DistroKid charges an annual membership for unlimited releases and says it passes through 100% of store earnings. CD Baby charges once per release, has no annual account fee, and retains a percentage of some collected revenue. Your release frequency and long-term catalog costs drive the choice.
Independent comparison. DistroCheck is not affiliated with DistroKid or CD Baby. Pricing and terms can change; official sources are linked below.
DistroKid can suit artists releasing repeatedly who value unlimited uploads and no distributor share from standard store receipts. CD Baby can suit artists who release less often and prefer not to renew an annual plan, while accounting for its commission on streaming and other collected royalties.
| Area | DistroKid | CD Baby |
|---|---|---|
| Core pricing | U.S. plans currently start at $24.99/year for unlimited releases | One-time U.S. fee: $9.99 per single or $14.99 per album; no annual account fee |
| Streaming/download revenue | Says it passes through 100% of store earnings, less banking fees and applicable taxes | Keeps 9% of download and streaming revenue it collects |
| Release volume | Unlimited uploads while membership is active | Pay separately for each submitted release |
| Existing ISRC | Can enter an existing ISRC on Musician Plus or Ultimate | Can submit your own ISRCs; CD Baby assigns codes to new recordings |
| Existing UPC | Generates its own UPC for each new upload; external UPCs are not accepted | Can assign a UPC or accept a valid unused UPC you already have |
| Social video monetization | Optional Social Media Pack has annual per-release pricing plus a 20% fee | Social video monetization is included; CD Baby retains 30% of collected revenue |
| Store reach | 150+ platforms advertised | 150+ platforms advertised |
For a small number of releases, CD Baby’s one-time fees avoid renewing a membership just to keep distribution active. For a frequent release schedule, DistroKid’s annual plan can spread the cost across more uploads. CD Baby also takes 9% of streaming/download receipts, so compare actual projected revenue as well as release count.
This is not a fixed break-even calculation: DistroKid’s annual plan tier, optional extras, CD Baby’s revenue share and your release schedule all affect the result. The linked checkout pages are the source of truth before purchase.
Both services support carrying an existing ISRC into a new delivery when it identifies the same recording. CD Baby accepts a valid UPC you own; DistroKid says it generates its own UPC for each new upload and does not accept an external UPC. A new single and a later album are separate products and need distinct UPCs, even when they contain the same recording.
CD Baby lists social video monetization across YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, and says it retains 30% of the revenue it receives for that service. DistroKid’s Social Media Pack adds an annual per-release fee and retains 20% of eligible revenue. These are user-generated video monetization terms; delivery to a platform’s music library is a different service.
you release often, want an annual unlimited plan and prefer not to give the distributor a share of standard store receipts.
you release occasionally, prefer one-time fees without an annual account renewal and accept the stated commission on collected revenue.
These are workflow tradeoffs, not a universal winner. Release frequency, catalog size, identifier needs, monetization and local checkout terms can change the total cost.
DistroCheck analyzes release metadata, identifiers and multiple distribution signals to estimate the likely digital distributor and show the evidence behind the result.
Claims are based on the distributors’ own pricing and support documentation. Prices below are U.S. list prices checked on the date shown and may vary by country, taxes, promotions or checkout terms.
Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.