CD Baby vs DistroKid: which should an independent artist pick?
Both get your music on every major platform and both let you keep your masters — the difference is the money model: CD Baby is per-release fee, DistroKid is annual subscription. Which wins depends on how often you release and how long your catalog earns.
| CD Baby | DistroKid | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Per-release fee | Annual subscription |
| Pricing | $9.99/single, $14.99/album one-time, no annual fees (as of June 2026) | $24.99–$89.99/yr (as of June 2026) |
| Payout | 91% of digital distribution revenue (CD Baby keeps 9%) | 100% of royalties |
| You keep masters | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Artists who release infrequently and want music to stay live forever without recurring subscription fees. | Prolific artists who release often and want unlimited uploads for one flat annual fee. |
Pick CD Baby if…
Artists who release infrequently and want music to stay live forever without recurring subscription fees.
But watch out
- –Permanent 9% commission on all digital distribution revenue for the life of the release, per CD Baby's own pricing page.
- –Now owned by Universal Music Group following UMG's $775M acquisition of parent Downtown Music Holdings (completed February 2026) — a consideration for artists specifically avoiding major-label ecosystems.
Pick DistroKid if…
Prolific artists who release often and want unlimited uploads for one flat annual fee.
But watch out
- –Music is removed from streaming services if you stop paying the annual subscription, unless you buy the per-release Leave a Legacy add-on (documented in DistroKid's Help Center).
- –Core features like YouTube Content ID and Store Maximizer are paid per-release add-ons on top of the subscription, so real costs can run well above the headline price.
The decision in one rule
Run your release pace against the models: a subscription distributor is cheapest per release if you put out music constantly (but your music typically comes down if you stop paying), while a one-time fee or commission model favors a small catalog that earns for years. Whatever you choose, confirm you can leave with your catalog and that you keep the masters — the non-negotiables covered in how to release independently. Then run your numbers in the royalty calculator.
Primary sources
- [1]How Much Does CD Baby Cost? Transparent Pricing Guide — CD Baby
- [2]UMG's $775 Million Downtown Acquisition Gets Final EU Approval — Billboard
- [3]Universal Music's Downtown acquisition cleared by EU competition regulator — Music Business Worldwide
- [4]DistroKid plans and pricing — DistroKid
- [5]If I Don't Renew My DistroKid Subscription, Will My Music Stay Live in Streaming Services? — DistroKid Help Center
- [6]The Leave a Legacy Album Extra — DistroKid Help Center
Educational comparison, not an endorsement or affiliate content. Details verified against official pages as of June 2026 — terms change, confirm before signing up.