We compared fees, payout speed, and features across the top distributors so you don't have to.
Why we stopped recommending DistroKid to everyone
DistroKid is fine. It works. But "fine" isn't a strategy — and for a lot of independent artists, the right distributor depends on what you're actually trying to do. If you release a single every two weeks, cheap unlimited uploads matter. If you release an album twice a year and want physical, you want a different tool entirely.
We compared the eight distributors indie artists actually consider, on the things that matter: yearly cost, per-release fees, payout speed, physical distribution, sync licensing, and how annoying the interface is at 2am.
Key Takeaway
There is no single best distributor. There's the best distributor for your release cadence and your income model. Pick the one that matches how you actually ship music.
The three worth your time
For high-volume single releasers, DistroKid still wins on raw cost. For album-first artists who want physical and better sync representation, TuneCore and UnitedMasters both improved meaningfully this year. UnitedMasters in particular now offers a free tier that's genuinely usable for your first few releases — something we couldn't say last year.
The rest either nickel-and-dime you on features that should be standard, or hold your royalties hostage behind a payout schedule designed for labels, not individuals.
What we'd actually do
Start free while you're testing. Move to a paid unlimited plan only when you're releasing more than four times a year. Never pay for a feature you haven't verified gets your music onto the specific playlist or platform you care about.