Music distribution

DistroKid pricing: every plan, the catches and whether it’s worth it

DistroKid pricing starts at $24.99 a year for unlimited releases, and DistroKid keeps none of your streaming royalties. The catches are the extras: YouTube Content ID costs more on every release, every year, and your music comes down if you stop paying. Check it against your own releases in the music distribution calculator before you pay anyone.

We haven’t used DistroKid and it doesn’t pay us. This page is based on DistroKid’s published prices and terms (checked 27th October 2026) and on independent news reports.

DistroKid

Plan Yearly fee Per release Royalty cut YouTube Content ID Limits
Musician $24.99 None None $4.95 per single, $14.95 per album a year; keeps 20% 1 artist name
Musician Plus $44.99 None None $4.95 per single, $14.95 per album a year; keeps 20% 2 artist names
Ultimate $89.99 None None $4.95 per single, $14.95 per album a year; keeps 20% 5 artist names

Releases are removed if you stop paying. A one-off Leave a Legacy fee keeps a release up anyway. Prices checked 27th October 2026.

What the plans give you

Every plan has unlimited releases and royalty splits, so collaborators get paid directly. They differ mainly in how many artist names they cover: Musician covers 1, Musician Plus covers 2 and Ultimate starts at 5. Musician Plus also adds custom release dates and a custom label name. There is no free plan.

The catches

  • Stop paying and your music comes down. The only way round it is a one-off Leave a Legacy payment for each release you want kept up.
  • YouTube Content ID costs extra, every year: $4.95 per single and $14.95 per album, and DistroKid still keeps 20% of what it earns.
  • Other extras are yearly too. Store Maximizer and Discovery Pack are charged per release or per song, each year.
  • Ultimate’s price above five artists isn’t published. You only see it once you’re signing up.

Documented problems

  • Frozen royalties. In May 2024 DistroKid froze tens of thousands of dollars of Devi McCallion’s royalties without telling her why. After she complained publicly, it said she was under investigation for streaming fraud, which she denies. It closed the investigation hours after The FADER asked for comment.
  • Tracks removed without notice. After Universal Music Group sued DistroKid in September 2026, DistroKid removed tracks in response to UMG’s claims. Artists including McGwire, Insane Ian and King Chase said music came down “with no warning” or with no reason given. DistroKid says it strongly disputes the lawsuit. MBW couldn’t verify the rights status of the tracks.

TuneCore has pulled music in error too, so this isn’t only a DistroKid problem. Keep your own masters, artwork and ISRC codes either way.

How much does DistroKid pay per stream?

Nothing of its own. DistroKid passes on what each streaming service pays and keeps 0% of it, charging the yearly fee instead. On Spotify, independent artists got roughly $3.00 per 1,000 streams in 2024, and you can see what yours add up to in the Spotify royalty calculator. DistroKid’s help centre says it takes no percentage of what stores send for your music.

There are two exceptions. If you opt into the Social Media Pack for YouTube and TikTok ad money, DistroKid keeps 20% of that revenue. And getting the money out can carry fees from its payment processor, with tax withheld depending on where you live. That’s money for the recording only: if you wrote the song, songwriting money comes separately through a collecting society.

Is DistroKid worth it?

Yes, if you release three or more times a year as a solo artist or duo and split royalties with collaborators. No, if you release once or twice a year and earn little: a free plan or a one-off fee costs less. If YouTube matters, plans that include Content ID usually work out cheaper, and our rundown of DistroKid alternatives ranks them.

Common questions

Is DistroKid free?

No. The cheapest plan is Musician at $24.99 a year. Nothing is charged per song, because the yearly fee covers unlimited releases.

Is DistroKid legit?

Yes. It gets your music onto Spotify, Apple Music and the rest. The problems above are about fraud checks and takedowns, not routine non-payment.

Does DistroKid take a cut of my royalties?

Not of your streaming and download royalties. It keeps a share only of YouTube Content ID and Social Media Pack earnings.

Where these figures come from