As an independent musician in 2025, you need more than just store access. Real income comes from platforms that balance fair payouts, transparent reporting, and control over your catalog. DistroKid and TuneCore both dominate indie distribution—but which helps you keep more royalties and minimize headaches? Here’s a clear breakdown of how each stacks up.
What Actually Matters When Comparing Music Distributors
Before comparing DistroKid vs TuneCore, clarify your goals:
- How much of your money do you keep?
- How often do payouts happen?
- How detailed is reporting?
- Do you need publishing admin or sync opportunities?
- How reliable is support?
DistroKid: Fast, Simple, and Subscription-Based
Business Model
DistroKid charges a flat yearly fee (starting at ~$25/year as of Aug 2025) for unlimited uploads. Ideal for frequent releasers—singles, EPs, remixes.
Full disclosure: I distribute through DistroKid. Here’s a 7% off link if you’re considering signup—they really saved me after a distribution headache with Dance of the Ancients.
Royalty Collection
- Payouts: 100% of royalties after store cuts; monthly withdrawals after a small threshold.
- Reporting: Breakdown by store, country, and song via the dashboard.
- Splits: Built-in automatic splits for collaborators.
Extras
- HyperFollow links, lyric sync, basic mastering.
- Publishing admin not included (requires third-party).
Best For
- Artists releasing a lot of tracks annually
- DIY musicians who want speed, automation, and flat pricing
TuneCore: Subscription Plans and Detailed Reporting
Business Model
In 2022 TuneCore switched from per-release fees to annual subscription tiers. As of Aug 2025:
- New Artist (free): Limited to social platforms
- Rising Artist (~$22.99/year): Unlimited releases, basic features
- Breakout Artist (~$34.99/year): Daily sales trends, custom label name, store automations
- Professional (~$49.99/year): Advanced analytics, multiple artist profiles, team access
Royalty Collection
- Payouts: 100% of revenue after store cuts; weekly withdrawals above the minimum.
- Reporting: Industry-leading detail—exportable reports, daily analytics at higher tiers.
- Publishing: Optional publishing admin service (extra fee) for global mechanicals and sync royalties.
Extras
- Sync licensing opportunities
- YouTube/social monetization
- Limited physical distribution (vinyl/CD) via add-ons
Best For
- Artists who want deep reporting
- Songwriters who need publishing admin and sync options
- Teams managing multiple collaborators
DistroKid vs TuneCore: Royalty Collection Head-to-Head
| Feature | DistroKid | TuneCore |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty Rate | 100% after store cuts | 100% after store cuts |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly | Weekly |
| Splits | Automated, built-in | Built-in, manual approval required |
| Publishing Admin | Not included | Optional add-on (extra fee) |
| Transparency | Solid, but slower for detail | Very detailed, daily at higher tiers |
| YouTube Monetization | Optional, extra fee | Included in most plans |
| Sync Licensing | No | Yes (extra service) |
Support and Growth Tools
- DistroKid: Efficient but limited; mostly FAQs and ticket forms.
- TuneCore: Email support plus escalations for publishing/sync clients.
For growth:
- DistroKid shines in automation (splits, HyperFollow, fast uploads).
- TuneCore wins for extra revenue streams (sync, publishing, monetization).
Which is the Best Music Distributor for Royalties?
- Choose DistroKid if you release frequently, want predictable costs, and focus on streaming royalties.
- Choose TuneCore if you need robust reporting, publishing admin, sync, and extra monetization streams—even at a slightly higher annual cost.
Action Steps to Maximize Music Revenue
- Match your release schedule to your distributor: High output favors DistroKid; structured album cycles fit TuneCore tiers.
- Always register with a PRO: Neither collects your performance royalties.
- Consider publishing royalties: TuneCore’s add-on helps, but you could pair DistroKid with Songtrust or similar.
- Hybrid approach: Some artists use DistroKid for singles and TuneCore for major projects.
Whichever you choose, treat distribution as a business decision. Review reports regularly, compare dashboards, and ensure you’re capturing royalties from every source. If you end up using DistroKid, you can leverage ChartMetric’s free plan as well (that’s what I do).
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