Best DistroKid Alternatives
Eight distributors and platforms worth a look if DistroKid no longer fits, from per-release pricing to label services, and how to move without losing your streams.
DistroKid made yearly, unlimited-upload distribution the default for independent artists. Its plans run from Musician ($24.99/year) to Ultimate ($89.99/year), and it adds HyperFollow pre-save pages, royalty splits between collaborators and Mixea mastering. For a lot of artists that is enough.
People start looking elsewhere for three reasons. Some release rarely and would rather pay per release than every year. Some want a team behind them: playlist pitching, promotion, label services or brand deals. And some want the work around the release handled too, because getting a song into stores is only the first job.
The list below covers all three. Before you pick, know this: your stream counts belong to your songs, not your distributor. Stores tie play history to each song's ISRC and each release's UPC, so moving with the same codes keeps every play.
Why People Look for DistroKid Alternatives
Paying every year to keep releases live, even in years with no new music
Wanting playlist pitching, promotion or label services alongside distribution
Needing artwork, video, social posts and a campaign around each release
Managing several artists and wanting one place for all of them
Wanting mixing and mastering in the same place as distribution
Worrying that switching will reset stream counts (it does not when the ISRC and UPC stay the same)
The Best Alternatives
Honest comparison of the top options worth considering
Different Approach
SongPilot
Distribution to all major global streaming platforms, download stores, social/video networks, and regional services worldwide, inside a full release studio: mixing from stems, AI mastering, artwork, music videos, campaigns, and posting to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Eight AI specialists do the work with you. Bring your DistroKid catalog with the same ISRC and UPC codes and every stream comes with it.
Pricing
From $10/month (Starter). Creator $39, Pro Label $99, Enterprise $299 per month.
Standout Feature
Moves your catalog with its codes intact, then mixes, masters, designs, films, distributes and promotes every release from one workspace. You keep 100% of your rights.
Direct Competitors
TuneCore
Long-running distributor with yearly plans or pay-per-release pricing, plus music publishing administration for songwriters.
Pricing
Yearly plans: Rising Artist $24.99, Breakout Artist $44.99, Professional $54.99. Pay-per-release options also available.
Standout Feature
Publishing administration alongside distribution
CD Baby
Pay once per release instead of every year. CD Baby keeps 9% of digital revenue in exchange for no annual fee.
Pricing
One-time fee per release: $9.99 a single, $14.99 an album. CD Baby keeps 9% of digital revenue.
Standout Feature
No yearly fee to keep a release in stores
Ditto Music
Yearly distribution plans with a long menu of add-ons: label services, promotion, playlist pitching, publishing, sync, Content ID and AI mastering.
Pricing
Yearly plans: Starter $19, Pro $59, Labels $109. Add-ons priced separately.
Standout Feature
Label services and promotion available as add-ons
Amuse
Distributor with three yearly artist plans. Amuse dropped its free plan in March 2024.
Pricing
Yearly plans: Artist $23.99, Artist Plus $39.99, Artist Pro $59.99.
Standout Feature
Simple three-tier yearly pricing
Similar Approach
UnitedMasters
Distribution where artists keep 100% of royalties, with brand partnership opportunities on its higher tiers. The free DEBUT tier has been retired; plans are now DEBUT+, SELECT and invite-only PARTNER.
Pricing
Paid plans: DEBUT+ and SELECT. PARTNER is by invitation.
Standout Feature
Brand partnership opportunities on SELECT and PARTNER
Symphonic
Distribution for independent artists and labels, with editorial pitching, marketing and sync on its application-based Partner tier.
Pricing
A self-serve plan, plus a Partner tier you apply for. See their pricing page.
Standout Feature
Editorial pitching and marketing for Partner artists
LANDR
The LANDR Studio subscription bundles distribution with AI mastering, a sample library of 3M+ sounds, 70+ plugins, stem separation and Sessions for collaboration.
Pricing
Monthly or yearly LANDR Studio subscription.
Standout Feature
Production tools and distribution in one subscription
How to Choose the Right Alternative
Release often? A yearly unlimited plan (DistroKid, TuneCore, Ditto, Amuse) is cheaper per song. Release rarely? CD Baby charges once per release.
Want a team pitching for you? Look at Symphonic Partner, UnitedMasters SELECT or Ditto add-ons, and check what each costs and who gets accepted.
Write songs for others? TuneCore offers publishing administration; check publishing options before you move.
Making beats and need sounds? LANDR bundles samples and plugins with distribution.
Want the release handled end to end, from the mix to the campaign? SongPilot is the only option here that mixes, masters, designs, films, distributes and posts in one place.
Whatever you pick, move with the same ISRC and UPC codes and keep the old copies live until the new ones are up. That is how streams carry over.
DistroKid alternatives: common questions
Will I lose my streams if I leave DistroKid?
No, as long as your releases go out again with the same ISRC and UPC codes. Stores attach play counts and playlist placements to those codes. Deliver the new copies while the DistroKid ones are still live, then take the old ones down once the new ones appear.
Which DistroKid alternative is cheapest?
It depends on how often you release. For one or two releases ever, CD Baby’s one-time fee can beat any yearly plan. For regular releases, yearly plans such as Ditto Starter ($19/year) or Amuse Artist ($23.99/year) cost less than paying per release.
Is there still free music distribution?
Free options have mostly disappeared. Amuse ended its free plan in March 2024 and UnitedMasters retired its free DEBUT tier. Expect to pay a yearly fee, a per-release fee or a subscription.
How is SongPilot different from these distributors?
The others focus on getting music into stores, sometimes with paid services on top. SongPilot distributes to every major platform worldwide and also mixes your stems, masters the track, generates the artwork and music video, and runs the campaign on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, with eight AI specialists doing the work alongside you.
Bottom Line
If all you need is unlimited uploads, DistroKid and its direct rivals (TuneCore, Ditto, Amuse) all do the job; choose on price and add-ons. CD Baby suits rare releases, Symphonic and UnitedMasters suit artists after a team or brand deals, and LANDR suits producers. If you want one place that takes a song from stems to a finished, promoted release, SongPilot is built for exactly that, and your DistroKid catalog comes with you, streams and all.
Still Deciding?
See SongPilot and DistroKid head to head, feature by feature, or browse every comparison.
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