Distribution
DistroKid vs TuneCore
At the entry level both list $24.99 a year; at the top tier DistroKid Ultimate is $89.99 and TuneCore Professional $54.99. Pick any two plans below to see the cost over the years, from each company’s own pricing page.
Key takeaways
Same price at two tiers
Musician and Rising Artist both list $24.99 a year; Musician Plus and Breakout Artist both list $44.99.
Features are what differ
Each plan lists different features and limits, so a matching price is not a matching plan.
AI policies differ
DistroKid accepts music made with AI tools under rules; TuneCore only licensed-data models.
Plan by plan
| Tier | DistroKid | TuneCore |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Musician: $24.99/yr | Rising Artist: $24.99/yr |
| Middle | Musician Plus: $44.99/yr | Breakout Artist: $44.99/yr |
| Top | Ultimate: $89.99/yr | Professional: $54.99/yr |
The facts, side by side
| Distributor | Prices as listed | Model | Commission | Accepts AI music? | Sources, checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DistroKid | Musician $24.99/yr Musician Plus $44.99/yr Ultimate $89.99/yr | Yearly plan, unlimited uploads | None. DistroKid’s page says all plans “keep 100% of earnings”. | Accepted with rulesDistroKid says it accepts music created with AI tools, but you must own 100% of the rights (including to any AI tools, samples or lyrics used), it cannot mimic someone else’s voice, likeness or identity without permission, it cannot be mass-generated spam, and it cannot infringe anyone’s rights. | Pricing page, AI policychecked October 20, 2026 |
| TuneCore | Rising Artist $24.99/yr Breakout Artist $44.99/yr Professional $54.99/yr pay-per-release: single $24.99/yr, album $44.99/yr then $56.49 | Yearly plan, unlimited releases; or pay per release, charged yearly | None stated on the pricing page. | Licensed-data AI models onlyTuneCore says it only distributes music created using GenAI models trained on fully licensed datasets, and that this applies if GenAI is used at any point in making a track. | Pricing page, AI policychecked October 20, 2026 |
| CD Baby | $9.99 per single $14.99 per album | One-time fee per release, no annual fees | 9% of download and streaming revenue (you get 91%). Other income carries other rates: 15% of MLC revenue, 30% of social video monetization, 40% of sync placements. | Not acceptedCD Baby says it cannot accept any AI-generated content, even if commercially licensed, and not if only part of a recording is AI. It says it will remove such content if found. | Pricing page, AI policychecked October 20, 2026 |
Questions people ask
Is DistroKid or TuneCore cheaper?
It depends on the plan and how you release. At the entry level both list $24.99 a year, and at the top DistroKid Ultimate lists $89.99 against TuneCore Professional at $54.99. Plans differ in features, so use the calculator for your own numbers.
Which has the better plan?
We do not rank companies. Compare the features each plan lists and the cost for your own release pattern.
DistroKid or CD Baby?
CD Baby charges per release instead of per year: $9.99 a single or $14.99 an album, plus 9% of digital distribution revenue. Pick it in the calculator to compare with any yearly plan.
Do they take a percentage of my earnings?
DistroKid’s page says all plans “keep 100% of earnings”. TuneCore’s pricing page lists no per-sale commission but does not say either way. CD Baby keeps 9% of digital distribution revenue.
Can I distribute AI-generated music with either?
DistroKid accepts music made with AI tools under rules. TuneCore only distributes music made with GenAI models trained on fully licensed datasets. Read each company’s page before you upload.