20%.
  • The catch is always on the way out. Cancel Amuse and a 25% commission applies. Cancel LANDR and a 15% commission applies.
  • Nice Set distributes to 250+ platforms. Your cost: 10% of master revenue. No setup fee.

The two questions that decide it

How do you want to pay. A flat yearly fee is cheapest once you earn. A commission costs nothing upfront and takes a share of everything forever. A per-release fee sits in between.

What do you want after delivery. Most distributors stop at delivery. Nice Set turns your streaming data into ranked venue picks, and you pitch the venue from the site, find local artists to collab with, and find musicians for your band.

The full list

  • TuneCore: annual subscription from $24.99 a year, keep 100% of streaming, sync yes. Full comparison.
  • DistroKid: annual subscription from $24.99 a year, keep 100%, no sync. Full comparison.
  • CD Baby: $9.99 per single, $14.99 per album, 9% commission, sync via CDB Boost add-on. Full comparison.
  • AWAL: application-only, no upfront fee, 15% commission, sync yes. Full comparison.
  • UnitedMasters: DEBUT+ $19.99 a year, SELECT $59.99 a year, keep 100%, sync on Select. Full comparison.
  • Ditto: annual subscription from $19 a year, keep 100% of streaming, 15% on publishing and sync at Pro and Labels. Full comparison.
  • Amuse: annual subscription from $23.99 a year, keep 100% while subscribed, 25% commission if you cancel. Full comparison.
  • LANDR: annual subscription from $23.99 a year, keep 100% while subscribed, 15% commission if you cancel. Full comparison.
  • Vydia: end-to-end distributor and white-label service, pricing set per deal. Full comparison.
  • Stem: application-based, no upfront fee, 5 to 10% commission. Full comparison.
  • RouteNote: free, keeps 15%, or Premium per release for 100%. Full comparison.
  • Symphonic: Starter $29.99 a year, Partner by application at an 85/15 split. Full comparison.
  • Believe: artist and label services by application, terms negotiated. Full comparison.
  • ONErpm: free, 15% commission, 30% on YouTube. Full comparison.
  • The Orchard: invite-only, Sony-owned, commission typically 15 to 20%. Full comparison.
  • Major labels: Universal, Sony, Warner. Full machine, ownership and control. Full comparison.
  • Nice Set: distribution to 250+ platforms, sync, promotion, and patent-pending venue recommendations from your streaming data. Your cost: 10% of master revenue.

Questions artists ask

What is the best music distributor for independent artists?

It depends on how you want to pay and what you want after delivery. Flat-fee distributors are cheapest once you earn. Commission distributors cost nothing upfront. Nice Set is the only distributor that turns your streaming data into ranked venue picks, with tools to pitch the venue, find local artists to collab with, and musicians for your band.

What is the cheapest music distributor?

Ditto Starter at $19 a year is the cheapest annual subscription. RouteNote Free and ONErpm cost nothing upfront but keep 15% of your royalties.

Do I keep my masters with Nice Set?

Yes. You own your master. Nice Set controls the master only to the extent needed to distribute it under your agreement.

How much does Nice Set take?

Nice Set takes 10% of master revenue, and distribution is available on every plan, including Free. There is no setup fee.

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